We write to President Obama instead.

President Obama

5046 S. Greenwood Ave

Chicago, IL 60615

18 March 2017 

Dear President Obama,  

I wanted to write you a letter for a couple reasons-- firstly, to say thank you, and secondly, to ask you a question. 

First of all, thank you. Thank you for your eight years of public service to our country. Thank you for behaving with a dignity that commanded respect for the office you were elected to. Thank you for treating all Americans with respect, and for disagreeing with your opponents with grace and class. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors as you emerge into what I hope will be a more peaceful, though equally productive, period of your life.  

Secondly, I have a question for you. Did everyone who wrote to you when you were resident receive some sort of response? A form letter, perhaps? Has it differed from presidents before you? I ask because I am a college student and my family and I are writing letters to President Trump every day of his presidency, as a way to practice civil discourse in advocating for social justice.  I was wondering what the traditional procedures were when you were serving in the White House. I of course do not expect any sort of personal response from the current occupant of the White House, but after nearly 50 letters, we would think we might at least ast send a form letter. It is hard to engage in a one-way conversation for weeks and weeks.   

Best wishes to you and your family, and thanks again for being our President.  We look forward to seeing you around Chicago again. 

Sincerely, 

K.

Quoting Spider-Man to President Trump

President Trump

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Ave

Washington DC 20500

17 March 2017 

Dear President Trump,  

One of the most basic ideas of justice is that might doesn’t make right.  To put it another way, the strongest and most powerful do to have the right to dominate those in a weaker position.  More than that, those to whom more has been given have a greater responsibility toward those who have less.  This basic idea of justice is reflected in everything from the Old and New Testaments and the Law Code of Hammurabi, to the oft-repeated words of Spider-Man, “With great power comes great responsibility.”

There have certainly been moments in history when those in positions of great power chose to use their influence for personal and selfish gain and to bully those in weaker positions.  History does not remember such people well.   

When you talk about cutting the EPA, you are taking away an agency that protects the environment for people who do not have the power to protect it themselves.  When you talk about banning refugees from coming into this country, you are closing the door to those who are poor, war-weary, and in need of shelter.  When you talk about cutting health insurance from millions of Americans, you are talking about denying care to the people who need it the most and cannot afford it.  These are people who need your help.  You are turning your back on them. 

Being rich is not something to be ashamed of, but neither is it, in and of itself a virtue.  Being rich is certainly not a license to treat others poorly.  Being president is not an opportunity to throw your weight around, bully others, or act selfishly.  Being president is an opportunity to serve all the American people, especially those who lack resources, a voice, or power – and make their lives better.  You can be a great president who helps those who need you, or you can be a bully.  I encourage you to act justly.   

Sincerely,

 William Boerman-Cornell

Trump, Thinking about the Thwarted Travel Ban

President Trump

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Ave

Washington DC 20500

16 March 2017 

Dear President Trump,  

Once again, courts have ruled that a discriminatory travel ban that seeks specifically to bar Muslims from entering the United States goes against our constitution and once again your response is to criticize the Judge that issued the ruling. 

I understand that you are frustrated, but is this always how you react to setbacks, by blaming and insulting the person on the other side.  That is, at best, childish.  In light of the fact that on two different occasions, with two different versions of the travel ban, different judges have ruled the discrimination against Muslims as unlawful, this might be a good time to consider whether it is the idea of the travel ban that is flawed, rather than the judges. 

You have stated on several occasions that the idea of the travel ban is to prevent “bad guys” from coming into this country.  It would be a much easier world to deal with if all the bad people believed in the same religion or lived in the same country, but that just isn’t the case.  We have bad people already living in the United States – people who participate in hate crimes, people who ignore the law, people who kill innocent people by driving while drunk, people who cheat on their taxes, those who engage in sexual abuse and so on.  Some of the worst acts of terror committed in this country  have been committed by school shooters, who were born and raised here. 

And of course, there are countless examples of Muslims in this country who have done a great deal of good, from hardworking people who pay their taxes and care about their families to doctors and teachers and philanthropists.   

While banning Muslims from this country will not keep the bad guys out, it will increase resentment for our country abroad, and that will result in ISIS having a much easier time recruiting.  So I urge you, instead of criticizing and insulting the judges, consider rethinking your approach.   

Sincerely,

 

William Boerman-Cornell

You're Fired Postcard Campaign

President Trump

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

Washington, DC 20500

15 March 2017  

Dear President Trump, 

My friend Marv contacted me to tell me about a campaign to write you postcards telling you that you are fired.  I am not writing you a postcard like that.  I suspect when you get all those postcards you (or your assistants) will throw them all away – or perhaps they will make you angry.  I can understand both those impulses.  I would like to suggest, though, a different response. I would suggest that those postcards should, on some level, make you happy, and then they should make you reconsider some things. 

You are, as you know, the president of a democracy.  The greatest thing about this country is not its military might, not its Gross National Product, not how we are ranked nationally in various categories.  The best thing about this country is that it is governed by the people.  The people who are sending you postcards telling you that you are fired are entitled to speak their minds.  They have freedom of speech.  And when they tell you you are fired, they need not fear, as in a dictatorship, that they will be targeted, arrested, imprisoned, injured or killed.  That is a great thing.  

