Dear Mom: Your Fox News World Is Breaking My Heart
A son's brave letter across the political chasm that divides American families
Welcome, Brave Souls. We’re here to share stories of everyday courage, stories that can lift our hearts and spirits in uncertain times. Today, a love letter from a son to his conservative mom.
First, here’s a beautiful reminder of our sponsor, Mama Earth.
A Different Kind of Thanksgiving Letter.
Like many Americans this week, my friend faced a choice: Stay silent at the family dinner table, or speak his truth about Trump, Fox News, and the growing distance between him and his mother. He chose to write this letter instead.
Raw, honest, and deeply personal, it captures what many families are experiencing as media bubbles and political divisions threaten our closest bonds (shared with permission and edited for clarity and privacy).
Dear Mom,
This might be tough to read. So let me say from the outset: I love you.
I hope you'll read this with an open heart. Whatever emotions this letter brings up – and I know there might be hurt or anger – I hope you'll consider my words carefully, just as I've tried to understand your perspective.
I would love it if this time of friction could result in more connection. To echo you: it all comes down to love.
What troubles me most is seeing how the news sources you trust seem to pull you away from the values you care about. When I hear Trump or Fox News, I hear voices stoking fear and division and even hate. I hear nothing that hints at love or shows any genuine concern for regular people. On the other side, I heard people promoting tolerance, aid to folks who have less than us, and policies that attempt to create opportunity and lift people up. To my ear, and to my heart, this sounds so much more loving, dare I say Christian, than most anything I hear from the man we just elected.
I find myself sad and disappointed that my good-hearted mom has become swayed by far-right conservative voices. These melodramatic newscasts brilliantly nudge people away from their hearts by whipping up our fears, and promoting stories that aggravate our differences.
Let me share something specific that weighs on my heart. You mentioned Harris’ support for prisoners receiving gender-affirming healthcare as the primary reason for your vote. I looked into this because I wanted to understand your perspective. What I found was surprising – there were only two gender-affirming surgeries in federal prisons.1 Compare this to the millions of Americans, including members of our own family, who’ll pay a huge price if Trump tears down the Affordable Care Act.
I’m concerned that many more Americans will suffer if Trump gets his tariffs in place, removes environmental protections, and so many other issues that affect real people – neighbors, friends, and family.
So where do I go from here? Back to the love, of course. It’s confounding to me how anyone who values love could vote for a man whose behaviors and stated goals seem so contrary to love. But I love you, Mom, despite how you voted. It’s disappointing and painful, but I can live with that. Because love trumps disappointment.
~ Your Son
🗣️ Your turn…
Is your family sharing a sense of togetherness this holiday season? Do you agree about politics? If not, how do you navigate the divide? Do you avoid troubling topics?
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More to come,
FactCheck.org Harris' Position on Health Care for Transgender Prisoners and Detainees -
“The U.S. Constitution requires that the government provide needed medical care for prisoners, according to a 1976 Supreme Court ruling. Transgender inmates in federal and state prisons have argued in court that this includes providing medically necessary gender-affirming care. Some federal and state prisoners have received gender-affirming surgeries following legal victories. So far, this has included two federal prisoners in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, according to an email from an agency spokesperson.”
Wow. Proud of this young man.