Dear Mrs May,
As an American citizen living in London, it has been interesting (superb understatement) to watch Trump’s presidency from afar. Simply put, I am aghast watching America seemingly slide backwards in humanity and in history. As you are sitting down with him, I wondered if you would have the time to bring up some points on my behalf.
Please, could you remind Mr. Trump of the millions of Americans like me?
There are over 200,000 Americans in the UK alone, and millions of us worldwide. Americans benefit immensely from the opportunities to live and to work abroad, and it is epically hypocritical to disallow others to do the same in America.
What’s more, America is a country built by immigrants, including Mr. Trump’s very immediate family. Whether we’re talking about families that came over on the Mayflower, or like mine, families that are first-generation American. Generation after generation, families came to America for opportunity, to flee persecution, for a better life. They were often unwelcome. But these unwelcome groups would later fight for our independence, write our constitution, and build our nation. They built the American Dream.
If we scare away would-be immigrants, threaten to take away their children and their rights, we will forever be lesser than our full potential. America is not America without our immigrants.
Please, could you remind Mr. Trump that abortion is a right and not a political game.
Equality is not achievable without universal access to reproductive care. We must stop punishing women (and only women) by depriving her the right to choose, and then enforcing how her (and only her) future pans out. Furthermore, taking away a woman’s right to abortion, will only remove her access to a safe abortion. Back-alley abortions will still happen, and women will die.
Does Mr. Trump know, that increasing access to birth control will decrease the number of abortions. The connection is obvious. Giving Americans access to providers such as Planned Parenthood, means that free condoms and birth control pills will replace the need for many abortions. After the Affordable Care Act made birth control free, the number of abortions dropped to the lowest rates since Roe v. Wade. If Mr. Trump really wants to decrease abortion, he should help fund Planned Parenthood.
If Mr. Trump won’t care about women’s rights, surely he must care about the vote. This May in Ireland, we witnessed an overwhelming majority voted to repeal archaic abortion restrictions. Similarly in America, 62% of the populace approve of Planned Parenthood. This population has seen Mr. Trump’s nomination of Brett Kavanaugh. They are watching these threats to Roe v. Wade, and they will dissent with their vote.
Please, could you remind Mr. Trump to notice sensible gun laws.
In America, there are tens of thousands of gun deaths every single year. As of June 28, already there has been 154 mass shootings in America this year. The connection between gun laws and gun deaths is irrefutable. Ask Mr. Trump to look at Australia, where they had one mass shooting in 1996, banned guns, and have not had a mass shooting since.
Finally, could you please thank Mr. Trump. After all, his presidency has helped launch a resistance revolution. Americans in London have marched for women’s rights, marched for Our Lives, and marched to Keep Families Together. We’ll be there today to #BringTheNoise, to show Mr. Trump what a vibrant, inclusive, and diverse community looks like!
And don’t forget – American can vote from abroad. We’ll keep on marching to the ballot box, so you will see us in November!
Kind regards and warm thanks,
Lan
Lan Wu is co-chair of the Democrats Abroad UK Women’s Caucus