It might also be wise, though, to recognize that a majority of the population – 55% according to the current Gallup Presidential approval rating -- are not happy with the choices you have made.  I cannot speak for all of them, but i can tell you what bothers me.  I am upset that you are turning away refugees who are fleeing our enemies and have nowhere else to go.  I am angered that you are rolling back environmental protections that keep us safe from toxins and pollutants.  I am frustrated that you are likely to sign a bill that will take health care away from millions of people who need it.  I am disappointed that the decisions you are making seem to benefit the rich and corporations more than they do the average American.   I think you need to listen to those who object to these decisions and rethink them.

But I am happy that I live in a country where I can write the president and tell him how I feel.  I just wish I could be certain that you are listening. 

Regards, 

Bill Boerman-Cornell

Middle School Advice on Conquering Xenophobia

President Trump

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

Washington, DC 20500

14 March 2017  

Dear President Trump,   

Earlier this evening, I was looking through the dictionary for a word, and I came across the word “xenophobia.” The exact definition of xenophobia is “(noun) intense or irrational dislike or fear of​ people from other countries.” In other words, it’s the fear of foreigners or people who are not from the country that you live in.   

When I read the word xenophobia, I immediately thought of you, President Trump. Not only are you planning on building a wall between the US and Mexico (and trying to make Mexico pay for it), but you seem determined to keep all Muslims from several countries out of America. Your recent revision of your travel ban, in spite of its fancy rhetoric, remains focused on keeping all Muslims out.  

Fear is a powerful force.  I worry that fear is the root of all of the extreme measures that you’re taking? I worry that what is driving you is a phobia.  

We all have things that we are afraid of. For example, I have a fear of spiders. But, unless we put forth effort into being brave and conquering our fears, we will never get rid of them. I have a suggestion for you, President Trump.  

I will promise to work hard on conquering my fear of spiders, if you work hard on conquering your fear of people who are not Americans.  Almost all of the people who want to come to America are just looking for a better life.  There’s really nothing to be afraid of. 

 

Regards,  

 

F

40th Letter to President Trump (so far zero replies)

President Trump

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Ave

Washington DC 20500

13 March 2017 

Dear President Trump,  

I have heard that you have spent a great deal of time in your Florida mansion since taking office. I am trying to be as understanding as possible about this, sir, but honestly, it makes me angry. I have tried to tell myself that you were unprepared for the amount of work that has accompanied your transition into the office you now hold, but you repeatedly reassured voters that you were capable and up for the job. I have tried to tell myself that presidents deserve time off regardless, and this true, but the fact that you are taking breaks so early in your presidency worries me. Additionally, I am angered at the double standard that your vacations display, since you have mocked former President Barack Obama for playing golf while in office. Now, sir, you are doing the same thing. Finally, for you to flaunt your riches while denying refugees who have lost everything and immigrants who have been thoroughly vetted the opportunity from entering this country for the chance at a better life, seems to me the height of callousness and hypocrisy.                                                                                  

As one of the people who foots the bill for your vacations, may I ask that you vacation less and work more for all of the American people?  Perhaps with that extra work time you might listen to what the Americans have been saying to you about serious issues like how deregulation will make our environment an even more toxic place, and how racial insensitivity is dividing our nation.  You might also be able to respond to what some of us are saying to you.  My family began a letter writing project when you were inaugurated.  This is the fortieth letter we have written to you.  We have received no responses to any of our letters, no form letters, acknowledgments, nor any other indication that you care what the American people have to say. 

My apologies if my tone seems insensitive.  I am angry and frustrated with the way you are treating the office of President of the United States.  It is my hope that you will reform your attitude and take you responsibilities to all Americans seriously.  

Sincerely,

 

K.

You Can't Just Make Stuff Up.

President Trump

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

Washington DC  20500

9 March 2017

 Dear President  Trump,  

When I was in high school I got involved in my freshman year in the high school debate team.  Now I am a 50 year old man but the lessons that I learned on the debate team still stick with me.  It was one of the ost valuable experiences I ever had. 

One of the things I learned early on is that, if you are going to make an argument, you owe it to those who will argue against you to present evidence to support your points.   No matter how much you may dislike the other team, if you wish to win over the judge, you need to provide evidence to prove your points against them.  If you do not do so, you cannot win those particular points, and, most likely, if you do not win those particular points, you lose the debate.   

I realize that, since coming to office, you have made several accusations, among them that President Obama tapped your phone lines, that the crowds at your inauguration were larger than reported, and that no one in your campaign spoke with the Russians during the campaign.  I also realize that there seem to be many people in the United States who are willing to accept what you say without requiring that you show evidence. These people, however, are not in the majority.  In fact, they are nowhere close. 

 According to the non-partisan Gallup Approval Rating Poll, you are, as of today, at a 41% approval rating.  If you look at the average approval ratings of the last 9 presidents in the March following their inaugurations, the next closest to you is Bill Clinton, who still averaged 10 points higher than you.  In fact, Barak Obama, Jimmy Carter, Richard Nixon, John Kennedy, and Dwight Eisenhower all averaged over 30 points higher in March than you are.  I do not say this to make you feel bad but to underscore the importance of gaining the trust of the American people.  You will only be able to do that by being straight with us, and that means not making assertions without providing evidence to back them up. 

Sir, the American people are not stupid.  Please show us the respect we are due.

 

Regards,

 

William Boerman-Cornell