Letter to President Donald Trump

OPINION

John Magee was the owner of The Thaiger’s predecessor, the long-running Phuket Gazette. As a US citizen and longtime Republican, he’s penned a letter to the US President Donald Trump…

November 7, 2020

Dear Mr President:

Let me propose something to you in the simplest possible English, with no word exceeding ten letters or five syllables.

As an American now in his 51^st year of residence overseas, the last 29 of which have been in Thailand (no; not near Taipei), I’m a bit sensitive about what “foreigners” think of our great nation. Generally, I feel it might be a bit negative, so that’s why, over the past four years, when asked, I’ve been telling the guy in the seat next to me on airplanes that I’m from Canada. A pity to have to do that.

While I’ve benefited personally – thank you – from your regime with respect to the U.S. Stock market and federal tax policy, the damage you have done to our economy, to race relations, to national health, to our trust, to our friends and allies overseas, to our image, ‘ethos’ and, above all else, basic behavioral standards, speaks for itself.

A couple of years ago I read an editorial in a British journal that presented a list of reasons as to why the English don’t love you as much as you might have thought. The list was of course lengthy, but apart from the underlying theme, which focused on your deficiencies in the matter of fair play, the writer noted that, ‘We Brits like a leader with a bit of a sense of humor’, and he lamented greatly that you don’t have one.

Why is this? Why is it that we never see you smile? All we ever see are your smirks, scoffs and snickers at those who do not share your views. No empathy, no mercy or mirth. Are you hiding something?

I write you now at the risk of losing a couple of good friends who support you, but fortunately these friends have both mirth and the ability to recognize that we’re all fallible (can you imagine that?) in our beliefs about what’s best for the world, so I hope our friendships will survive and defeat your crusade to tear us all apart.

Well, the election came and went and you lost it. So can we do a deal? You bow out graciously and retain whatever dignity you think you still have. And I, along with what we now know is the majority of other Americans, can feel more comfortable – not only with “foreigners”, but also – and even without a gun – my fellow countrymen.

With all due respect,

John Magee

Republican

Phuket, Thailand

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