What follows is adapted from an open letter to my own uncle. Name changed to protect his privacy. You are strongly encouraged to adapt it as needed and send it around to your own family.
Dear Uncle Bill,
You've often told me that I am wrong on Trump, and you no doubt wonder still why I can't see him like you do, as a good leader, even a good man. So let's talk about last night.
Last night Trump addressed Congress. He opened the even by bragging about all the amazing "waste" that he had ended. "Waste" like a supposed $8million for "transgender mice". Eight million is a lot, so too are the billions he has cut from research at the NIH, the NSF, and the CDC, research on hormones, research on cell growth, research on cancer.
Cancer.
There was no research on Transgender Mice. No-one pays to put a rat in a dress. They were transgenic. If you want to study hormone loss or genetic diseases in humans, you put those genes in a mouse because infecting people with cancer is just plain wrong. Trump wasn't bragging about cutting waste. He was bragging about terminating lifesaving research on cancer, respiratory problems, and genetic diseases. And he was bragging about firing the people who track outbreaks in humans and Animals all across America. And for what? So his billionaire 'donors' could get another tax cut while we all get sicker.
You and I both know people who faced Cancer.
You and I both know people who’ve died from it.
We met another one last night when Trump brought out a 13 year old cancer survivor just for an applause line, after he lied about cutting cancer research. If any other politician had done that you would say they were evil, and you would be right. Why does Trump get a free pass?
And it goes way beyond a single speech. The man is openly backing dictators who invade their neighbors (while he threatens to invade ours), he is banning certain words across the government, pardoning violent thugs who beat police officers, accusing his opponents of being terrorists, and letting 19 year old "proud racists" ransack your Social Security. I could go on, others have.
It isn't the tweets. It isn't the "winning" and it is not the "war on woke" that makes me angry. It is the sickness and the man, indeed the whole party, that seems hellbent on making it worse.
Beautifully done. Thank you.