By Gene Jones, President, Florida Veterans for Common Sense

As patriots, July 4^th should cause us to reflect that our independence from tyrants is an ongoing struggle. The events of January 6 confirmed that democracy is fragile. Protecting it requires eternal vigilance. The testimony before the January 6th Select Committee establishes that on that day a few brave men and women saved our democracy from a would be tyrant.

Using the ‘Big Lie’ as the justification, President Trump came close to installing himself as emperor, a name the Proud Boys were already calling him on January 6.

Trump Republicans, who control the GOP, refuse to acknowledge that Trump and his minions initiated a criminal conspiracy to overthrow our government. Their illegality is now beyond doubt. Some have already pled guilty to sedition and other crimes. More findings of guilt are bound to come. Conspirators have asked for pardons, an admission of guilt.

Tyranny of the Minority

The Trump Republicans have a backward vision for America that seeks to strangle democracy. As a minority, they understand that to advance their vision and control our government, they have to take away the majority’s electoral rights and liberties. So they strive to make it harder for the majority, ‘we the people’, to influence our government.

Extremist Trump Republican efforts to stifle democracy are blatant. For example, they pass laws making it harder to vote.

• They gerrymander districts so only their candidates win.
• They try to sabotage elections.
• They refuse to abide by election results when they lose.
• They appoint judges who invent radical legal theories to overturn our liberties and traditions.

The Trump Republican extremists are willing to cheat. They know they cannot win fair elections because their vision is contrary to American ideals and history. For example, they seek to abolish separation of church and state, a legacy that is enshrined in our Constitution. Some Trump Republicans call separation of church and state ‘junk’ and some actually espouse church control of our government.

Extremist Trump Republicans seek a government by and for oligarchs and the rich. They want huge corporations to control the economy for profit while minimizing other important values like workers’ well-being, veterans’ care, public health, a clean environment, and a stable climate.

January 6 confirms that Trump Republicans will lie and cheat to win. Worse, they will use violence. The attack on our Capitol by Trump Republicans resulted in death, injury, and mayhem. They would have hung Mike Pence if they caught him.

Some extremists are so dismissive of violence that they call the January 6th insurrectionists, tourists. To this day, Trump and his allies refuse to repudiate the violent actors. Some Trump Republicans even hire them as security guards.

“We the People…”

Our July 4^th Declaration of Independence begins with these hallowed words, “We the people…”. If Trump and his allies take power, they will erase those glorious words. They will take us into an age of tyranny and authoritarianism that will make King George seem like an amateur.

On this July the 4^th, we must redouble our efforts to protect democracy. In these times, we can not be summer soldiers.

• We must stand strong and work hard.
• We must insure that in our democracy the voters decide elections, not those determined to overturn the will of the people.
• We must insure that all the Trump Republicans involved in the seditious conspiracy to overthrow our democracy are held accountable and punished.
• We must work to elect only those who repudiate Trump and his allies to save our democracy and stop the Trump Republicans’ extremist attacks on our freedoms. 

Better yet, we must elect those who will strive to fulfill the promise of America. For Florida Veterans for Common Sense, July the 4th means standing tall for democracy.

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