Our first president got it right

Dear Readers,

I have been listening to and reading a new release by John Avlon entitled  Washington's Farewell: The Founding Father's Warning to Future Generations.

It is an especially appropriate read in these turbulent times. To be learning of President Washington's warnings about partisanship and the dangers of factions, and of his deep commitment to moderation and compromise, brings a special sense of cognitive dissonance, since we have spent the first week of President Trump's administration watching the 45th President act in ways that would be totally repugnant to our first. 

To wit, here is the first president on religious tolerance, in an address to a Jewish congregation in 1790:

Ask yourselves, are we living up to Washington's ideals? Is our new government giving no sanction to bigotry and no assistance to persecution based on religious faith? 

Readers, I think we all know the answer to that.

Keep standing up for what's right.

Gloria/BookishMarginalia

PS if you want to access the primary sources related to this quote, please go to: https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trm006.html 

I stand with the refugees. Do you?

Dear Readers, 

Please read and share this story: It is important: "Refugees detained at U.S. airports challenge Trump's executive order" - The Washington Post

https://apple.news/AKTOEo95NSYajrvxsVnLgmA  

This is not plans for a wall. This is affecting real people and families with valid visas and green cards. 

President Trump is doubling down on this as with everything else. We need Republicans of conscience to stand up and say NO. VP Pence himself condemned bans when he was governor (via tweet no less); Speaker Ryan used to oppose candidate Trump's more outrageous ideas (like the immigration ban). What happened? Where has their conviction gone?

History will not judge them kindly. Neither will our children and grandchildren. We need to stand for what is right. Imagine if the mass of the German population had stood up and rejected the changes in laws targeting minorities, the opposition, and particularly Jews, when Hitler came to power in 1933. Might there have been no World War II, no Holocaust? 

We will never know, because they didn't. We judge them harshly for it. So, fellow American citizens, what are WE going to do?

Gloria

If President Trump tweeted classic books...

Dear Readers,

Donald Trump's preferred mode of communication is, indisputably, the tweet. So, a writer at The New Yorker wondered, how would Trump tweet the classics? The result is genius, a gem of satire and parody: http://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/trump-tweets-the-classics 

Just to whet your appetite, here are the tweets for Hamlet and Winnie the Pooh:

Thanks to Litsy's @katedensen for posting and bringing this article to my attention.

If you like the article, and you want to support long-form investigative reporting and a strong #freepress, please consider joining me in supporting The New Yorker as a subscriber: https://subscribe.newyorker.com/subscribe/newyorker/104657 

This is one of the ways I have chosen to act in support of the #FirstAmendment in these turbulent times.

Stay strong,

Gloria/BookishMarginalia

Read Banned Books

Dear Readers,

In our current political climate, it is more important than ever to read books that have been challenged or banned in the US. We readers must stand for freedom of speech, freedom to read, and especially, for a robust First Amendment. 

Here is a great article by Dr. Perri Klass about banned books to read with children: http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/16/well/family/the-banned-books-your-child-should-read.html

Read free,

Gloria/BookishMarginalia

I heart Litsy... and you will too!

Dear Readers:

If there's anything that has enriched my (reading) life immeasurably in the list six months, it is finding a home in the loving community that is Litsy.



This is a screenshot of my Litsy profile.

Litsy is what would happen if Goodreads and Instagram had a perfect baby: a highly visual, book-related iOS and Android app that helps book lovers connect.

So if you are ready to join a totally awesome community of like-minded readers, download the free app from iTunes or Google Play. Right now. Go. Now.

Just remember, once you download and open the app:

1. Create a memorable handle. Mine is @BookishMarginalia
2. Post your first post about the last book you read or are reading: start growing your Litfluence!
3. Follow all the people Litsy suggests. (If you don't follow people, you won't see anything on your feed)
4. Follow me: @BookishMarginalia -- I follow all my followers, so you'll get some Litsy love immediately!

And finally, leave me a comment here or on Litsy, so I know to look out for your posts. It's such fun!

See you on Litsy!

Gloria/BookishMarginalia