07/15/2024

FLARE Members ... A Role No First Lady Wants

Dear FLARE members,

I wanted to make sure that you see a statement we put on the FLARE webpage on A Role No First Lady Wants - dealing with the threats to her husband including attempted assassinations and assassinations.

Nancy

Nancy Kegan Smith, FLARE President

A Role No First Lady Wants 

Last Saturday we witnessed the horrific assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. Sadly, for first ladies this is an unseen burden they carry from the candidacy of their spouses through their post-presidential years. Tragically, fear has become reality with four presidential assassinations, multiple attempted assassinations, along with numerous potential threats even on their own lives.  

The courage of first ladies dealing with this constant fear is a day-to-day part of their lives. Melania Trump's statement on the attempted assassination of her husband is eloquent and moving:

Let us not forget that differing opinions, policy, and political games are inferior to love. Our personal, structural, and life commitment – until death is at serious risk. Political concepts are simple when compared to us, human beings.

First ladies throughout history have been a force for pushing for more cordiality and unity in the political environment across political lines. Dolley Madison used her receptions to create the idea of bipartisan entertaining by inviting her husband's foes along with his friends. Former rivals Betty Ford and Rosalynn Carter became good friends championing health and women's rights issues together. Multiple first ladies have offered their support and "sisterhood" to first ladies in difficult times as evidenced by Dr. Biden's phone call on Sunday to Melania Trump. Hopefully, all of us can do our part to foster a more respectful, civil, and unified environment following the examples of the courageous women we admire.