Lines We Cannot Cross: Why We Must Speak Out Now
Los Angeles is not a battlefield.
And yet, as I write this, Marines and National Guard troops patrol its streets—not at the request of city or state, but at the command of a president who treats provocation as policy.
Over the weekend, Donald Trump did something we’ve rarely seen in modern America: he deployed 2,000 National Guard members to California without the governor’s consent. Then he doubled down with 2,000 more. A full Marine battalion—trained for combat, not community—now follows.
This isn’t about keeping the peace. Local officials, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Police Chief Jim McDonnell, have been clear: law enforcement had things under control. The violence? It escalated after federal troops arrived.
California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta didn’t mince words. He called the deployment what it is: unlawful, inflammatory, unconstitutional. The lawsuit lays it out plainly: Trump bypassed the 10th Amendment, ignored the governor, and misused the Alien Enemies Act. Deportations accelerated. Oversight dismantled. The machinery of state turned inward.
And then, astonishingly, the president suggested arresting Governor Gavin Newsom.
I’ve protested. I’ve stood beside people terrified that a knock at the door might mean goodbye. I’ve watched families torn apart for reasons that felt more like warnings than justice. But this is different. This feels like the line—the one you don’t always see until it’s already behind you. And by then, the damage is already done.
Let’s be clear: this is a playbook we’ve seen before. Manufacture a crisis. Provoke unrest. Use the response to justify authoritarian action.
What starts in one city never stays there.
We cannot afford to watch this unfold in silence.
It’s easy to feel powerless in moments like this—when the line has been crossed and the institutions we count on hesitate to respond.
But silence and inaction are exactly what this moment is counting on.
We don’t need to wait for permission to act.
We just need to remember: democracy only works if we show up for it.
What You Can Do—Right Now:
✅ Write to your elected officials—state and federal (see below for a template). Ask them to condemn this overreach—and support legislation that limits unilateral military deployments on U.S. soil.
✅ Support organizations providing legal aid and documenting civil rights violations.
✅ Stay engaged. Don’t wait for the next city to become a cautionary tale.
The right to protest isn’t a loophole. It’s the foundation.
And if that foundation cracks in Los Angeles, it can crack anywhere.
History won’t remember what we thought.
It will remember what we did.
The guardrails of democracy? That’s us. Let’s act like it.
Hold the Line: Contact Your Elected Officials
Subject: Demand Action to Condemn Unlawful Military Deployment and Uphold Constitutional Protections
Dear [Senator/Representative/Governor NAME],
I am writing as a concerned citizen deeply alarmed by the recent unauthorized deployment of National Guard troops and U.S. Marines to California by former President Donald Trump. These actions—taken without the consent of the state’s governor and in direct violation of constitutional norms—represent a dangerous escalation and a clear abuse of executive power.
The use of federal forces against the will of state and local authorities undermines the 10th Amendment and threatens the foundational principle of civilian control over the military. As the California Attorney General’s lawsuit rightly points out, this deployment was unlawful, inflammatory, and unconstitutional.
I urge you to:
Publicly condemn these actions as a violation of democratic principles and a threat to public trust.
Support and advance legislation that limits unilateral military deployments on U.S. soil and reasserts appropriate checks and balances.
History has shown us where unchecked executive power leads. We cannot wait for more cities to become test cases for authoritarian overreach.
Please stand with your constituents in defending civil liberties, the rule of law, and the proper role of government.
Sincerely,
[Your Full Name]
[Your City, State]
[Your Contact Information]
Who to Send It To:
Your U.S. Senators and House Representative – https://www.congress.gov/members or https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Your State Officials – Use
https://myreps.datamade.us/
to find your governor, state senator, and local representatives
Local officials – Mayors and city councils can amplify pressure from the ground up
How to Customize:
Replace [Senator/Representative/Governor NAME] with your official’s name
Add your city and zip code to show you’re a constituent
Add a personal sentence or two if this issue connects to your lived experience (military service, immigration, protest, civil liberties)
Pro tip: Many officials have online contact forms or accept emailed PDFs. You can also post publicly and tag them on social media—staff often monitor those channels.
If this resonates with you, don’t keep it to yourself.
Share it. Talk about it. Use your voice.
Because what starts in one city never stays there.
Amen. Yes. Thank you, Robert. We must all stand up and speak up.