Dear Mr. Mortensen,

 

   It was a pleasure and an honor to meet you!  I still cannot believe I was given the chance to talk to you in person!  I must say, I was deeply impressed with all of the things you have done in your lifetime; the poetry is deeply moving and magnificent, and the photography is unique and vastly interesting. 

 

  I think you're right about the things that are going on.  I definitely wasn't expecting you to go into politics at your poetry reading.  The things you said frightened me...  About the dangers of believing what we are told as a society without questioning anything, and even without discussion.  You were absolutely right, these are dangerous times.  I get so scared sometimes, I think I am going to die.  The idea that man can destroy this beautiful planet that is teeming with life... it is nearly unthinkable!  These shadows linger over my heart and sadden me.  How do you do it?  You looked so calm up there, despite the flashing cameras and the hot lights on you.  Here you are, so famous, and all these people are looking to you as their hero for answers or guidance...  I don't think I could ever be famous like that.

 

  Well, enough of these sad things!  The movie was fantastic!  I doubt you heard our applause for you at the scenes where you excelled.  Nevertheless, we clapped anyway.  The extended version, although not that much longer than the original, contains so much more!  It's quite astounding.  My sister and I were quite amused at many parts.  Thank heavens for humor!

 

  I suppose this letter is long enough.  You're a busy person, and pardon me for saying so, but very brilliant as well.  I look forward to seeing more from you in the future.  Publishing my own book of poetry is only something I've ever dreamed about, and here you are, already done that and more!  Thank you for proving that one must never allow others to tell them what to dream.  (Perhaps this time, you'll understand me, as last time when I spoke it to you, I was nervous and in a jam-packed room.  We laughed at the misunderstanding, but you probably won't remember that...  Thanks once again for signing my drawing... I'm still flattered!)

 

  Take care, and keep tucking those reached dreams away in your pocket!

 

  All the best,

  Jacinta Meyers

 

 

 

 

  Hello sir,

 

  Although I do not know you, yet I've seen you many times.  Your face is always on the news.  You know, there's a lot of people over here who hate you.  I don't doubt that you hate a lot of us, too. 

 

   I have to wonder... why all the hatred?  Do you oppress your people?  If you do, perhaps that's why we're angry.  We are a people that can't stand to see others treated badly by their own country.  Even though ours has lots of problems, I am afraid we are pretty much blinded to them.  I can't begin to explain why this is...  But, I know we are a frightened people.  By whatever providence, we've had it pretty good.  This leads to the fear that we could perhaps lose everything.  We huddle under our leaders as though our government was one vast security blanket.  We believe what they tell us because we are afraid to believe otherwise.  When they are found out to be wrong, a certain measure of chaos ensues.  Do you blame us?  And you, with your weapons... Perhaps it is that we see you for that terrible threat we are just fearfully waiting for.  So, it comes down to this... Americans are greedy.  Grasping for that security we value, it is the main motivation for all that we do.

 

   My goal behind this was not to talk down on my country and its people; on the contrary, all I have done was to give you an honest picture of us.  Now I ask that you turn around and take a good look at your own people.  I could be wrong, but what I see is a people vying for security in an unsecure world as well.  Why not fear America?  She is powerful and wealthy.  She has great and powerful weapons.  She is a threat to everyone, including herself.  For over five decades, America has done nothing but stick its hands into other countries' business.  Mostly for her own gain, sometimes for causes that she sees as noble.  However, there are different interpretations of nobility for every culture.  Has America forgotten that there are other people besides her own? 

 

  We are not a bad people... just a little naive.  My greatest wish is that one day, America will become "the Great Listener:" the peacemaker and model image of diplomacy.  Yes, peace can be bought with war, but all the peace that has ever been won that way has been painfully temporary.  If I could, I would ask you to work with us...  Humanitarian causes are noble in my eyes, and should be something that is worked for... But, Peace is closer to divine, and before we can go around and try to change people and each other, I think we must first learn to live and accept each other as independent cultures.  Perhaps when we've learned to peacefully coexist without threatening each other and without hatred, maybe then we can share ideas and this common planet in a more better way.

 

  Sincerely yours,

 J. Meyers, American