Think about the implications of President Donald Trump pardoning violent insurrectionists – even those convicted of assaulting law enforcement officers and threatening the lives of members of Congress and the vice president, (“Trump issues sweeping pardon of 1,500 Jan. 6 defendants, including rioters who attacked police,” Jan. 20).
They will now be his private enforcers, even without him specifically asking them to do anything. They know they won’t be prosecuted by Trump’s Justice Department for attacking Trump’s “enemies,” and, even if they are, any conviction or sentence will be pardoned.
The point of this is to intimidate us into silence. We as citizens are being tested: Will we stand up?
If you did vote for Trump – no doubt thinking your life would be better – are you okay with this? If not, your voice will speak even louder. How far are we going to let Trump go in dismantling our democracy?
Kristie Duyckinck, Portland
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