Ann,
This is about your July 3rd Facebook post and its share of Anne Lamott's July 4th column in the Washington Post that I have copied and pasted below.
I have some comments and questions that I have set forth following the below copy and paste of your and Anne Lamott's posts.
Anne Lamott. She, along with Heather Cox Richardson and Rebecca Solnit offer me glimmers of hope.
Here is my July 4th column in this morning‘s Washington Post:
Anyone paying close attention to the news might well ask themselves what on earth there is to celebrate this Fourth of July. But we must celebrate, or they win, in the paranoid sense of “they.” They want the day, but we can’t let them have it. Independence Day is America’s day. Sure, we bleeding-heart nervous cases are teetering on the edge of despair, but that is exactly why I am calling for us to move into a new phase of resistance: hope and joy. In ghastly times, these are subversive.
No, no, come back. Hear me out. Many years ago, writer Caroline Myss traveled to Russia to speak at an international conference on healing, peace, kindness and other themes that caused my aging California hippie heart to soar. As she later told me, every single travel element that could go horribly wrong did — a 24-hour flight delay, interminable layovers, and when she finally got to Moscow, her hotel reservation had fallen through and she ended up sleeping on a stranger’s floor.
Two days afterward, on a train to the conference, Myss started whining to the elderly man seated next to her, detailing the minutiae of her disastrous travels. He listened compassionately, nodding and sighing with empathy. When she was done, the man was silent for a moment and then introduced himself as someone who worked with the Dalai Lama. He said gently that they both believed that when a lot of difficult and chaotic things were going on all at once, it was to protect something fragile and beautiful that was trying to get itself born.
I love this story because I know my ways, my habit of catastrophic thinking and my tiny, unresolved control issues. Without intervention, I might hover anxiously over some random beautiful thing that was coming into existence, breathe my hot worried breath down its neck and make notations on my clipboard with my always excellent ideas for everyone in the world and all of life.
I believe this is what we are seeing in D.C.: The daily chaos, cruelty and incoherence of the Republican regime sucks all the focus and energy out of the room, while offstage, something amazing is coming together. Jeez, even that nice Tulsi Gabbard has gotten caught in the crossfire. And brother Elon, ay yi yi. There’s nothing more schadenfreudy than crab people turning on one another, MAGAs eating each other, a political suicide triggered by their big, stinking bill: Be still, my heart.
Friday, I will be celebrating the coming midterms.
Upward of 4 million people showed up for historic and life-affirming “No Kings” marches a few weeks ago, and that was despite President Donald Trump having militarized the National Guard to squelch immigration protests in Los Angeles. A half-dozen friends of mine did not turn up out of the not-unreasonable fear of police violence — but were later frustrated with themselves because all of us who did go were euphoric.
I tormented them for days, because that is the Christian way. I would suddenly remember one of the better signs — gray-hairs in wheelchairs posting “Warning, sir: Do not piss off old people.” Or “It does not say ‘RSVP’ on the Statue of Liberty.” Or “You KNOW it’s bad when a straight white male makes a sign.” Or the greatest of all: “Honk if you’ve never drunk-texted war plans.”
There will be millions more at the upcoming days of nonviolent protest, and this time specifically six more, the friends who don’t want a repeat of my wrinkly gimlet state-trooper glare. More and more MAGAs are beginning to understand that they have been screwed by the man they voted for. All the reliable polls show that Trump’s approval ratings are underwater, dropping significantly since January. I am a college dropout and do not understand complicated political science theories, but I don’t think many of the 17 million people projected to lose their health insurance soon will be quite as enthusiastic about the president as they might have been. He doesn’t wear well.
I will celebrate these terrible polls on the Fourth. That will be me with the gluten-free garlic fries and the sugar-free rainbow snow cone. (I live in Northern California.)
How many of the 77 million people who voted for Trump were thrilled that he bombed Iran, especially in light of most intelligence data showing that it slowed down Iran’s nuclear efforts only by months instead of years? What happened to “America First,” on his promise to stay out of other countries’ wars? He said! But he could not resist the temptation to drop a bunker-buster bomb. It was yuge, like the greatest sex ever, bigger than anything, even Vladimir Putin.
How proud were those 77 million when they saw clips of his failed military parade — up to $45 million of taxpayer money, for endlessly rebroadcast snippets of that one proud little Boaty McBoatface tank?
