I was born in Texas in the late 1930s. On Saturday, the 15th of November, I stood in front of Bandera’s courthouse protesting Fascism with more than 80 older Hill Country residents.
An article in the Bandera Bulletin noted our age.
We were from Bandera, Kendall and Kerr counties. We were peaceful, holding signs in a line stretching from one end of the block to the other.
Some Trump supporters circling the block in pickups with Trump flags, started yelling at us, calling us “commies.”
We Know What Communism Is We were teenagers in the 1950s, shocked and revolted by photos of Jews Hitler starved to death in German concentration camps during World War II. In the 1960s we were in our 20s living through America’s Cold War with Russia and the nationwide fear verging on hysteria that communism would take over our country.
So we damn well know what fascism and communism are, how much they’re alike and what Hitler and Stalin did to the people under their dictatorial rule.
Now we see it in Trump
This president is systematically dismantling the rule of law in America, putting the United States Constitution at risk.
His absolute immunity in executive orders, wrongfully granted to him by the US Supreme Court, promotes the idea that he can do whatever he chooses no matter what, just like other dictators.
He says Senator Mark Kelly, a combat veteran and former astronaut, should be hanged for saying soldiers don’t have to obey illegal orders.
He’s ordered the Justice Department to target lawyers who challenge his policies. · He’s sent Military forces into cities to police civilians.
He’s had members of Congress arrested for doing their jobs.
His top advisor’s declared the Democratic Party illegitimate.
He’s threatened judges for upholding the law.
He’s bombed Venezuelan fishing boats, killing “dozens of people” with no proof they’re smuggling drugs.
I am deeply concerned about those yelling against us in front of Bandera’s courthouse 2 weeks ago.
It’s hard to believe that they don’t see anything wrong with a dictator taking away their rights, that they don’t know or remember history or they don’t care.
What We Must Do
1) We must continue our nationwide protests against a president who ignores our Constitution, our right to Free Speech and toys with the idea of running for an illegal 3rd term in office.
2) We must VOTE and do all we can to protect that right. It’s the cornerstone of the Democracy our founders created for us 249 years ago on the 4th of July 1776.
Jodie Sinclair is an award-winning writer who holds a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University and resides in Bandera.
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