The Wall to My Heart

An AI Valentine's Card for Donald J

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Feb 14, 2025

I told my co-writer Jeanne Finley that I wanted to come up with a Valentine’s message that captured the spirit of the holiday—introducing some historical information about its origin—while at the same time condemning the heartlessness with which the present administration is moving forward with executive orders and nominations for important and far-reaching key positions that will ultimately govern—or eliminate — our democracy.

Perhaps it was the peach margarita (which I’ve been known to favor as a pre-dinner drink) or just the sense of malaise I’ve been carrying around in my heart this past week, but on the 14th of February, when faced with the task of bringing the concept of Love to bear on the current political dialogue, I realized it was a challenge that might call for the use of additional resources.

Therefore…

I asked the most neutral writing assistant I could think of to create a Valentine’s card that would speak to my frustration. Here then is a somewhat bizarre and distanced encouragement for the newly elected president of our country created by the AI website called ChatGPT

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Suggested Cover of card: "You're the Wall to My Heart"

Inside:

"Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
I’d build a border,
To keep out anyone but you."

Message:

Dear Mr. Trump,

This Valentine’s Day, I just wanted to say… you truly take my breath away—just like your EPA rollbacks did for clean air. You’re the Big, Beautiful, Tremendous Love I never knew I needed, much like America never knew it needed your executive orders (but we sure felt them!).

Your leadership is like a non-consensual NDA—binding, restrictive, and leaving everyone with so many unanswered questions. But despite the chaos, the shutdowns, and the Twitter tirades, I know deep down that your love (for yourself) will never waver.

Hope you spend the day with your biggest love—your own reflection.

Yours in alternative facts,

Noel Paul Stookey

P.S. If this card doesn’t make it to you, I’ll just claim it was the most perfect, most romantic Valentine ever written, and anyone who says otherwise is fake news. ?

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I was surprised at AI’s ability to be sarcastic—almost “snarky”—yet, at the same time I did take note of the 4th line in ChatGPT’s revision of the traditional roses-are-red poem that said “... keep out anyone but you.” Hmmmmm. That does suggest that perhaps an invitation for participation in dialogue should supersede any bitterness I might be storing.

This is an important point. And one that should remind us to keep the avenues of discourse open as we humans express what are bound to be some “heated” concerns in these next four years about what America is all about.

I can't help but think that in our day-to-day, there's another larger sphere of relationship that continues to be born. Somewhere in the Bible I think I read that “governments will come and go but the kingdom of God is forever.” So our personal autonomies might be challenged by agencies beyond our immediate control BUT attitudes of Love and Forgiveness that we faithfully exchange with one another continue to grow and are personally sustainable, regardless of which planet (with a nod to Musk) we're on.

So. That’s the long view. In the short view, I’m emailing every Republican congressperson that I can with a message of DON’T YOU FEEL A RESPONSIBILITY TO STEP UP AND STOP THIS MADNESS?!!!

Connections

If you search the Internet to learn about St. Valentine, you’ll find a number of legends related to at least three saints by the same name and many attempts—some of them videos—to tell their stories, often with attached annoying ads. This essay from Rob Durocher, minister of worship and the arts at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Salisbury, NC, is as well researched and ad free as any I have found. If your interest is more literary and medieval, I recommend this short essay on Chaucer’s poem “The Parliament of Fowls.” JTF

Vibrations

REVOLUTION 1X1 video with graphics assembled by David Snyder

Resonance

We have filled this post with legend and lore, AI and politics, Biblical wisdom and a challenge to Republican members of Congress, and the Noel’s message about a peaceful and winnable revolution. What part of this collection speaks to you on this Valentine’s Day?

Strings

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