- These synchronized photos of swimmers by artist Mária Švarvobá are rather evocative. (Colossal)
- RIP, Aretha. (NY Times)
- Journalist Rebecca Mead—a naturalized American citizen—writes so well here about why she is leaving the country. (New Yorker)
- Samantha Bee on how she gets it done. (The Cut)
- Funny. (Kottke)
RIP Aretha, such a legend!
Aretha was one of the few musicians that my mother and I would agree on during long car rides (from a large city in the Canadian prairies to Boulder Colorado… every summer). The other two were Patsy Cline and the Eurythmics!
I still love her songs, and hearing an Aretha song on the radio will always make me smile…
“Sisters are Doing it for Themselves” must be the sweet spot! Love that song.
Every mention of Aretha Franklin makes me cry.
Rebecca Mead’s essay is a must read.
Fortunately, the Instagram posting made me smile. Big.
I read the New Yorker piece with a growing sense of outrage. I’m married to a naturalized citizen, and mother to two daughters of dual citizenship and I can assure you that no one in my family has any wish to flee our country just when sane minds and reasonable ideas are most needed. For someone to come to this country, be welcomed, educated and embraced only to flee when the going gets tough is reprehensible. Our American ideals – inclusiveness, generosity of spirit and freedom – are worth fighting for, and those who made a conscious choice to become American citizens have a special obligation to help save our country from this monster in the White House. After all, it was presumably these very ideals which drew them here in the first place.
I was coming here to thank Kim for sharing the article – my husband and I have green cards, our son was born in the U.S. and has dual citizenship, and *so much* of this article resonated – although I do not, at the moment, plan to take American citizenship; but I hadn’t thought of it in this way.
Love the redesign, Kim! But – the comments are harder to access. I really love reading everyone’s comments but having it before and not after the post itself is a bummer and makes it harder to get to. Also it’s really small, but the GOACA community is a significant part of what I really like about your blog. I’m late to comment, I know, but I’m missing the ease of reading what others have to say about your excellent picks. Thanks!
With deep respect to Mary Alice, my response felt more like a “meh.” She sounds nice enough, but whatever, really. At least she admits how incredibly privileged she has been here, not least as someone with a British accent. (Listened to npr lately? They are all over it. Not that I don’t love my British brothers and sisters because I doooooo.)
It’s not like she gave up her citizenship or anything.
I save my real ire for those who leave bc of taxes. If I magically were in charge of immigration, the first thing I’d do was make sure that those people never set foot on US land again. Literally, not a foot. I don’t care if you buy an island, elect yourself prezzy, and try to come to the UN. No no no no no. (Mind you, I realize, it doesn’t happen often.) No Mayo Clinic, no City of Hope, no Disneyland, no nothing.
What’s her name is just taking a break. I can relate, sort of.
Oh also, the EB-5’s/“investor” visa/money launderer specials/whatever they’re called would be gone. And, a rollback if I could manage it.
Ugh. Mary Alice..
I think the New Yorker piece is heartfelt and honest.
My husband and youngest daughter are both naturalized citizens. U.K. And China respectively.
In the current and unsettling climate I am worried for the country and my family.
I am politically engaged. That said , I put the welfare of my family first.
Rebecca Mead is entitled to do the same and live her life as best she can. Not to mention as a journalist she is vulnerable in a way that perhaps Mary Alice isn’t.
My two cents.
I really love those photos. How cool on a skirt OR in a frame.