sarahThings Can Get Better
To the Editor:
To quote historian Timothy Snyder: “There is a better America out there. History is in our hands.”
No Kings Day demonstrated that millions of Americans believe in that “Better America.” We staged one of the largest protests in history in opposition to the dangerous and cruel direction the Trump administration is taking our country. We know most Americans aren’t buying the version of America Trump is selling. With energy and creativity, huge numbers are showing up and speaking out in opposition peacefully.
To quote Professor Snyder once more: “Non-violence is not an absence. It is a presence.” That presence is a demonstration of peaceful strength. If you attended a No Kings rally, you could feel it — friends joined together in common cause. The momentum was palpable.
I am a member of Indivisible Calais because I share that belief that things can get better — with our help. It is so important that we show up and speak out. When 3.5% of the people show up and speak out, they have never failed to bring about change. My participation in the No Kings rally was joyful and uplifting because I experienced that kind, thoughtful, and peaceful America out there.
If you are contemplating showing up and speaking out, please know you have friends everywhere!
If you are interested in finding out more about Indivisible Calais, you can email us at indivisiblecalais@pm.me
Kitty DeRusso, Calais
Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies
To the Editor:
The long running showing of “Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies” is back. It’s been resurrected in the passage of legislation called the Big Beautiful Bill by an able television apprentice whose life is one big TV performance..
It is a looney tune to sing a song about beauty standing before you while gazing at Medusa. It is funny to see the snakes writhing out of her hair instead of the expected glowing image of Demi Moore.
Then for another chortle, tune in to the song about cutting taxes on billionaires to bring prosperity, but you have to ignore the trillions of dollars of debt created to enjoy it.
Even funnier, indeed looney, is the song that celebrates economic well being, by showing clips of millions of seriously ill poor people deprived of medical care or food by cutting off federal funds. Hilarious.
The beat and rhythm of the song touting big oil and shutting down alternative energy sources or using electric vehicles to bring prosperity is a chuckle for surprise endings.
Maybe the looniest tune is the aria to the demise of fostering a green economy interspersed with clips of massive flooding in Texas drowning school children.
The apprentice has certainly learned how to make looney tunes. The merrie melody, of course, is the leitmotif of all the looney tunes. It is hard to stay tuned, even harder to enjoy the show as you listen and find the joke is rather grim.
Kimberly Cheney, Montpelier
Contact Local Officials About Due Process Resolution
To the Editor:
Recent federal immigration enforcement actions have raised concerns about due process protections in our communities. Reports include detention without legal representation, use of detainers without sufficient evidence, and arrests without criminal charges. Additionally, incidents of criminals impersonating federal officials have created public safety concerns.
The city of Rutland responded to these concerns last April by passing “A Resolution Condemning Attacks on Due Process and Affirming the Constitutional Rights of All People in Rutland.” Since then, 15 other municipalities — Burlington, Wallingford, Rockingham/Bellows Falls, Brandon, Jericho, Pittsfield, Bennington, Shaftsbury, Pomfret, Middletown Springs, Rutland Town, Vergennes, East Montpelier, Manchester, and Pownal — have adopted similar resolutions. Those resolutions are available at tinyurl.com/mxuw6uyr.
Elected officials of many Vermont municipalities have dismissed adopting such resolutions, often without even informing their constituents that these issues were brought to their attention. Common reasons include viewing this effort as partisan politics rather than constitutional protection; believing the resolution is unnecessary since officials have already sworn to uphold constitutional rights; or fearing federal retaliation.
Respectfully, these concerns miss the point. First, constitutional protections are not partisan — they protect all Vermonters regardless of political affiliation. Second, the resolution asks local officials to publicly reaffirm their commitment to constitutional principles at a time when these principles are being challenged. Third, silence in the face of federal lawlessness has not protected Vermont.
We deserve leaders who will uphold our constitutional rights, and Vermonters have a right to know where their local officials stand. I encourage you to contact your local board members and ask them to adopt a resolution for your municipality. Attend board meetings, organize with neighbors, and demand transparency about why local officials support or oppose such measures.
The time to act is now, before our constitutional protections erode further. Use your voice to protect your rights.
Peter G. Franzoni, Rutland
Letters to the editor represent the opinions of the authors and do not reflect the opinions of The Bridge. Submit your letter by email to editor@montpelierbridge.com. Preference is given to submissions by those who live in central Vermont, should not exceed 300 words in length, and may be edited for brevity and accuracy.