This Friday, my friends and I will celebrate the land that embraces political marches and rallies, the ones so far and those still to come. This is “We the people,” and that is the ultimate and most profound aspect of America. We are going to keep showing up and talking about what needs to be done and what is possible right now. We give some money, if we can, to food banks, to a congressional candidate in a swing district, an immigrant rights organization, the ACLU and Project Hope. We steady ourselves for whatever the future might hold — left foot, right foot, left foot, breathe. Yes, things are god-awful in so many ways, maybe especially the dismantling of USAID, but we can’t go limp. This is what they want. I remember George Carlin as saying, “There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls.” That night is now. We are the moon shining in the dark. We have begun to howl as one, as this new thing is getting itself born. I’ll see you on the Fourth. I’ll be smiling, overeating and celebrating this great land, the home of the brave.
My questions and comments:
You have 2,800 friends on Facebook. Your above post has 27 likes and 6 comments. As best I can tell, only two from Eagles Mere (Judith A. Renn Ritchings and Edwina Vauclain) are among the 27 likes and 6 comments.
Anne Lamott has 714,000 followers on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/AnneLamott.
I interpret your sharing of Anne Lamott's column to mean that her column captures sentiments and thoughts that you have related to the matter.
What is your sense of for how many of your Eagles Mere Facebook friends and for how many others in Eagles Mere does or would Anne Lamott's column similarly capture their sentiments and thoughts related to the matter?
Besides sharing Anne Lamott's column on Facebook, what imparting to others in Eagles Mere (such as by conversation) have you done or will you do to purvey Anne Lamott's sentiments and thoughts?
I am writing this to you out of certain personal frustration I have in trying to communicate with or to people in Eagles Mere.
Thank you, Ann, for whatever response you can provide on this.
Rob Shattuck
Ann Klotz's reply on Facebook
Blogging Eagle perhaps better as a conversation, Rob. We are here now more or less full time.
My response to Ann
Margie White
On May 31 Margie White posted:How many people are ok with this?
I commented
Blogging Eagle
Margie White Are you interested in promoting conversation among Eagles Mere people about what is going on? https://bloggingeagle1.blogspot.com/2025/07/dear-ann-klotz.html
Richard Johnson
I added a comment on Ann Klotz's July 3rd post tagging Richard Johnson
Blogging Eagle
Richard Johnson I cannot think of a better person than you to promote conversation in Eagles Mere. Please, please do.
Tom Cosgrove; Jenifer Westphal
I started this Substack to share the lessons and strategies I’ve learned over a half-century of organizing, creating, and fighting to perfect our union—the mission laid out in the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution.
In the first post, I explain why solitude isn’t retreat. It’s preparation. A place to remember what matters, so we can reenter with clarity, courage, and intention. A quiet mind is more discerning. A centered person is harder to manipulate.
If you find it connects with you, please share it. I’d appreciate it if you subscribed as well—it’s free.
Blogging Eagle
Tom Cosgrove Will you be in Eagles Mere any time this summer when you might make a presentation there about perfecting America's union? Ann Klotz Richard Johnson Margie White https://bloggingeagle1.blogspot.com/.../dear-ann-klotz.html
Tom Cosgrove
Blogging Eagle i will be around for parts of August. You should sign up for my substack that is where most of my focus will be going forward.
Blogging Eagle
Tom Cosgrove I have subscribed under my rdshatt@aol,com email address. Per above "Dear Ann Klotz" link, I am trying from afar to push Eagles Mere people to have political conversation with one another to try to bridge the worsening partisan divide. In your April 24, 2024 Facebook post, you announced American Public Television's releasing of your public television documentary -Divided We Fall: Listening With Curiosity - to correspond with the start of National Week of Conversation. I will use reference to that documentary in what I am trying to bring about in Eagles Mere. Thanks for that.
Blogging Eagle
Jenifer Collins Westphal You are shown as being with Tom Cosgrove on his April 24, 2024 post. Are you interested in promoting or participating with Eagles Mere people having political conversations with one another to try to bridge the worsening partisan divide?
Heidi Christman
Heidi Christman Please help promote political conversation among Eagles Mere people. https://bloggingeagle1.blogspot.com/.../dear-ann-klotz.html
Laura Lee
Blogging Eagle
Laura Lee Please promote conversation on political matters among Eagles Mere people. https://bloggingeagle1.blogspot.com/.../dear-ann-klotz.html
Betsy Beaugard
Email to Betsy Beaugard re Brain/Food as possible venue for focus group type conversationFrom: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>
To: Betsy Beaugard <betsy.beaugard@gmail.com>
Cc:
Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2025 at 09:20:15 AM CDT
Subject: Re: Coaches Forum, Brain Food program on July 10th
Hi Betsy.
