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    Dear Mr. Jefferies,                                       May 27, 2026.

 

                  I am a 71 years young United States citizen.

                       I have witnessed civil rights marches.

                 John Kennedy supporting space exploration.

       Stood before Bobby as he brushed his hair from his forehead.

      Saw the very first black President honorably serve his country.

           Grew up educated by weekly iconic Life magazine covers.

     Had my eyes opened up wide every Sunday night by Ed Sullivan.

   Canvassed alone at age 17 in the black ghetto of Grand Rapids, MI.                                       for McGovern.

    Attended a debate in my high school gym between Jean McKee &                              the Rep. at the time, Gerald R. Ford.

      Have sung along to every Beatles’ song & know for a fact that

                         all you need is love to come together.

       Witnessed our nation moving in a strong continual trajectory 

                     towards Goodness. And Greatness. And Forever.

     The focus : helping others, humanity, brotherhood, & sisterhood.

   Politics used to be a place for debate, discussion, & disagreements.

        And, most most most importantly, dialog & understanding.

      Government now becoming a business of money transactions.

      The courts and the law are now, it seems, whack out of balance.

 

             I feel somewhat lost. My country is breaking my heart.

         My identity, who I am, includes the geography & the ground

                        I stand on. My country ’tis of thee.

       Oddly, & for me, a very first, to struggle with these words : “my”                                   country, because, I feel, as if, exiled inside, 

                        & don’t belong nor relate to this now, 

                         seemingly, oddly, strangely un-United nation.

                 A stranger in a strange identity crisis land.

          I do not comprehend nor believe what is unfolding as we 

               nationally & globally watch the entire world divide.

  Possibly this is our brave new world. I need to accept. Or get a grip.

 

          I am a middle-class white female, basically born & raised

                                                in the heart of midwest cornfields. 

      As a kid I proudly watched my dad march in 4th of July parades

                                                     as he play his trumpet.

            My dad. Red Faulkner. Red-head. Band director. WWII vet.

           Middle name, George, because he was born on February 22.

           First name, Warren, after the President Harding at the time.

       Story had it, dad crossed the Delaware ( Ave.) everyday to get to

                                                            school in Milwaukee, WI.

My dad’s most requested song at his free weekly concerts in the park                                was “Stars & Stripes Forever” 

                          that featured an Italian virtuoso play

                       that famous priceless peerless piccolo solo.

      The song accompanied the ceremony of dispersing dad’s ashes.

                        Satchmo was dad’s super-hero.

       I do so remember hello dolly, as those saints go marchin’ in.

       I wonder what dad would think about all this 

                                        got it all wrong right about now.

         The division is no longer between a two party system. 

         The division has gone beyond the basic principles of 

                                         right/wrong, good/bad, or agree/disagree.

    The divisional difference is now one of ruthless greed/power/fear 

                                         or humanitarian aid/peace/love.

 

         What can I do. What can we do. What can we as a people do.

 

      My very own legitimate vote seems not good enough anymore :

             Does not, will not, & cannot have a strong enough voice 

                      over this creeping seeping sliding backwards 

                        shocking power grab which is methodically 

                      destroying our global fellowship, camaraderie, 

                       our future, & who we are as humane humans.

 

             My vote, a drip-drop into a leaky overflowing bucket 

                  that has - - surprise !! - - holes pre-drilled into it. 

            The midterms appear ahead like a false jaded faded hope 

                on the far distant destined horizon as thee answer.

             I sense all the chess pieces pre-determined & pre-lined up 

                 beforehand in this feels-like-a-dangling-carrot game.

          Just another up-coming attempt at not-again surprise/failure 

                  to get something in the right direction accomplished. 

               Something, one single thing, in the right direction. 

                               May I please be proved wrong.

 

           How do we as a people collectively grasp the steering wheel 

                              get the lead foot off the gas pedal

                                    put the foot on the brakes 

                                 before we all go over the cliff.

                  Wondering, have we already gone over the cliff.

          Attending recent rallies there is like this big grinning selfies 

                       why-look-at-us-altogether party atmosphere.

    Woohoo who can make the best sign wear where the best costume.

            Seriously, where are all the young people these daze.

        The voice of the arts speak much louder now. Statues. Music. 

                                        The Boss.

         The young folk used to be our force of nature. Stuff got done.

      Now our force of nature captured with their dear faces

                         frozen stiff in head light beams of fones.

 

         I write to say, say what ? & share my voice with you today 

                            because of my high respect for how 

                              you conduct yourself in the world.

                Non-reactionary. Calm. Such a Tough place to be in.

                   Level headed & the one human who deliberately 

                      slowly thinks out his words before speaking.

                    That is a very rare quality, to not react act out.

                         Reactive is our new abnormal normal.

                             I commend you. Also Mr. Booker. 

               I believe you two are part of our human legacy & future. 

                                Of where we once were headed. 

                          We need to head in that direction again.

 

                                     The compass is broken.

                    Let us as a people be guided by the stars instead.

                               The stars & stripes are forever.

                                           And so is the truth.

 

                         Have we forgotten to stand on the truth. 

                  Predictably, we get sidetracked by all the un-truths,

                       the make-stuff-up unreality, the fake imagery,

                   & are oh no so aghast with frozen shock. It is tiring.

                   The end goal the touch down is constant distraction.

                         Whatever you do, don’t pay any attention 

                         to that Oz wizard man behind the curtain.

                   The one pushing all the bells and whistles and levers.

                         As he creates drama, theatre, & smoke screens.

 

                                Thank You for your solid determination. 

 

                              In Kindness, & with Vast Appreciation for you,

                                 & the All of Us, along with, mighty big 

                           sincere wishes for much brighter new days ahead, 

                                                             Kristine Falconer Strell

                                                        Guemes Island, Anacortes, Wa.,

                                                                                  United States