Below is another letter I sent to my elected representatives. I fed ChatGPT my previous letter, gave it a few words about my concerns this week (the necessity of truth at the State of the Union) and asked it to organize my thoughts. After some minor tweaking, here it is. This doesn't need to be hard, keep the pressure on, and be unrelenting.
Whatever you do: write your elected.
Senator Wyden and Representative Bonamici,
Thank you, once again, for your continued service in these extraordinary times. I write to you this week with grave concerns about the upcoming State of the Union address and the importance of ensuring that voices of logic, reason, and truth are present and heard during this event.
I understand that Senator Wyden has chosen to boycott the address, and while I appreciate the sentiment behind this decision, I must respectfully disagree with the approach. Boycotting the address sends a message, but I fear it is the wrong one. In a time when lies, misinformation, and autocratic tendencies are threatening the very fabric of our democracy, silence—even in the form of absence—can too easily be mistaken for surrender.
The American people need to see their elected officials standing up and speaking out in real time. Every falsehood, every distortion, every dangerous precedent set by this administration must be called out—not later in press releases or carefully worded interviews, but in the moment, as these words are being spoken. I believe it would be far more powerful for you and your colleagues to stand in the chamber and vocally challenge each individual lie. Let the American people see you holding this administration accountable with unwavering courage and conviction.
I understand the weight of decorum and the desire to maintain the dignity of our institutions. But when those very institutions are being undermined, the rules of decorum must sometimes be set aside in favor of defending democracy itself. We cannot allow falsehoods to go unchallenged simply because the setting is formal. By remaining in the chamber and standing up—perhaps even speaking up—you would send a clear and undeniable message: the truth will not be silenced.
This is not a call for reckless disruption, but for principled defiance. Imagine the impact if, as each lie is spoken, a chorus of voices from the crowd responded—not with chaos, but with facts, with truth. Imagine the power of elected officials refusing to let falsehoods stand unchecked. Such actions would not only demonstrate the strength of your convictions but would also inspire the American people to stand up and fight for the truth alongside you.
I urge you to reconsider the strategy of boycott and instead take this opportunity to be a visible and vocal force for accountability. Please stand in the crowd and confront the lies as they are spoken. Let the American people hear you call out this administration’s autocratic overreach for what it is—an attack on our democracy that must not go unchallenged.
Thank you for your time and your unwavering dedication to the principles of justice and truth. I am grateful for your service and hopeful that you will choose to stand and fight, not from the sidelines, but from the very heart of the chamber.
