29 Comments
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Jody Magee's avatar

You make perfect sense to me while reason seems lost in our government today.

Cliff Schecter's avatar

Thx, Jody. They’re obv operating w/out the slightest bit of rationality. Story of Trump’s life

Jody Magee's avatar

You’re exactly right ~~ his entire life! Siblings were students while The Felon was sent to a military school. I became familiar with him in the late ‘60’s when he learned at his father’s knee how to punish tenants in his tenement buildings. As a democrat, he would not have been elected for a sanitation job.

JoyceM's avatar

I support your organization in its fight to maintain the first amendment rights of all citizens,especially journalists. In a democracy, journalists represent the 4th estate. We need our journalists in order to disseminate free, unbiased information in a timely manner, to as many people as possible.

Unfortunately, the current Authoritarian administration is using a Fascist playbook to curtail the Constitutional rights of its citizens. Thank you for using the power of the pen and your eloquence to give this administration an opportunity to correct its course before it does anymore damage to our Constitution and our democracy.

Gary Hanks's avatar

Damn it. Who thought we would have to re-fight the Revolutionary War, only this time against our own tyrant. Let us hope we succeed with lawsuits and ballots and not need rifles and bullets.

Mike Gelt's avatar

We defend the First Amendment now, not later — because later may be too late to explain why we stayed quiet when it mattered.

Free speech doesn’t disappear all at once. It erodes when people look away, assume someone else will fight the battle, or convince themselves the target “deserves it.”

By the time the loss feels personal, the protections that once seemed automatic may already be weakened.

If we don’t defend the rights of others to speak today — especially voices that are unpopular, critical, or inconvenient — we may one day find ourselves trying to explain why we said nothing when the foundation was being chipped away.

And history is not kind to the excuse:

“I didn’t think it would go this far.”

Patrice La Belle, M.D.'s avatar

The erosion of the First Amendment has gone way too far already. Dissent is the lifeblood of a democracy. The free press expresses its conscience.

Soolah Hoops's avatar

Add this hoop dancer out here in good old snowy Maryland!

Robin Dumler's avatar

No more snow down here on the Eastern Shore, damn it, it melted into the tributaries.

Christina Blazer's avatar

Add my name from Montana, currently served by 4 of the most do nothing lick spittles in Congress.

David Ritchey's avatar

Add David Ritchey-old retired lawyer

Elizabeth Naegle's avatar

Elizabeth Naegle. I am signing the wonderful letter you have written

Katharine Hill's avatar

Thank you for continuing the fight to save democracy. Sign me up.

Hope Crescione's avatar

I support this statement wholeheartedly...especially as someone who has taught children American history! I want to add that Edward Norton has added his voice to call for a nationwide strike, and Adam Sandler told Trump off to his face at a town meeting. The truth tellers are brave, and they are keeping us informed, as well as feeling supported against a heartless government. Last, but definitely, not least...a judge has decreed that Liam Ramos and his dad must come home!

Ann Killingbeck's avatar

Thank you for this!

Kathryn's avatar

Signed,

Kathryn Garza

Determined American Citizen

No Quit.

No Surrender.

One Voice Team's avatar

Thank you for putting this so plainly. When core guardrails like the rule of law, a free press, and nonpartisan election administration are tested, disagreement can’t be an excuse for inaction.

What helps right now is channeling fear into lawful, practical steps: support local journalism, show up for civic processes in your state (poll worker/observer roles, public meetings), and back leaders who will use every lawful tool to defend constitutional norms.

Also—one reason authoritarian tactics work is that public attention is fragmented and short-lived. I’m helping build a citizen-run accountability project called One Voice One Vote Count & Deliver to make it easier to track priorities and commitments (and whether they’re actually delivered). If that kind of “follow-through infrastructure” resonates, please take a look and share with one person: https://countanddeliver.org

Elizabeth H. Cordes's avatar

It’s the Prime amendment, better show how important it is to me if I want it to be here for my grandkids.

Ramona Grigg's avatar

Please add my name: Ramona Grigg, Constant Commoner at Substack.

Steve Winkler's avatar

An unequivocal manifesto slapped with a crescendo on the doors hiding the monsters who have been oppressing us at every turn.

Proud to add my name and support!