What will UU Men do this Saturday?

[Larry Works]

Greetings UU Friends.

Most of you are aware there’s a large number of protest activities planned in conjunction with the military parade in Washington DC tomorrow (see link below).

To me… participating in a “No Kings” protest is quite personal.  For two reasons: 1) as a military veteran it remains my duty to show up peacefully in support of the US Constitution when I believe it’s threatened.  and 2) I have many German ancestors who were deaf and blind to the rising power in pre-war Germany 🇩🇪.  My grandmother had already immigrated in the 1920’s and suffered having her sons on the Allies side and her German family fighting for the Axis side.  She never fully recovered from that experience.

FACT:  My German ancestors failure to show up to prevent hateful and illegal actions in Germany resulted in many being drafted and killed during WWII.

As a child, I met several family WWII survivors, almost all women.  Including a mother who lost her husband and 5 sons still living on the Rhine River refusing to allow her house to be repaired from the shelling and bullet damage.  She was friendly and harmless but completely out of her mind with grief.  She would ask us “Do you know when my sons are coming home to me?”.  It was heartbreaking!

I believe, showing up tomorrow peacefully IS NOT engaging in conflict!  It’s showing the world what I believe to be true… that the majority of US residents, and many UU’s, believe this administration is flagrantly disregarding the US Constitution and the Rule of Law with no accountability.

While no US administration is perfect, by any measure, our Republic has survived much based on our continuing ability to try and improve our laws.  

Laws cannot be improved by ignoring them.  Can the USA withstand authoritarian rule by loyalists to this US President?  I choose not to sit idly by to find out.  

Tomorrow I will exercise my 1st Amendment right to peacefully assemble at the Federal Building in downtown Ann Arbor.  Our right to assemble peacefully has been upheld in US Courts for over 248 years.  It is a fundamental part of our political system.

I hope to see at least as many UUMen downtown as showed up last evening for drinks and fellowship at Casey’s Tavern.  Look for me in my fluorescent yellow CERT cap and vest.  It will be well worth your time to say hello.

Thanks for considering joining me. 

Warmly,

Larry

PS.  CERT = Community Emergency Response Team.  From a FEMA Course I took years ago to help out at the Ann Arbor Art Fairs and Community emergencies (mostly weather-related).

Below is an AP article if you didn’t know.

https://apnews.com/article/no-kings-protest-things-to-know-trump-8d37f2bb2bf20ab503205b277e92b885

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