I'm very pleased the Inquirer printed my letter addressing the Harris-Trump debate.

To the editor:

The pervasive question about Tuesday evening’s debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump: Could Kamala hold her own with a devious showman skilled in the use of invectives? A two-word response: Yes, brilliantly! For me this event awakened precious, hopeful, sleeping memories. 

Dr. Mildred Otenasak, Maryland’s national committeewoman, was a devoted John F. Kennedy supporter who became my mentor and friend. She appointed me “page” to our Maryland delegation at the 1960 Democratic Convention. Otenasak introduced me to Sen. Kennedy; many of my college friends and I worked tirelessly for him. He urged me to begin working toward my master’s degree in social work. During my first year, he was assassinated.    

Kennedy’s short time in office was filled with optimism, based on his deep belief that our brave experiment in democracy could and would succeed because — as Kamala Harris reminded us — we have far more in common than what divides us. Americans want the same things for our children, and what we hope and dream of is possible. It has been unsettling at best to see how so many wish to tarnish the positives that JFK and his brother Robert brought us. But I was there; I saw firsthand what both men believed about America’s potential. 

Not long before the 1968 assassinations of each, Robert Kennedy heard these values put into words by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: “We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” At a time of debilitating division and hatred permeating America and the world, at Tuesday’s debate we, the people, became Harris’s jury — her professional training, experience, adversarial skill; authenticity and passion; and studious prep in perfect harmony.  The vice-president’s argument that all we have in common and yearn for can be achieved together parallels the hope and promise of King’s words. Harris won handedly over a ruthless performer. And so did we.

Sincerely,
SaraKay Smullens

Published in The Philadelphia Inquirer September 13, 2024

Dear friends and colleagues, After a few moments of watching this film, extreme discomfort set in. Marketed in the "romance genre," many will see "It Ends With Us" over the holiday weekend. The film offers an alarming resolution. Women and children die at the hands of batterers, and holiday periods can be perilous. The resolve offered in this film cannot be trusted in the real world.

by SaraKay Smullens, MSW, LCSW, DCSW, CGP, CFLE, BCD

“I want people to devour my books in one sitting because the storyline and dialogue are too gripping to put down. I don’t try to write heavy books that educate, inform, and impress. My only goal is to entertain, and hopefully that’s what I’m doing.” Colleen Hoover 

What follows is a review of the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel, It Ends With Us, which addresses domestic violence. It is not a review of the book the film is based on, which I have not read. Hoover has fully endorsed all aspects of the film, describing herself as “extremely happy“ with its completion, and á la Hitchcock, is seen in a fleeting scene.   

After an introduction to Hoover, a remarkable social media genius with a strong presence on BookTok, I will discuss the film in detail. Its positives—all discussion of domestic violence leading to societal and personal awareness is meaningful. Plus, the acting and set/costume design of the film, even when in contradiction to the character portrayed, provides a gifted ensemble and A-plus entertainment/diversion until, as the drama unfolds, discomfort sets in. The film’s dangers—it presents an over-simplification of the complex topic of domestic (or intimate partner) violence, where the circumstances of the woman abused and her path to peaceful resolve offered in the film are pure fantasy.     

Colleen Hoover has seen domestic violence up close. Her earliest memory is being awakened at age two by screaming as she witnessed her dad throwing a television set at her mom, who subsequently divorced him. Hoover’s followers are aware of her respect for, devotion to, and cherishment of her mom, echoed by their matching heart shaped tattoos inside their wrists.

Read the full review on socialworker.com

The following letter was sent to the New York Times on July 7th

To the editor:

During his mother’s reign, King Charles, reportedly a supporter of newly elected Keir Starmer, was stymied at every turn in his passionate support of a revised Crown, one more responsive to the suffering of his subjects, intensified since Brexit, in ways other than appearances and public relations. So here’s an idea: Since Starmer has inherited a next to impossible task, “a legacy of ashes,” why not sell a few tiaras, and maybe some other jewels, and a property or two? Or three? What a difference that would make in housing, hospitals, and hope. And how many tiaras does one family require?

Sincerely,
SaraKay Smullens

Sent to The New York Times, July 7, 2024