Letter to the editor: Fossil fuels attack on NC fourth grader

First published in the Brunswick Beacon, 05.21.26

Hardly a day goes by without Trump calling someone “low I.Q.,” or “stupid and nasty” or telling a woman reporter, “Quiet, piggy.” He often bullies women. His supporters follow his lead. But when did it become OK to trash kids?

Christian Mango attends a Christian school in Greensboro. His class was assigned to write a “persuasive essay” on any topic and send it to an influential decision maker. Christian wrote about tax incentives for electric vehicles. He researched and marshalled facts to support his argument that EV’s save gas and help the environment. Christian mailed his essay to his representative in a Canterbury School envelope clearly marked “4th grade.”

With regular gas over $4.50 a gallon most people would think Christian has a point. But North Carolina Republican Congresswoman Virginia Foxx is not most people.

Foxx wrote back and ridiculed Christian’s idea, saying it was costly and none of the government’s business. This is the same Foxx who voted to spend your tax dollars on Trump’s billion-dollar ballroom and used government power to ban books from school libraries.

Worse, her letter was intentionally and needlessly cruel. “Ask your teacher to explain propaganda to you,” Foxx told Christian, “My guess is your teachers will not give you a good educational experience and help you learn to think as they are too interested in indoctrinating you. How sad.” Foxx even concluded with Trump’s trademark “sad” insult.

Christian’s mother Emily was stunned. She wrote: “Rep. Virginia Foxx, who is 82-years-old, responded in a disrespectful, hostile and unkind tone. Imagine being a 10-year-old and receiving this demoralizing and reprehensible response. I’m embarrassed that she represents NC.”

Our 79-year-old president attacks the Pope, posts images of himself as Jesus and drops F-bombs on Easter Sunday. Our 82-year-old congresswoman belittles the earnest work of 10-year-olds.

Our children deserve elders who teach and inspire them, not fossils who bully kids and trash their efforts.

Arthur Hill

Southport