To the Editor:
Dear Mr. President,
I am writing to you as a father of two wonderful little girls who are 9 and 11. Being a parent has been the greatest blessing of my life, and I feel privileged each day that I am allowed to help mold, guide, teach and be an example to them. I know that you are a parent and hope that you can relate.
In this complex world I do my best to shield my girls from the darkness, although I am honest with them about all issues to a degree appropriate for their age. We try to focus on the positive aspects of life, all the beauty, kindness and generosity.
The mother of my girls is a sergeant in the Army and has just returned from a one-year deployment in Kuwait. She is an amazing woman, mother and soldier, so our daughters understand duty, sacrifice and patriotism.
You are without question a success financially, as a businessman, as a celebrity and as a politician. So let us give credit where credit is due. Our economy seems to be in great shape, I have a good career, and I live a comfortable life relative to the majority of the world. I agree with some of your policies, disagree with some. I try to be a moderate and not an extremist in either political direction.
As a proud citizen of this great country, I believe that I should be able to tell my daughters to look at the man who holds the highest office in our country as an example of a great American, but I am sorry to say I cannot!
There are many ideas, values and systems that make our country great, and you are an example of the opportunities and the spoils that capitalism affords with hard work, and for this I credit you. It is in your actions and words in many other areas that I am averse to allowing my girls to look to you as a model citizen.
The simple things I teach my children are honesty, kindness, love thy neighbor, the golden rule, freedom and justice for all, money does not buy happiness, help those less fortunate, do not manipulate others for selfish gains, do not bully or call others derogatory names, take credit for successes and own your mistakes and failures, and check your egos at the door.
So it is with a heavy heart that I do not steer my daughters toward you as an example of these values, which ought to be the values of a great world leader, statesman or man of integrity.
I do not hope for your failure as some do, because I want our country to thrive and be a beacon for others. I do not hate or despise you, I do not wish you any ill will, nor do I criticize you to my children. We actually pray each day that world and civic leaders, including our president, find compassion and love in their hearts.
Please keep my daughters in your thoughts and behave as if they are watching you. I will do the same in regard to your son Barron.
John D. McNulty
Warwick, R.I.
Source: Read Full Article
Home » Analysis & Comment » Opinion | ‘Dear Mr. President: I Am Writing to You as a Father’
Opinion | ‘Dear Mr. President: I Am Writing to You as a Father’
To the Editor:
Dear Mr. President,
I am writing to you as a father of two wonderful little girls who are 9 and 11. Being a parent has been the greatest blessing of my life, and I feel privileged each day that I am allowed to help mold, guide, teach and be an example to them. I know that you are a parent and hope that you can relate.
In this complex world I do my best to shield my girls from the darkness, although I am honest with them about all issues to a degree appropriate for their age. We try to focus on the positive aspects of life, all the beauty, kindness and generosity.
The mother of my girls is a sergeant in the Army and has just returned from a one-year deployment in Kuwait. She is an amazing woman, mother and soldier, so our daughters understand duty, sacrifice and patriotism.
You are without question a success financially, as a businessman, as a celebrity and as a politician. So let us give credit where credit is due. Our economy seems to be in great shape, I have a good career, and I live a comfortable life relative to the majority of the world. I agree with some of your policies, disagree with some. I try to be a moderate and not an extremist in either political direction.
As a proud citizen of this great country, I believe that I should be able to tell my daughters to look at the man who holds the highest office in our country as an example of a great American, but I am sorry to say I cannot!
There are many ideas, values and systems that make our country great, and you are an example of the opportunities and the spoils that capitalism affords with hard work, and for this I credit you. It is in your actions and words in many other areas that I am averse to allowing my girls to look to you as a model citizen.
The simple things I teach my children are honesty, kindness, love thy neighbor, the golden rule, freedom and justice for all, money does not buy happiness, help those less fortunate, do not manipulate others for selfish gains, do not bully or call others derogatory names, take credit for successes and own your mistakes and failures, and check your egos at the door.
So it is with a heavy heart that I do not steer my daughters toward you as an example of these values, which ought to be the values of a great world leader, statesman or man of integrity.
I do not hope for your failure as some do, because I want our country to thrive and be a beacon for others. I do not hate or despise you, I do not wish you any ill will, nor do I criticize you to my children. We actually pray each day that world and civic leaders, including our president, find compassion and love in their hearts.
Please keep my daughters in your thoughts and behave as if they are watching you. I will do the same in regard to your son Barron.
John D. McNulty
Warwick, R.I.
Source: Read Full Article