Letter to the editor: Losing our freedoms under Trump

My father fought in World War II, and one of the lessons I heard growing up was “I may not like what you have to say, but I will fight for your right to say it.” Apparently that American ideal of free speech is disappearing under President Trump’s administration. He has railed against, and has even sued, news outlets for their opinion pieces that criticize him. Kristi Noem put out an official statement, only to retract it, that states that all protesters, even peaceful ones, will be arrested and charged. For exercising their First Amendment right?

Deploying the Marines against U.S. citizens violates standard military policy. Read the executive order; it isn’t limited to California. Sending the National Guard, the branch that is supposed to be deployed on American soil, to protests that turn to riots makes sense — if that action is coordinated with the state’s governor to allow for the most efficient use of resources. But that’s not what Trump wanted, right?

Instead of being the strong leader we need in times of crisis, he throws gasoline on the flames so that he can violate the Constitution in the name of “law and order.” Now Trump is asking the Supreme Court to neutralize the Convention Against Torture. In my opinion, he spreads fear and hatred of our fellow Americans, all in the name of absolute power.

To see the country I love so much devolve into a hate-filled fascist state is beyond sad. To paraphrase Benjamin Franklin, those who give up their freedoms for safety deserve neither freedom nor safety.

Karla Thomas

Hempfield