I received a letter from Skyler Fusaro, who occasionally writes to me about the time we are living in from her perspective of living later in the 21st Century. I first heard from her in 2012. In that letter, she called us out on how miserable we are doing concerning climate change and why we continue to listen to corporate heads and the wealthy about not supporting public education.

Skyler lives with her family in Atlanta after they fled New Orleans due to ravaging storms and intense heat. Atlanta is crowded but has a slightly cooler climate than Louisiana. She has shared her life in a future Atlanta (where I have lived for over 50 years). You can read her 2012 letter here.

In this letter, she takes us to task for not protecting each other from gun violence. She reminds us that we lead the world not only in the number of guns owned per person but also in the number of people who die from gunshots. She included with her letter a graph that I had posted on my blog in 2023 showing the percentage of people who own guns by state. It’s located at the end of this post.

She also warns us about the danger presented by authoritarians who lead one of the American political parties. That party is led by Donald Trump, who has a history encouraging violence, especially at his rallies. Yesterday, when he was shot, he started his talk telling his audience that he was going to take America back from those who have turned the U.S. into a Third-World nation. He warned them of the millions of “illegal immigrants” pouring across the border bringing criminals and rapists with them. As I have written elsewhere, Trump took advantage of the discontent that existed in people, especially in red states. At these rallies, Trump takes out his revenge on those he considered his enemies.

Skyler’s letter arrived late last night. Here is what she had to say.

Dear fellow Americans,

Donald Trump’s ascent to power in 2016 was a shock to the system, enabled by a perfect storm of factors—economic anxiety, racial resentment, and the naivety of those who thought, “It can’t happen here.” But it did. Through a campaign of lies, demagoguery, and a breathtaking disregard for democratic norms, Trump secured the presidency.

What followed was a nightmarish four years that saw the steady erosion of our most cherished institutions. Trump’s blatant self-dealing and flagrant abuse of power finally caught up with him, as he was indicted on charges of business fraud in New York and rape and sexual assault. Yet his most ardent followers remained steadfast, deaf to reason and facts. We now know that these people were cultist Trumpsters.

As we approach the 2024 election, the specter of Trump’s return looms large. His fascist acolytes, empowered and emboldened, are poised to seize power once more. The stakes could not be higher – it is a battle for the very soul of America between the forces of democracy and the dark tide of authoritarianism.

Even after the mass shooting at a Trump rally in Butler, PA, Trump has further emboldened his ruthlessness and macabre view of American society. Did you notice that even after getting shot in the ear, he cursed and raised his fist? In the next few days, you’ll see how he reacts to this act of violence. Recall that when he was President, whenever there was an act of violence somewhere in the country, he responded by calling for more violence. You must listen more carefully to Ruth Ben-Ghiat, who has written and spoken for decades about authoritarians and dictators and the danger that Trump poses to Western democracy.

Don’t forget Trump’s long history of fraud, corruption, and sexual misconduct – including four criminal indictments and convictions for business fraud in New York and rape and sexual assault and his 34 felonies. Far too many of your fellow Americans were willing to dismiss his egregious behavior.

We who have lived through this dystopian era implore you: do not make the same mistakes we did. Be vigilant, be informed, and be resolute in your defense of freedom. The road ahead will be arduous, but the alternative is a future that none of us can bear to imagine.

Yours in hope,

Skyler