Poems and Thoughts    by Frank Maurer

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Lesotho--Where's That? Did you happen to catch it, when President Trump said, "No one has ever heard of Lesotho." (Pronounced LES SOO TOO, a very small Southern African country.) The subject of Lesotho came up because Trump placed a 50% tariff thereon. Trump may not have heard of Lesotho, but the Basotho have heard of him. I, personally, had heard of Lesotho, the country, Because I was an 'English lecturer' (assistant professor) in their university about 1976. This country was and still is one of the poorest countries in the world. When I lived and taught there, the poverty was evident. Young boys, tending goats in the wild, were still hunting mice, To be roasted over a small fire, providing a small amount of needed protein. The hunting weapon was a sharpened stick called a Tsenene. In the winter, children wrapped themselves in a single blanket, And walked around with bare feet on a very cold earth-surface. As I remember, perhaps Denmark (?), had started a clothing company to create jobs. This infant industry has now grown to produce and become 'the denim capitol' of Africa. They also produce the golf shirts of clothing, which even Trump himself wears! The 50% huge tariff, Trump placed on Lesotho because of the 'trade imbalance'-- Lesotho exports more to the US, because it is so poor; US products being relatively too expensive. As a result, their clothing companies are challenged, losing trade because of the excessive prices-- Businesses are closing, workers are being laid off, And a long fought-for national industry is, from Trump's complete ignorance of the situation, Being witnessed, with the crumbling sources of desperately needed employment. Meanwhile the tariff has somewhat mercifully been reduced to 15%, But the Mosotho Secretary of State reports it will require many months for the needed recovery. Yet one more tragedy in a long line of uninformed legislation. Frank Maurer 16 July 2025 1600 Hours.