Proponents of Donald Trump clash with police and security forces as people attempt to storm the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 in Washington, D.C. Protesters breached security and entered the Capitol as Congress debated the electoral college certification of the 2020 presidential election. (Brent Stirton/Getty Images)
The signers of the Declaration of Independence, which America celebrates this week, all knew they were risking their lives. Benjamin Franklin is said to have muttered, “We must all stand together, or we shall all hang separately.”
Back then, treason against the King of England was punishable by hanging, drawing, and quartering (being cut open alive with body parts removed), often in front of large audiences. As Maine gathers for the Fourth of July festivities on Thursday, we urge you to consider the risks our Founding Fathers took to establish the rule of law.
While the United States may have its problems, our constitutional republic is a historically unprecedented representative democracy. This idea is so powerful that Americans have given their lives to protect it from the beginning. As veterans of the 9/11 wars, we often reflect on the many sacrifices made over the past 248 years.
This year, in what is shaping up to be the most consequential campaign season in our lifetimes, a pillar of what holds it all together, the peaceful transfer of power, is under attack. In every election since 1788, except one, the losing party has “voluntarily and peacefully” transferred power to the opposition.
The exception was 2020, when Donald Trump so incited his supporters that they attacked the U.S. Capitol to disrupt the official certification of the results. The U.S. courts and the broader society are still grappling with what was an attempted coup that took place on January 6.
Meanwhile, Trump continues to question the legitimacy of our elections and spread conspiracy theories. One of those conspiracy theories is a twisted interpretation of 1776, where Trump and his supporters wrap their white supremacy in red, white and blue flags. They are also threatening violence again if the election does not go their way.
The American Revolution was violent. But it also contained the seeds that made this representative democracy grow: belief in the rule of lawLeaders of 13 colonies overcame fears of being hanged, drawn, and quartered by the English crown—and agreed to embrace the rule of law as the foundation of a new society, an experiment that continues to this day.
For these reasons, we have formed a coalition of veterans from across political parties and backgrounds. Our mission is to ask Democrats, Republicans, and Independents to make a simple pledge: say goodbye to violence this election cycle and honor the results of the 2024 election.
In Maine, our organizations have nearly 500 members. We veterans make up about 7% of the state and are a force at the ballot box. We and our military families are looking for a commander in chief who is guided by humanitarian values and who has a steady hand at the helm.
In late May, we attended the Republican state convention in North Carolina, home to America’s largest military base, where GOP leaders echoed Trump by promoting violence on the campaign trail while ignoring the 2020 results. When we asked if they would consider our pledge, they threw us out.
During last week’s presidential debate, Trump dodged three questions about accepting the election results, and when asked about January 6, he lied and blamed then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for the chaos. His fear-mongering was in overdrive, as was his contempt for the rule of law and his disdain for veterans and the concept of service.
When you gather with friends and family on July 4, recite a line from the Declaration of Independence: that we are all created equal – and explain that more than 3,300 Maine men and women have died abroad defending that idea.
Then ask Trump supporters nearby what they think John or Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Benjamin Franklin or Thomas Jefferson would say about January 6.
Don’t be afraid to tell the truth.
The post Veterans urge Maine residents to discuss July 4, January 6 first appeared on Maine Morning Star.
