My 18-year-old granddaughter recently returned home after spending three months in Africa, where she and 15 other young people visited Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. She was part of a “gap year” program that affords our youth to work and interact with other cultures of the world.
She cooked, cleaned, helped construct housing and looked after their little ones, as well as carrying out many other responsibilities too numerous to mention. Never, ever once did I hear her speak in a derogatory manner regarding these people or criticize their culture or the environment in which they live.
She came to admire the perseverance and optimistic demeanor they exhibited while facing adversity that most of us have never witnessed. She left their respective countries loving them, and they loved her back. It is indeed a sad commentary on the president of the United States when an 18-year-old young woman has a better understanding of and more empathy for the underprivileged in this world than the president does.
It is shocking and reprehensible, but most of all it is sad. Shame on you, Donald Trump!
SUZANNE KEACH
Concord