In 2023 in connection with the Brain/Food Rules of Civility program, I importuned you about whether the novel had any takeaway for Brain/Food attendees to consider relative to the national trauma of incivility the United States was experiencing (and that it continues to experience). (I think it turned out that there was nothing there.)
From afar now I am trying to promote Eagles Mere people having political conversations among themselves.
Please, if you would, read Dear Ann Klotz and think about whether Brain/Food would be a good venue for a focus group type political conversation among Eagles Mere people.
Thanks (and sorry I have not gotten to Eagles Mere for several years).
Sincerely,
Rob
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On Monday, July 7, 2025 at 07:58:48 PM CDT, Betsy Beaugard <betsy.beaugard@gmail.com> wrote:
Rick Freeman has wanted to do a Coaches Forum as a Brain/Food program for some time. We are giving him the opportunity to do it this Thursday at 7 PM in the DeWire Center. There will be the usual potluck, opening at 6 PM, serving food at 6:15.
Eagles Mere coaches, Frank Comfort, Barry Hopkins, Pat Lacon, Diann Roffe Pursel, Zoe Siswick and Pete Swinick. These coaches cover a wide range of sports (soccer, lacrosse, wrestling, skiing, swimming and football) and level of play. There will be an opportunity to ask the panel questions. https://emfoa.org/event/brain-food-coaches-forum-2/
The next week's program will be Page to Stage, meet the cast members, director, Harriet Power and stage assistants for the play, Sylvia on Tuesday, July 15th. Note the date change from Thursday. . It will be a great way to prepare for the play on July 19th and 20th. https://emfoa.org/event/brain-food-page-to-stage-sylvia/.
My email list is old. Let me know if you have a better email or no longer wish to receive this mailing.
Betsy Beaugard
610 329-3144
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From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>To: Betsy Beaugard <betsy.beaugard@gmail.com>
Cc:
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2025 at 08:55:29 AM CDT
Subject: Re: Coaches Forum, Brain Food program on July 10th
Thanks very much for your replying, Betsy.
Let me follow up and ask, if I may, apart from Brain/Food, do you or Mark have any personal interest in participating in conversations in Eagles Mere that seek to bridge the worsening partisan divide in the country? Are you aware of any others in Eagles Mere who would be interested in participating in such conversations?
Alternatively, is it your sense that people enjoying their summertime in Eagles Mere just don't want to be bothered with such stuff?
I will be grateful for any insight you can provide me here.
Again, thank you.
Rob
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On Friday, July 11, 2025 at 06:17:00 AM CDT, Betsy Beaugard <betsy.beaugard@gmail.com> wrote:
We have our program fixed for this summer. I don’t think our programs and focus are political in nature. Maybe Ann, Richard and Margie want to take this on. We have not had any serious reading/books in recent years as I have been told that this not what folks want to do in summer. Many are involved in book clubs other times of the year.
Betsy
On Friday, July 11, 2025 at 06:17:00 AM CDT, Betsy Beaugard <betsy.beaugard@gmail.com> wrote:
We have our program fixed for this summer. I don’t think our programs and focus are political in nature. Maybe Ann, Richard and Margie want to take this on. We have not had any serious reading/books in recent years as I have been told that this not what folks want to do in summer. Many are involved in book clubs other times of the year.
Betsy
From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>
To: Holly Schadler <hschadler@tristerross.com>
Cc:
Sent: Saturday, July 12, 2025 at 05:41:11 AM CDT
Subject: David's Eagles Mere signs letter
Hello Holly,
This is email is prompted by having seen David's Eagles Mere signs letter.
I have not been to Eagles Mere in a while, and from afar I have been trying to promote political conversation in Eagles Mere to contribute to trying to bridge the worsening partisan divide.
If you and/or David are interested, please read Dear Ann Klotz and let me know of any suggestions or thoughts you have.
I hope you are still enjoying Eagles Mere as you have previously.
Sincerely,
Rob Shattuck
Jean Alley
[from comments section on Richard Johnson July 11 post: "Where is the line? Epstein & Trump cover up! Bondi, release the files!"]Jean C Alley
Richard Johnson if there was proof Trump was a pedophile or took any part in the Lolita Express, Biden, Hillary, Obama and the FBI would have been circulated that proof years ago. That being said, it’s absolutely disgusting that no one (besides the honeypot) has been charged with any crimes related to Epstein and his disgusting sex ring.
Blogging Eagle
Jean C Alley Is there any chance your verve could be brought to bear in a focus group type conversation in Eagles Mere that seeks to bridge the worsening partisan divide? https://bloggingeagle1.blogspot.com/.../dear-ann-klotz.html
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