Letter: ‘We want freedom by any means necessary!’

Published 6:00 am Thursday, July 3, 2025

It was inspiring to me to read the recent letter to the editor penned by Robert Adams, our local internationally acclaimed photographer. We are all faced with the dilemma of how to make a meaningful and impactful gesture to express outrage at Trump’s policies, which now seem to include an effort to establish a military dictatorship.  

Adams, who is 88 years old, an age when just getting through a day can be daunting, met this challenge by crafting a lawn sign with the simple imperative, “Resist.” With his characteristic moral clarity, Adams understands that not to resist means giving in, losing our democracy and becoming hapless pawns in Trump’s game. Thank you, Mr. Adams.

Recently Trump upped the ante by unnecessarily taking control of the California National Guard, normally under the authority of the state governor, followed by an unprecedented deployment of 2,000 fully armed Marines, within our own country.  

In defense of his action in California, in spite of massive opposition protests in California and throughout the country, Trump said he will not hesitate to deploy troops and National Guard to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement “everywhere” throughout the country.

Protests against these measures during the long, hot summer ahead could become very dangerous for the country. We may begin to hear the mantra of the 1967 civil rights movement, “We want freedom by any means necessary!”

ROGER DORBAND

Astoria