We must speak out to engage Congress

Trump’s deployment of the National Guard in cities must stop. It is an illegal, unconstitutional authoritarian abuse of power. He was elected to serve as our president, not our king.

The failure of our Republican-controlled Congress to intervene with meaningful legislation to curtail this and other acts of presidential tyranny is both disgraceful and a shameful abdication of responsibility. Sitting idly by in the face of Trump’s despotic fascism is unacceptable. Our elected representatives must take swift decisive action to restore themselves as one of the three co-equal branches of our government.

German pastor Martin Niemöller famously spoke about the dangers of remaining silent in the face authoritarian tyranny. To paraphrase his words to our present perilous state of affairs:

“First they came for the immigrants and I did not speak out because I am not an immigrant. Then they came for the government employees and I did not speak out because I am not a government employee. Then they came for the liberal Democrats and I did not speak out because I am not a liberal Democrat. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.”

We must speak out now.

John Clark

Fox River Grove