Hi Ramona, Thank you for saying what's in my heart. I agree with Sharon. The White House reconstruction has truly wounded me this week in ways that I never imagined. Maybe it's because I never imagined it would happen. It was not Donald Trump's house—it was ours—and his changes have ruined it forever—at least, in my opinion. It seems like such a metaphor for what he is doing to what I thought was my country.
It's just soul-crushing. This is what Trump wanted--to demoralize us after the rousing NO KINGS Day. He did a good job of it, but what he hasn't counted on is how Americans feel about their symbols and their monuments. We need to capitalize on the fury and not let it die.
Hi Ramona. Thank you for this essay. I needed it tonight. I'm going to share, with feeling, that I was considering submitting something until I got to your submission guidelines and was stopped. "Tell your stories your way." Followed by "watch the language." I live in the USA where freedom of speech is a value in this country, and I hold it close to my heart. This is your stack, so you can make the rules, but that one doesn't work for me in this instance. I hope this goes really well for you. I love that you're doing it. And the thing about the destruction of the East Wing by the orange madman? He's also erasing black history, in my view. Slaves built it. It's heinous. He's destroyed a house that doesn't belong to him. It's ours. And I think we should have him arrested for vandalism on an epic scale. Such a horrendous excuse for a human being. xo
Hi Nan, I have a thing about the F and C words. Could be my age, but it’s the only place I draw the line. Otherwise, “Tell your stories your way” means just that. I hope it doesn’t hold anyone back.
Thanks, Ramona. I appreciate your answer. One of those is a favorite of mine. The other, I use under duress when it seems no other word will do, which is rare. I will definitely reconsider. xo
Thanks, Nan. One other thing: My invitation is meant for those writers who haven't set up a blog or another source for their writing but might feel the need to tell their own stories while all of this is going on. I hear from writers all the time who are feeling the same frustrations and anguish we all are, but don't have a forum of their own. They may just want to write it out once, which a Guest Post would do nicely. So I'm reserving these spaces for them.
Having grown up in the Washington DC suburbs, the White House and all of the other government buildings, museums, and monuments were the backdrop of my life. We moved there in 1961 and I saw the city change, in many ways for the better and in some ways less, but the White House was always there, an immutable witness to the changing presidential administrations. Now a wannabe dictator has destroyed a part of the building where visitors were greeted and history was made on a whim to build a so-called ballroom that no one, other than his inflated ego, wanted or needed. The last time I felt like this is when I watched in horror as Notre Dame burned. Now, Notre Dame has been returned to its original splendor. Let's hope we can do this for the White House.
I am 100% with you, Ramona. 100% x
Hi Ramona, Thank you for saying what's in my heart. I agree with Sharon. The White House reconstruction has truly wounded me this week in ways that I never imagined. Maybe it's because I never imagined it would happen. It was not Donald Trump's house—it was ours—and his changes have ruined it forever—at least, in my opinion. It seems like such a metaphor for what he is doing to what I thought was my country.
It's just soul-crushing. This is what Trump wanted--to demoralize us after the rousing NO KINGS Day. He did a good job of it, but what he hasn't counted on is how Americans feel about their symbols and their monuments. We need to capitalize on the fury and not let it die.
The East wing was where the First Ladies had their offices.
Except Melania. She didn’t like it.
Hi Ramona. Thank you for this essay. I needed it tonight. I'm going to share, with feeling, that I was considering submitting something until I got to your submission guidelines and was stopped. "Tell your stories your way." Followed by "watch the language." I live in the USA where freedom of speech is a value in this country, and I hold it close to my heart. This is your stack, so you can make the rules, but that one doesn't work for me in this instance. I hope this goes really well for you. I love that you're doing it. And the thing about the destruction of the East Wing by the orange madman? He's also erasing black history, in my view. Slaves built it. It's heinous. He's destroyed a house that doesn't belong to him. It's ours. And I think we should have him arrested for vandalism on an epic scale. Such a horrendous excuse for a human being. xo
Hi Nan, I have a thing about the F and C words. Could be my age, but it’s the only place I draw the line. Otherwise, “Tell your stories your way” means just that. I hope it doesn’t hold anyone back.
Thanks, Ramona. I appreciate your answer. One of those is a favorite of mine. The other, I use under duress when it seems no other word will do, which is rare. I will definitely reconsider. xo
Thanks, Nan. One other thing: My invitation is meant for those writers who haven't set up a blog or another source for their writing but might feel the need to tell their own stories while all of this is going on. I hear from writers all the time who are feeling the same frustrations and anguish we all are, but don't have a forum of their own. They may just want to write it out once, which a Guest Post would do nicely. So I'm reserving these spaces for them.
Lovely. Then I'll pass this time. I have a platform and plenty to say! xo
Having grown up in the Washington DC suburbs, the White House and all of the other government buildings, museums, and monuments were the backdrop of my life. We moved there in 1961 and I saw the city change, in many ways for the better and in some ways less, but the White House was always there, an immutable witness to the changing presidential administrations. Now a wannabe dictator has destroyed a part of the building where visitors were greeted and history was made on a whim to build a so-called ballroom that no one, other than his inflated ego, wanted or needed. The last time I felt like this is when I watched in horror as Notre Dame burned. Now, Notre Dame has been returned to its original splendor. Let's hope we can do this for the White House.