Restoring Order, Removing Freedom

Today, President Trump seized control of Washington D.C.’s police force and ordered National Guard troops into the streets. Their supposed purpose is to restore order, but there’s a strong argument that their real reason is to see how easily Americans will accept soldiers patrolling their neighborhoods. His first trial was in Los Angeles, where brave people stood up, but so far, they have been unsuccessful in stopping the injustices. So now it’s D.C.’s turn.

To justify his actions, Trump portrayed a city filled with “crime, bloodshed, bedlam, and squalor,” as if the capital were a scene from a post-apocalyptic movie. In a rare moment of resistance from mainstream news outlets, reality, in the form of raw data, was displayed on the TV screen next to Trump during his press conference. The data revealed the truth: crime in D.C. is far lower than in previous years.

Obviously, the President is lying again. But don’t be fooled; the lie is a distraction. We do ourselves a disservice if we focus only on the lie because the real purpose is far more sinister.

What is the real purpose?

This isn’t about restoring order. It’s a trial balloon floated to see if Americans will just shrug as military boots become a regular sight on our streets. Once you accept the sight of soldiers at bus stops and armored vehicles rolling past grocery stores, it becomes no big deal to watch as they detain people off the streets in broad daylight. Trump and his administration are betting on our indifference.

Picture this: It’s election season 2028. The President declares the election “temporarily postponed to restore order.” Angry crowds pour into the streets. Then the new normal arrives: lines of National Guard troops in riot gear. Ten thousand ICE agents in black masks. Buses without windows whisking protesters away, disappearing them to destinations unknown. Why else do you think the Trump Administration is building so many “detention facilities” using billions of our tax dollars? In effect, we’re making a down payment on our own political imprisonment.

Some people may feel reassured by the idea that soldiers in the American Military will stay loyal to their oaths to the Constitution. This is a risky and reckless assumption. Under Pete Hegseth, the Pentagon is undergoing a major leadership shakeup. Top officers and legal advisors have been dismissed, advisory boards have been disbanded, and insiders describe the department as being mired in political realignment and internal chaos. These actions seem less aimed at safeguarding loyalty to the Constitution and more at ensuring allegiance to the current administration. If this trend persists, by election time, the military might be filled only with those willing to follow Trump’s orders without question. The Constitution be damned.

Is it unreasonable to expect such actions from this administration? Consider what happened in once-thriving democracies like Venezuela, Argentina, Chile, and others. Each transitioned from democracy to dictatorship under the promise of restoring order. Each saw thousands of people whisked away in unmarked vehicles, never to be seen again. Their absence left a hole in the nation's soul. In some of these countries, democracy has thankfully been restored, but only after blood ran through the streets and thousands of voices were silenced. The ghosts of those who disappeared still haunt people to this day.

The time to act is now. If we wait until the lock on the cell door clicks shut, we’ll be pounding on it from the inside. We’ll demand our lawyers and call our abductions unconstitutional, and the guards will just laugh. Our democracy only survives if we defend it. Now is the time. Stand up! Be counted! Fill the streets while it’s still your right.

Stand up now or bow down later.

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