AFS Cinema
Letter From a Friend
RECEIVED Mon., Feb. 10, 2025
Dear Editor,
We are two retired Canadians who love Austin and have been regular visitors since 1990. We love Texas and we love Texans. We are writing this letter in response to the actions taken by your president in the three weeks we’ve been here (a trip planned a year ago – most of our friends and family who had planned trips to the U.S. this year are going elsewhere or not traveling). We have witnessed your president (47) do incredible damage to your Constitution, to the economy and to the world at large. For example, whether or not you support foreign aid (of note – it accounts for less than 1% of the U.S. budget), its sudden withdrawal means many deaths, perhaps millions. But that is just one of many damaging and unconstitutional acts 47 and his co-president, Musk, have perpetrated. Personally, we are deeply offended by the chaos they have unleashed. And let us assure you, Canadians do not want to become the 51st state and will not respond kindly to a hostile takeover via a tariff war – a war that benefits no one.
To our American friends – we know you are tired. We know you have just been through a grueling election. We know you have been constantly fighting disinformation spread by 47 and his cronies. We know that 47 has caused irreparable rifts in families. But you have to fight back. And you have to fight soon – before it is too late. The damage done by his actions so far have affected mostly people outside the U.S. or federal employees, but soon everyone will be worse off except the very rich. WAKE UP! This is not a battle between left and right. It is a battle for your country and democracy.
This new world order unleashed on January 20 cannot be our future.
We are two retired Canadians who love Austin and have been regular visitors since 1990. We love Texas and we love Texans. We are writing this letter in response to the actions taken by your president in the three weeks we’ve been here (a trip planned a year ago – most of our friends and family who had planned trips to the U.S. this year are going elsewhere or not traveling). We have witnessed your president (47) do incredible damage to your Constitution, to the economy and to the world at large. For example, whether or not you support foreign aid (of note – it accounts for less than 1% of the U.S. budget), its sudden withdrawal means many deaths, perhaps millions. But that is just one of many damaging and unconstitutional acts 47 and his co-president, Musk, have perpetrated. Personally, we are deeply offended by the chaos they have unleashed. And let us assure you, Canadians do not want to become the 51st state and will not respond kindly to a hostile takeover via a tariff war – a war that benefits no one.
To our American friends – we know you are tired. We know you have just been through a grueling election. We know you have been constantly fighting disinformation spread by 47 and his cronies. We know that 47 has caused irreparable rifts in families. But you have to fight back. And you have to fight soon – before it is too late. The damage done by his actions so far have affected mostly people outside the U.S. or federal employees, but soon everyone will be worse off except the very rich. WAKE UP! This is not a battle between left and right. It is a battle for your country and democracy.
This new world order unleashed on January 20 cannot be our future.
Kate Graham & Reg Quinton