Letters to the Editor | June 17, 2025
Inquirer readers on the "No Kings" protest and politicizing the armed forces.
Due credit
The largest protest ever to take place against a United States president occurred on Saturday, as “No Kings” events brought anti-Trump activists to cities and towns both small and large across America. Despite his claim to the contrary, Donald Trump did not have the largest crowd ever assembled for an inauguration in 2017, but he did manage to bring out an unprecedented number to express revulsion over what he has done and is attempting to do to our country and our values and tenets. Congratulations, Mr. President!
Oren Spiegler, Peters Township
Democracy rules
As Philadelphia prepared for its “No Kings” rally on Saturday, it’s worth noting what Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said Thursday at a Los Angeles news conference: “We are here to liberate this city from the socialist and burdensome leadership that this Gov. Gavin Newsom and this mayor placed on this country.” Liberating states and cities from their duly elected officials is exactly what kings do to assert absolute power. Democracy is burdensome, built upon checks and balances and levels of governance. In a democracy, every citizen carries the burden of engaging with others, aiming toward creating a more perfect union. Autocracy is much simpler. Labeling leaders who disagree as “socialists” who hate our country is a beginning step toward usurping absolute power, the kind a king has, not a president in a democracy. Hopefully, the “No Kings” rally reminded all Americans of that fact.
Joseph Stoutzenberger, Erdenheim, jstoutzenberge@comcast.net
Military use
It is hard to reconcile President Donald Trump’s recent actions and words concerning our military. At the 250th anniversary army parade, he offered inspiring words of praise: “The Army keeps us free. You make us strong, and tonight, you have made all Americans very proud.” At the same time, he is steadily managing the impression that the armed forces support him personally, and is using them in ways that threaten our domestic freedoms.
The president recently spoke before troops at Fort Benning in Georgia, some on stage reportedly preselected for Trump loyalty and appearance. Launching into rally-style attacks on California Gov. Gavin Newsom and defending the activation of the National Guard and Marines, these soldiers of our United States Army laughed, jeered, and booed as Trump had surely anticipated. Some will casually take that scene as evidence that the army is behind him, and it cannot be unseen.
Similarly, combat-equipped U.S. Marines and California National Guard in the streets of Los Angeles day after day, for no reason, reinforce the message that this is somehow normal, acceptable, and inevitable. As a veteran, I will always be proud of the Army and my service. I am sad and embarrassed that the Army, through a complicit secretary of defense, is allowing itself to be used by Trump as a prop to advance the most sinister threat to our democracy since the Civil War.
Joseph B. Baker, West Chester
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