Letter: A revolution in reverse – Concord Monitor

Published: 7/26/2020 12:01:16 AM

Its time for our members of Congress and for all of us to yell fire, because we are in a crowded and volatile theater. The Trump administration and its militarized troops have declared war a revolutionary war against the American people.

In Portland, Ore., unarmed and nonviolent protesters are being rounded up and taken away by men dressed in camouflage, with their nametags removed and faces masked. These troops, decked out in the latest wartime military gear, forcibly shove the protesters into unmarked vehicles (vans, not police cruisers). They dont have warrants, they dont have probable cause, and they refuse to indicate what, if any, crimes they are arresting these Americans for having committed.

And who are the protesters being rounded up in this brutal fashion? They are part of ongoing demonstrations, advocating for racial justice and an end to police violence against citizens of color. They have been marching, along with the Black Lives Matter movement and white and brown allies, seeking a reconciliation among all racial and ethnic groups and a reorientation of our economy in a way thats fair to everyone, regardless of wealth, race, ethnicity, or religion.

As such, these demonstrations are part of the most sacred American values: the right of the people to petition the government for a redress of grievances. These rights, along with freedom of speech and assembly, are enshrined in the First Amendment to our Constitution. These bedrock principles of our democracy have been at the heart of Americas uniqueness and greatness for centuries. They are the beacon we have held up for other nations to emulate.

Now that our fundamental American values are under threat from a revolutionary president, all of us political leaders, community leaders, and we grassroots Americans must forcefully reject Trumps latest moves toward authoritarianism. We should make it abundantly clear that we refuse to go down the road that Germany went down in the 1930s. We will not succumb to the ruthless rule of a dictator. In America, we the people will democratically decide what policies shall guide our nation.

As Sen. Jeff Merkley said: These authoritarian Trump/Barr tactics designed to eliminate any accountability are absolutely unacceptable in America, and must end.

KEN BARNES

Contoocook

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Letter: A revolution in reverse - Concord Monitor