May 31 2020
Dear Mr. President,
I am writing to you tonight with a very heavy heart that is lightened only by pictures of our grandkids, sweet Zoom calls with friends, and the funny jokes, memes and videos that are going around on Social Media (even if Social Media is sort of the real Fake Media – even thought how can you be Fake and Real at the same time?). Anyhow, I am sure you share my heavy heart feelings as well but I’m not sure your feelings are blunted by the same jokes, memes and videos. For example, I just watched President Obama’s last speech at the National Press Dinner in 2016. He is really funny and has great timing and a killer smile. You probably haven’t seen Sarah Cooper and her amazing lip syncing of your words that are blowing up on TikTok and Youtube. There’s even one one Tweet from a guy named Andy Milonakis. Yesterday he tweeted “Congratulations to the Astronauts that left Earth today. Good choice”.
Have I ever mentioned to you that The Big Bang Theory is not only a very funny show but there have been episodes with valuable advice for you? For example, one time Sheldon, the totally on the spectrum genius, needed to learn how to be more emotionally open and perceptive. He decided to take acting lessons from Penny, the neighbor who is trying to be an actress. I think you should take some acting lessons (not from Penny, the show has ended and I don’t know if she is available for acting lessons). You could practice emoting actual emotions when you read your “comforting” words to the public. Right now the sadness of death and illness, injustice and protests don’t sound really believable. I think you should practice (maybe every day for 15 minutes) a speech that sounds sympathetic to everyone.
I did think about some advice for you to help the country. My advice is to be a “MENSCH”. What is a Mensch? In Yiddish and probably German, it means a “man” but it has a larger connotation. It really means to be a “human being” who does the right thing, says the right thing and is kind and good to everyone. It’s not a word that rolls off of your tongue if you are not used to hearing or saying it. Our parents always told us to act like a “Mensch” or to be a “Mensch”. Once, when I was still a school social worker, I was talking to a young boy about age 10 about how I knew he was a good person and how he should show us that by acting like a good person. I used the word “Mensch” a few times. He misheard it as it wasn’t a part of his vocabulary. When we said our goodbyes he told me “Okay, I’ll be a Bench”. Mr. President, if you can’t be a “Mensch” maybe you could be a bench? A bench is quiet, can be used for a nice rest, usually is a welcomed sight and is often on a path. I’m thinking you could put one in the Rose Garden and go sit there and think about your behavior and words for a while.
Dear Mr. President 