Letters to the Editor: Older readers are eager to make their voices heard amid Trump’s presidency

To the editor: As a senior performance artist and self-appointed “sidewalk therapist” for the politically exhausted since 2016, I wholeheartedly agree with the premise of this article (“Why older Americans are Trump’s biggest nightmare,” May 8). Inspired by Lucy from “Peanuts,” I set up a booth all over Los Angeles, offering a space for people to vent. What stands out most is the age of those who stop to talk — most are over 50. I’ve met incredible people, many of whom are angry, frustrated and just need to be heard.

What frustrates me at times is how younger people often walk by and pretend I’m invisible. Still, the experience has been deeply rewarding. In these tense and polarized times, I’ve learned that having a sense of humor is essential to surviving the madness. My booth may be simple, but the conversations I’ve had there reveal just how desperate people are to connect — and how powerful listening can be.

Denise McCanles, West Hollywood

..

To the editor: Thank you for the insightful piece about older Americans protesting the Trump presidency. As I am one of those older folks, Joni Mitchell’s plaintive refrain from her 1970 song “Big Yellow Taxi” came to mind: “Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you got ‘til it’s gone?”

Paul Horgan, Huntington Beach