With National Guard troops and Marines being deployed across the country, our democracy is at risk
It has been 60 years since National Guard troops were last deployed to any state against the wishes of that state’s governor. In the 1960s, during the Civil Rights revolution, Alabama Gov. George Wallace tried to forcibly obstruct the court-ordered integration of the University of Alabama.
Most Americans seemed to accept the necessity of federal intervention in that instance, but we can be glad that it did not continue to happen in other situations.
Until now. As of June 11, there were 4,700 troops deployed in Los Angeles, more than we have in Iraq and Syria combined. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass did not ask the Trump administration to activate the National Guard or to send in the Marines, and they do not want them there.
Los Angeles, like many American cities, has experienced a rise in peaceful protests against the brutal rounding up of undocumented immigrants. As is often the case, a few of the protesters have gotten out of hand and have thrown rocks and bottles. In at least one instance, a car was set on fire. However, there is no indication that local law enforcement is unable to handle the lawbreakers within the ranks of protesters.
Indeed, the state of California has filed a lawsuit, seeking an injunction against the use of the military against its citizens. For his part, Newsom has issued a stark warning:
“California may be first, but it clearly will not end here,” he said. “Other states are next. Democracy is next. Democracy is under assault before our eyes.”
We should recognize that Newsom is a potential Democratic presidential candidate in the 2028 election, but his warning about the excesses of the Trump administration should be heeded by people who don't support him politically.
Meanwhile, the FIFA Club World Cup soccer matches began in Miami on June 14. The Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) have already announced their plan to “act as security” at the matches, warning that any foreigners who choose to attend must be ready to verify their legal status.
President Trump just announced a new travel ban which prohibits citizens from Iran and 11 other countries from visiting the United States. Interestingly enough, Iran has already qualified for the World Cup. Will our aspiring dictator carve out a narrow exception to allow athletes into our country to compete? Stay tuned.
America has a long and honorable history of peaceful protest. The First Amendment guarantees our right “peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Peaceful protests, some of which were met by violence, helped to bring about the passage of Civil Rights legislation in the 1960s. In the years that followed, a grassroots movement against our involvement in the Vietnam War gathered strength through peaceful protests, eventually leading to our withdrawal from that unhappy conflict. Starting with the first Earth Day in 1970, there have been increasing protests by environmentalists and others who want to protect the planet and the climate from the ravages of fossil fuels.
After the police murders of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville, there were hundreds of Black Lives Matter protests across the country. Some of them turned violent, but the predominant emphasis was on peaceful resistance. None of these movements was used to justify the deployment of troops against American citizens.
Donald Trump’s second administration has ushered in a new era of authoritarianism. We can hope that the federal courts will protect our right to peacefully protest, and curb the excesses of the administration. Unfortunately, the survival of our freedoms, and our democratic form of government, is in jeopardy and cannot be assured.
Jay Davis of Rapid City is a retired lawyer and a regular contributor to The South Dakota Standard
Photo: National Guard troops in Los Angeles, June 2025, public domain, wikimedia commons
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