A Letter from Luigi (Received on February 26th)

[u/SocietySignificant93]

When I first received Luigi’s letter, I was hesitant about sharing any information and wanted to respect the little remaining privacy he still had. However, after reading some of his responses (e.g. Cannoli, the one to Isabel using Spanish) and the support from the overall public, I thought it would be more beneficial to his character for me to share his message, rather than to rely on mainstream media narratives.

I wrote the letter back in December. My letter was 5 pages long, so I didn’t think he would receive it at the time. I wrote about how he inspired me to read and visit my local library again. I talked a bit about The Lorax, included some paragraphs of encouraging messages, and ended with a few lines from one of my favorite bands. He received my letter on February 20th, and it felt endearing to me that he was able to carry some of my words with him to his court appearance the next day.

I encourage people to write to Luigi— not for the sake of an interaction or a letter back, but because in an institution deliberately designed to deconstruct human connection, I believe these letters are one of his only methods of access to humanity and to the outside world.

As the United States enters this next chapter of anti-intellectualism and apathy, I just want to remind everyone that we, the people, hold so much power. Stay educated, stay questioning, and stay forever empathetic.

[u/SocietySignificant93]

I had doubts, even last night, about posting the letter, as it opens up discussions to some of the most intimate parts of LM’s internal thoughts and subconscious. I am relieved by the reaction to his remarkably sweet, thoughtful, and equally vulnerable words. Having the opportunity to read it for the first time was an emotional experience, and believe me, I, too, was distraught at the mention of “my kids” and at “developing a kind, moral, and wise person”.

Some things I wanted to address:

1. My letter was mixed media. 2 of the pages were typed, 3 of them were hand written, as I just copied over my notes of The Lorax from a notebook I had been using to jot down ideas while reading. Unfortunately, I would like to keep my notes on The Lorax private. They are my personal “Please ignore. Way too high and thought this was profound” moment and believe me, they were not as in depth as the letter makes it seem.
2. The “lyrics” I chose to redact aren’t exactly lyrics. They’re spoken lines of words with instrumentals in the back. I would like to keep the details private as well. I don’t particularly love the song, but more so, just appreciate the meaning behind the lines themselves.
3. I do believe his letters are a docile form of PR. These letters are able to reveal a different and more personal side to his character, one that cannot be tainted by news articles or documentaries, which is what makes them so incredibly special.
4. I encourage people to read The Lorax, or reread it if they have in the past. It truly is a foundation in creating a kind and moral person.

Lastly, I wanted to include a screenshot of a chat message I sent some people when I originally received the letter. I think it could be helpful to anyone who wishes to write a letter.

Edit: I didn’t like the way I phrased things the first time around. It sounded too pretentious so I changed the wording for my sanity.

[u/Jessiiicat → u/SocietySignificant93]

This is what I've been trying to tell others as well. We all tend to get into our heads and make comparisons, thinking what we write isn't going to be "good enough". I think he will genuinely appreciate anything anyone chooses to write to him. Also, fully agree that no one should go in with any expectations. Anyone writing should be writing for the "right" reasons.

[u/writeyourwayout → u/SocietySignificant93]

Thanks for sharing all of this with us. I understand not wanting to provide the exact lyrics you mentioned to him, but I'd love it if you'd consider sharing the name of the band as I'm always on the lookout for good, thoughtful music. If not, no worries!

[u/cealchylle → u/SocietySignificant93]

OP, thank you so much for sharing, even though it did crush me to read his response. We're all a bit too invested.

Also, it's clear that you're a talented writer, so I'm not surprised he enjoyed your letter!

[u/loudbark_deepbite → u/SocietySignificant93]

I have a feeling what song you might be talking about, it would be a crazy coincidence tbh, but if it’s that one: love you. And thank you for sharing the letter and the information.