An Open Letter to the President

  

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The founding fathers of this nation agreed that these are fundamental rights, and as such, they cannot be removed and must not be infringed upon. Our ancestors fought for freedom from tyranny in the Revolutionary War. They threw off the yoke of our oppressors and formed a government based on freedom, and its sole purpose is the preservation of these unalienable rights. The Declaration of Independence from British rule asserts that a government derives power from the people’s consent to be governed. When a government becomes destructive of these rights, the people have the right to alter or abolish it.

            We, the American People, DO NOT CONSENT to be governed by a fascist dictatorship.

            We do not consent to this digression from that hard-won freedom.

            We, in fact, DEMAND that you cease and desist this systematic dismantling of our democratic government. Since its inception 250 years ago, an obscene number of decent Americans have fought and died to preserve our way of life. Mr. President, your actions reveal values that do not align with the tenets upon which this country is founded, and we do not agree with your vision for its trajectory. Your plan for this country is tantamount to dictatorship, and that, above all, is untenable. Sir, the Declaration remains a powerful expression of the American desire for self-determination and commitment to the principles of freedom and equality.

            We demand that your administration cease its gaslighting and divisive rhetoric. Nothing that has been set into motion since your return to the White House is good for the average American. The country runs on our blood, sweat, and tears. We DESERVE a better return on our investment.

            We’ve all been told that, in America, hard work and perseverance is the path to success. It doesn’t work like that anymore, not really, and now they tell us the social security fund we’ve all been paying into our entire working lives is a handout. No. We worked for that money. We gave it to the government for safe-keeping for our retirement years. And what of America’s military veteran population? They also deserve the benefits they were promised when they put their lives at risk for this country. Again. Not a handout. VA benefits are part of the compensation they receive for their contribution to the preservation of our freedoms.

            Mr. President, you are insulated against the harsh realities that more and more Americans suffer. You can’t relate to being one serious illness away from homelessness. You’ve never experienced the plight of the working poor, who suffer food insecurity because they can’t get a living wage. Have you ever gone to bed hungry because you only had enough to feed the children? No. You have no frame of reference. I heard you say you are leading this country into another Golden Age, as if that’s a good thing. It’s not. Those of us who paid attention in history class know that means all the wealthy old white men reap the benefits of our hard work. It means rampant systemic racism. It means things will get worse for us average Americans, not better. Your plan sets us back 100 years. We don’t want to go back. We want our nation to move forward with the principles of freedom outlined in the founding documents and a renewed sense of dignity on the world’s stage. Steering the nation in any direction that opposes the will of the people is not within the scope of your office.

            We do not want to be governed by people who consider our most vulnerable citizens to be parasites. We, the People who see you for what you are, demand a fair election. We demand that our collective voice be heard and our votes be counted in a true democratic election. One adult citizen, one vote. Now.

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