Protest is essential

Posted

To the editor:

Thoughts I had at Sunday’s [Jan. 29] protest against Trump’s executive order targeting refugees and immigrants:

I never thought a day would come that people in the United States would have to take to the streets to defend our democracy. Yet here it is. 

I am reminded of this past summer watching on TV the attempted coup in Turkey. (People rushing to the airport to protest may have set off that association). 

I remember thinking that while I opposed the coup, if I were living in my father’s native country I would not endanger my life for Erdogan (Turkey’s president). 

Yet tens of thousands did take to the streets, and 200 were killed before they defeated the coup.

Here in the U.S. we do not endanger our lives by going into the streets. The extremely peaceful nature of our mass protests have been reflected in the relaxed faces of the wonderful NYPD police officers securing the protests—handcuffs at the ready and unused. But with a demagogue who has shown contempt for democracy as president, our presence is absolutely essential.

We should make no mistake: the attack on refugees and immigrants (legal immigrants, it should be pointed out) is just the first step in Trump’s attempt to undermine American democracy. We need to oppose him forcefully and tirelessly.

Ron Wegsman

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