April 6, 2017
Sadiq Khan
City Hall
The Queen’s Walk
London SE1 2AA
Dear Mayor Khan,
I am writing to express my deepest condolences to you and the people of London for the recent tragic terror attacks. I also wish to offer my apology to you personally for the abominable reaction tweeted by the President of the United States and to tell you in the clearest possible terms that his words do not reflect the sentiments of most Americans. We are deeply horrified at the recent tragedies suffered by your people, and we feel the deepest compassion and sympathy for your loss.
Seventy-three years ago today, on June 6, 1944, troops from England, Canada and the United States landed together on the beaches of Normandy to begin what would be the eventual end of World War II. That invasion, together with all the events that followed and that served to cement the alliance between the UK and the US, must speak louder and more profoundly to us than any of the inane “tweets” from a man wholly divorced from reality and the impact of such historic events―an inconceivable 209,000 allied troops were killed or wounded in the Normandy invasion in the effort to defeat fascism. Nothing can undo such bonds of kinship forged that day.
There is little doubt in my mind that, if your name were not Sadiq Khan, our so-called president would not have reacted toward you with such obvious animus. He is a deeply disturbed man, and his words must be viewed in light of his mental derangement. I apologize to you and to all members of the Muslim faith for such expressions of bigotry. Globalizing the terrible behavior of a few who profess any faith to all members of that faith is preposterous. My Muslim friends grieve as deeply along with all of us for the lives lost in London and in all such terrorist attacks. If we are to hold all to account for the deranged actions of a few, then we must also hold all Americans to account for words of our president. I hope you will forgive us for electing this man and look forward with me to the day when he is removed from office.
With kindest regards and sympathy,
Nancy A. Parker
