I’m writing with a heavy heart and a growing sense of dread.
The recent deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles—without a request from the governor—is a blatant authoritarian overreach. It wasn’t a call for peace. It was a provocation. A calculated move to escalate tensions and undermine the democratic freedoms this country is supposed to protect.
These were largely peaceful protests. And yet, the response was military might. Tear gas, flash-bangs, so-called “less-lethal” rounds—used not against armed combatants but against civilians exercising their First Amendment rights. Among those arrested was a labor leader, David Huerta. What message does that send?
To hear the President call these Americans “insurrectionists” and “paid troublemakers” isn’t just misleading—it’s dangerous. It’s the language of dictators, meant to dehumanize and justify crackdowns on dissent. This is not how a democratic nation behaves. This is not who we are supposed to be.
I’m scared. Scared for our country. Scared for what might happen next—especially with more protests planned for June 14. The decision to activate the National Guard against the will of state leadership sets a chilling precedent. If this can happen in California, it can happen anywhere.
I know you work hard to uphold our democratic values. I trust your commitment to justice and the Constitution. But I have to ask—what is being done right now to rein in this dangerous misuse of power? Can we hold Trump and his allies accountable for this? For the damage they are doing, not just to communities on the ground, but to the very soul of this country?
Please—do everything in your power to protect our civil liberties, stop this escalation, and prevent further abuse. Our democracy cannot survive without your voice and your action.
First sent on June 9 by Resistance is Imperative
