Dear Son,

Congratulations on your recent college graduation. Originally, this letter was intended as a lighthearted celebratory missive poking fun at the generational divide between our ultra-liberal views. However, another senseless, preventable murder of a black man at the hands of police, and the tone-deaf reactions from some of our leaders, caused me to change course. I have felt helpless at times over the past two weeks trying to soften the increasing intensity of your pain, despair, fear, hurt and anger. Your innocence has been shaken, and I have tried to find just the right words to comfort you, and, too often, I failed.