Our democracy faces grave times. Donald Trump used our U.S. military to
gas and attack peaceful protesters this week, and then lied about it.
Hopefully you saw the good news -- Trump's own former Defense Secretary,
James Mattis, and other retired military officers spoke up and said: Hell
no. Not in America.
Mattis wrote: "Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does
not try to unite the American people—does not even pretend to try...We are
witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership... We
know that we are better than the abuse of executive authority that we
witnessed in Lafayette Square. We must reject and hold accountable those
in office who would make a mockery of our Constitution."
This is a red-alert moment for our democracy. [ [link removed] ]We are asking everyone to
co-sign Mattis's statement here -- ESPECIALLY veterans. If you know
veterans who are disgusted, please forward this to them.
On the link above, you can read Mattis's full statement. We will elevate
the names of co-signers publicly, including possibly in full-page
newspaper ads.
It's almost unheard of for retired generals and admirals to speak out
against the Commander In Chief. But here's some of what they're saying:
"June 1, 2020. Remember the date. It may well signal the beginning of the
end of the American experiment." -- [ [link removed] ]John Allen, four-star Marine
general
"It sickened me yesterday to see security personnel—including members of
the National Guard—forcibly and violently clear a path through Lafayette
Square to accommodate the president's visit outside St. John's Church. I
have to date been reticent to speak out on issues surrounding President
Trump's leadership, but we are at an inflection point, and the events of
the past few weeks have made it impossible to remain silent." -- [ [link removed] ]Mike
Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Presidents Obama and
Bush
"The president proclaimed himself the 'ally of peaceful protesters.' But,
at that very moment, just a few hundred feet away across Lafayette Park,
fully equipped riot police and troops violently, and without provocation,
set upon the peaceful demonstrators there, manhandling and beating many of
them, employing flash-bangs, riot-control agents, and pepper spray
throughout. These demonstrators had done nothing to warrant such an
attack." -- General John Allen
"Whatever Trump's goal in conducting his visit, he laid bare his disdain
for the rights of peaceful protest in this country...We must, as citizens,
address head-on the issue of police brutality and sustained injustices
against the African American community. We must, as citizens, support and
defend the right—indeed, the solemn obligation—to peacefully assemble and
to be heard." -- Chairman Mike Mullen
"The vast majority of the people protesting in the streets are justifiably
furious at the murder of George Floyd, but they’re even angrier over
pervasive injustice, mass incarceration, frequent false arrests, and an
institutionalized devaluation of black lives and property...as much as the
president would like them to be—indeed, needs them to be—terrorists, that
is not what these people are...the obvious targets for designation as
domestic terrorists are, first and foremost, violent white supremacist
groups." -- General John Allen
"I am deeply worried that as they execute their orders, the members of our
military will be co-opted for political purposes...Our fellow citizens are
not the enemy, and must never become so." - Chairman Mike Mullen
"The words 'Equal Justice Under Law' are carved in the pediment of the
United States Supreme Court. This is precisely what protesters are rightly
demanding...Never did I dream that troops taking that same oath would be
ordered under any circumstance to violate the Constitutional rights of
their fellow citizens—much less to provide a bizarre photo op for the
elected commander-in-chief, with military leadership standing alongside."
-- [ [link removed] ]James Mattis, former Defense Secretary
The floodgates are opening. Republican senators who were silent before
have even started criticizing Trump after military brass spoke out.
This is a red-alert moment for our democracy. [ [link removed] ]We are asking everyone to
co-sign Mattis's statement here -- ESPECIALLY veterans. If you know
veterans who are disgusted, please forward this to them.
Thank you for standing up for America.
-- Stephanie Taylor and Adam Green, PCCC co-founders
Paid for by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee PAC (www.BoldProgressives.org) and not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. Contributions to the PCCC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.
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