I served within the U.S. Military 36 years in the past. And my son—who’s had alternatives I by no means did as a Salvadoran immigrant—selected to observe in my footsteps, becoming a member of the California Nationwide Guard.
After spending a 12 months within the Center East, he returned residence and was activated to assist in the aftermath of the wildfires that devastated Southern California in January. He was stationed in Altadena, a hard-hit, working-class metropolis, the place he did what the Guard is supposed to do: assist folks in disaster.
My son serving to Altadena get better from devastating wildfires in January 2025.
That have modified him. Even after being deactivated, he nonetheless drives an hour every means, a number of occasions every week, to maintain serving to as the town and its residents rebuild. That’s who he’s. And yeah, I’m tearing up simply occupied with it. I’m so extremely happy with him.
He signed as much as serve his neighborhood, to not be a pawn in President Donald Trump’s fascist cosplay. However now? His unit has been activated once more, and this time to not assist folks.
You’ll be able to’t think about the trend I really feel.
Trump has spent his total presidency railing towards dissent. Now that he’s shedding in Congress, within the courts, and within the court docket of public opinion, he’s escalating—utilizing peaceable protests as a pretext for his dream of army dictatorship.
In January, my son and his fellow first responders had been welcomed by Southern Californians with meals, items, and gratitude. Right this moment, Trump is sending them into those self same communities as symbols of repression. He’s destroyed the goodwill they constructed—and he doesn’t care.
He desires confrontation. He desires escalation. He desires violence, as a result of he thinks it offers him license to go even additional.
Trump is attempting to interrupt this nation earlier than it breaks him.
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I’m scared for my son. However I’m proud. Pleased with him. Pleased with this neighborhood. Pleased with the folks within the streets refusing to again down. This second feels inevitable. We noticed it coming. We warned it was coming. We hoped it wouldn’t, however now it’s right here.
So sure, I’m scared. However I’m additionally burning with righteous fury. And that fury is stronger than Trump’s cruelty or the bloodlust of his followers.
Let’s fuck Trump up.
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