Letters to the editor

Dear Editor,

The time has come to celebrate and protect the freedoms that we, as Americans, have enjoyed for over 250 years. Now is not the time to be complacent, we must band together to protect the freedoms that we have and demand that our politicians protect them. Division and greed have seriously eroded what we once took for granted. Now is the time for all of us to step up, speak out and make “Good Trouble”! The next mass protest is July 17 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on the Socorro Plaza and California Street. Show up, speak out, and let our politicians know that We the People demand our freedom from oppression.

Mary Gillard

San Antonio

Dear Editor,

By now you are probably aware that the U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) is detaining and attempting to deport legal immigrants, even naturalized citizens. Think of the impact on Socorro; the chile that doesn’t get harvested, the homes and businesses that don’t get built or repaired, the delicious food you will miss, the talented foreign students and faculty who would be reluctant to come to Tech.

It doesn’t stop there. The current administration is also talking about deporting native born citizens they don’t like. If you think this couldn’t happen to you, recall the words of Martin Niemöller, a German pastor who lived through Hitler’s ascent:

“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out --because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speakout -- because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out -- because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me -- and there was no one left to speak for me.”

There are many ways to speak out. My choice is to send money to the American Civil Liberties Union; they are working hard to challenge violations of the constitutional rights guaranteed to all of us, even immigrants. But whatever you do, now is not the time to remain

silent.

David Raymond

Socorro