Dear Joe,
I wish I could sit down with you face to face and explain why so many of us were offended by the UFC fight on the South Lawn of the White House.
For me, it had nothing to do with the UFC or who showed up for the fights. The brand you and Dana have built is a bona fide American success story. More power to you. As for the fighters, in my book, anyone brave enough to put it all on the line in the arena is remarkable to witness. Their dedication and discipline inspire me. I donāt understand anyone who canāt admire that.
And as for the people who attended, I, for one, love Shane Gillis. I think heās hilarious and brilliant. It was a show. A once-in-a-lifetime spectacle. I canāt blame anyone for wanting to witness it firsthand.
My problem is that I believe some of our public spaces are sacred. And unlike many of the great powers that came before us, these American monuments belong to all of us. Not to whoever happens to hold power at the moment.
The White House does not belong to Donald Trump. It does not belong to any President. It belongs to the people. To treat it as Caesar treated the Colosseum is antithetical to everything our founding fathers fought for.
This is not Rome. Presidents are not emperors doling out bread and circuses for the peasants. The White House is the Peopleās House. This ācelebrationā could have happened in any stadium within a stoneās throw of the South Lawn. No one would have had an issue with it.
But that was obviously Donald Trumpās whole point. By holding the event on the South Lawn, what he was saying to the rest of us is:
āThis is my house. I own it. I will do with it what I please. Iāll build a colosseum and have the gladiators fight under my gaze. Iāll tear down the East Wing. Iāll pave over the Rose Garden. Iāll cover everything in gold and marble. Iāll erase the names of all the men who came before me.ā
The fights were an exhibition of imperial domination, not a celebration of our 250th anniversary as a democracy.
The White House is not Buckingham Palace. It is not the Palace of Versailles. It is not the Forbidden City of Beijing. It does not belong to an emperor, or a king, or a commissar.
The White House belongs to us. All of us. The person who sits behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office is nothing more than an honored guest. A temporary caretaker.
The President is our servant. Not our Caesar.
Respectfully, Hunter
P.S. Cage match between me and Don Jr.? Your call on the venue. Anywhere but the South Lawn.
Things most Americans agree on:
Groceries cost too much.
Tariffs suck and make no sense.
Congress and Presidents shouldnāt trade stocks.
The debt is a mess.
The border should be secure, but legal immigration is good.
Endless wars are stupid, especially ones that nobody wants and have never been explained.
Americans are exhausted.
AI is like my new best friend that also might be trying to take my job, my ability to think for myself, and my humanity in the process. Yo like I love you, but WTF, but I still love you.
Diversity is actually awesome! The opposite is boring AF.
Canadians are super fucking cool.
Mexicans are chill.
Putin isnāt a good guy looking out for Americaās best interest. Rocky IV and Miracle are great movies.
Good neighbors are a blessing.
Freedom of religion and coexistence without having to blow each other up is probably a good idea.
We all question, are we alone in the universe?
We all fuck up along the way.
Epstein didnāt hang himself.
The Trumps and Epstein were best friends for decades. Itās like Bert trying to tell us Ernie was just an acquaintance in the same social scene on Sesame Street back in the day.
The Cowboys suck. Go Birds!
Things weāre told to fight about:
Me.
Laptop.
Vaccines.
Transgenders in sports.
Pronouns.
Thatās the joke.
Weāre supposed to believe someone got through the massive security with a rifle and multiple magazines at the Washington Hilton during the White House Correspondentsā dinner?
No.
The problem is not "Ottawa." Ottawa is a city.
The problem is the "Liberal government," whose present Liberal ministers, Fraser, Miller, and Diab, unleashed this immigration chaos.
To fix a problem, name it.
šØ BREAKING
Two pilots are dead.
43 people injured.
Ottawaās response?
Summon the Air Canada CEO to Parliament because his condolence video wasnāt in French.
These people are a joke.
We are beyond parody.