I would love to read the President’s mail. But of course, that would be illegal without his permission.
We do get glimpses of the content of letters sent to Presidents of the past when they have shared stories of citizens as a way of illustrating American values. They are American values expressed through the voices of citizens.
As we begin a new administration, with the anticipation of the first 100 days, we have a very unique opportunity:
We actually get to read the President’s mail.
We are very fortunate that 100 other people, each scholars of their own religious perspectives, have begun writing to the President, and we get to read the letters because they are posting them. American Values and Religious Voices posts a new letter every day. With thanks to Rabbi Andrea Weiss of the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion, each day of the first 100 of the new administration can include a letter to the President written from a varied religious perspective. Just today and yesterday I read letters imploring the President to embrace the lessons of both the story of the Good Samaritan in the Christian Bible and the teaching of the Prophet Mohammed in the Koran. I learned so much in just two days.
We will be sharing these letters and my thoughts on them through this blog and Twitter with hopes that you will sign up to get the letters yourself or go to the website each day to read them.
Enjoy the letters.