Protestors and Protectors

This letter to the editor, by Cheri Evjen appeared in the Hudson Star Observer on May 8, 2025.

America has always been a nation of protestors and protectors. We cherish our rights and freedoms — and have used direct action to defend them when threatened. In 1773, patriots took to the streets of Boston to oppose a tyrant who imposed tariffs without consent. Americans who love their country are doing the same today.

We have a long, proud tradition of standing up to injustice — from the anti-slavery movement to women’s suffrage, from the fight against child labor to marriage equality. Each movement led to laws that protected Americans.

Some of you — or your parents or grandparents — fought for those rights. We thought the battles were over. But today, opponents of the Constitution and personal freedom are on the attack again.

The SAVE Act should be called the “Stealthy Attack on Voting Equality.” It could disqualify millions of women from voting. Trump’s tariffs, imposed without congressional approval, are hurting markets and could trigger a recession. His refusal to let others use their Fifth Amendment rights — while using them himself in court — is both dangerous and embarrassing.

Patriots in Hudson, River Falls and beyond are again taking to the streets. They are right to demand protection of our rights and economic security. Since Congress won’t act, we must.

We can’t wait until the 2026 midterms. Let’s keep using protest and direct action to defend our freedoms. Talk to your legislators. Talk to your neighbors. Before it’s too late.