SRF Heavy Industries

Mr. President,

I imagine when you decided to get into politics, it was in an attitude of service — the proverbial “ask what you can do for your country” scenario. I think it’s probably the same way for most elected officials. I think it’s probably the same way that people who decide they want to become police do so at first because they want to help, to intervene, to protect the defenseless and provide some hope for justice for victims. Like for police, however, I expect there is also some amount of jadedness, some amount of confronting the actual realities of how people behave with respect to one another, the realities of needing to fund worthwhile projects, the realities of needing to collect money for campaigns and such, that makes the idealism that propelled you into the arena take a backseat.

Our Bill of Rights concerns rights that do not come from any government document, but rights that we should have, nationless, as human beings. The abuses that people are suffering trying to exercise their rights of assembly, of speech, of confronting their government and demanding redress — these rights should be SUPPORTED by the government, not opposed in some sort of adversarial process designed to back people into a containable box so that administrators can carry on with business as usual. That is completely counter to the purpose of the Bill of Rights, which exists to recognize those rights and make room for their expression.

You, of all people, must be painfully aware of how broken things are right now. The middle class has been eradicated and the powers of government are owned by people and corporations that embrace no ideals beyond increasing their own wealth at everyone else’s expense. It is your duty as one sworn to uphold the constitution to protect the rights of peaceful protesters across the nation so they may assemble and converse and design the next steps forward that the elected government has shown itself to be incapable of contemplating in the legislature.

I beg you to think back to your beginnings and speak up for — and defend — the rights of your fellow idealists who want to bring healing and prosperity back to your nation. They are part of the process, as designed by our constitution. I beg you to do your duty as Chief Executive and as a fellow human being with the same rights as myself.

Sincerely,

Me (again)

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