Dear Michelle Obama

I get emails almost daily from the Obama campaign, inviting me to participate in the inaugural festivities, and oh by the way, donate some money. Today Mrs. Obama wrote to me - my inbox showed an email from Michelle. I replied the following, knowing that she won't read it and nobody else will either:

Dear Michelle:

I don't feel like celebrating much while all those children are dying in Gaza. What do you tell your daughters about it? Have they asked Barack if he's going to stop it?

I haven't told my kids what's happening yet. I don't want them to know that Barack is standing aside silently while Israel kills all those civilians, including children, in Gaza.

If your daughters don't ask about it now, they will, one day. What will he say? How will he look them in the eye?

Sincerely,

Leila Abu-Saba

a half-white half-American with a funny name, just like Barack

Comments

[Judy]

LOL... I respond to every single email I get with a similar message. I usually sign off "here's to change!"

[nina]

dear leila,
I really love your blog.
If you don't mind, can i add you to my blog roll?
thanks.

take care
nina

[Esther kamkar]

Dear Leila,
I enjoy reading your work.
This is what I do, this poem is burning my hands:

Only Weapons and Iron and Fire

Do not send me a chain letter with a Psalm for David and a prayer for soldiers.

Does your prayer have eyes
to find only your soldiers,
the ones with darker uniforms
and a lighter flag, not the
soldiers
who wear lighter uniforms
and hold a darker flag?

Do not curse me with a plague
for breaking this chain.

Doesn’t your prayer have eyes?
There are no horses, or chariots.
The soldiers are all dark,
they look alike
and they are bowed down
and fallen.

Esther kamkar
1/09

[Cujo359]

Terrific letter. I can only hope that the Obamas read it. They seem like decent folks, but the President-elect doesn't strike me as someone who is going to lead us in an unpopular direction. If there was ever a letter that might shame him into doing such a thing, this is it.