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>>> ABRAHAM LINCOLN DESCRIBED
AMERICA’S GOVERNMENT AS BEING OF
THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE AND
FOR THE PEOPLE.
BUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
TODAY, THE PARTS WE CAN SEE IN
PORTLAND, OREGON DOESN’T LOOK
LIKE A GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE
OR ONE FOR THE PEOPLE.
ONE CANNOT WITNESS FEDERAL
AGENTS IN PORTLAND AND ARRIVE AT
ANY CONCLUSION OTHER THAN WHAT
OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS DOING
IS BOTH WRONG AND
UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
EVEN PARTS OF THE GOVERNMENT
SEEM TO KNOW IT’S WRONG.
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE’S
INSPECTOR GENERAL IS
INVESTIGATING THE AGENCY’S OWN
RESPONSE.
WHEN WE SEE GOVERNMENTS AROUND
THE WORLD EXPRESS DISSENT OR
OPPOSITION MOST OF US ARE
UNIVERSALLY CRITICAL OF IT.
THE FIRST AMENDMENT OF THE
CONSTITUTION PREVENTS THE
GOVERNMENT FROM PROHIBITING THE
FREE EXERCISE THEREOF OR
ABRIDGING THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH
OR THE PRESS OR THE RIGHT OF THE
PEOPLE PEACEFULLY TO ASSEMBLE
AND TO PETITION THE GOVERNMENT
FOR A REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES.
THAT IS THE RIGHT TO PROTEST.
FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO IGNORE
THOSE WORDS OR TO BEND THEM SO
THAT THE PRESENCE OF FEDERAL
TROOPS AT DEMONSTRATIONS ARE
SEEN AS NECESSARY TO COUNTER THE
PROPORTIONATELY SMALL EXAMPLES
OF VIOLENCE OR DESTRUCTION OF
PROPERTY POINTS US COLLECTIVELY
DOWN A ROAD TO AUTHORITARIANISM.
LIKE A LAZY WEEKEND DRIVE, THE
ROAD TO AUTHORITARIANISM IS
SLOW.
THE BENDS ARE ALMOST
INPERCEPTIBLE.
AUTHORITARIANISM DOESN’T JUST
HAPPEN.
LAWS ARE IGNORED, NORMS ARE SET
ASIDE.
THEY EL USTELL US IT’S ABOUT PUB
SAFETY, GOOD ORDER.
THOSE WORDS AND THE THINGS
HAPPENING IN PORTLAND PORTEND A
SLIDE AWAY FROM DEMOCRACY AND
TOWARDS FASCISM IN THIS COUNTRY.
IT IS ILLIBERAL, ANTI-AMERICAN
AND IT SHOULD TROUBLE US ALL
DEEPLY.
PROTEST IS THE TOOL OF THE
VOICELESS LITERALLY BECAUSE A
SINGLE VOICE IS HARD TO HEAR.
BUT THE VOICES OF DOZENS GETS
MEDIA COVERAGE.
THE VOICES OF HUNDREDS GETS THE
ATTENTION OF THE POWERFUL.
THE VOICES OF US THATS GETS LAWS
CHANGE.
THE THOUSANDS OF TENS OF
THOUSANDS CHANGE THE WORLD.
PROTEST IS HOW WE GOT AMERICA IN
THE FIRST PLACE.
WITHOUT PROTEST AMERICA WOULD BE
A BRITISH COLONY, THERE WOULD
STILL BE SLAVES, WOMEN STILL
WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO VOTE AND YOU
COULD BE FIRED BECAUSE YOU LOVE
SOMEONE OF THE SAME GENDER OR
SOMEONE OF A DIFFERENT RACE.
PROTEST, WHATEVER SIDE OF THE
ISSUE YOU ARE ON, IS SOMETHING
OUR GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE
SHOULD PROTECT.
AMERICA HAS DONE SO GRUDGINGLY
IN THE PAST.
DURING THE MARCH FROM SELMA TO
MONTGOMERY IN 1965.
THE ISSUE BEING PROTESTED SHOULD
NOT CHANGE YOUR VIEW OF THE
SANCTITY OF PROTEST.
PROTEST IS THE SOUND OF
DEMOCRACY OUT IN THE STREETS OF
AMERICA.
THAT WE CAN PROTEST WITHOUT FEAR
OF HARASSMENT AND WITHOUT FEAR
OF ARREST AND DETENTION SHOULD
BE CELEBRATED, ENCOURAGED AND
