AMERICA: We’re becoming what we once fought

My father and uncle, along with many thousands of others, put their lives on the line in World War II to stop authoritarian leaders and their followers from taking over the world. What has happened to our country — that was once looked up to by other nations — that we are now going down the same path they, the Greatest Generation,” were striving at great sacrifice to defeat? The United States threatening to take over other countries’ lands is not what they fought for.

Their parents, my grandparents, and their relatives were immigrants. The United States is a nation of immigrants. Today, even if you are going through the immigration process legally, reporting for court hearings as required, you can be arrested for not carrying your papers with you. “Carrying your papers” with you was required in the occupied countries of Europe during the war. Today in America, U.S. citizens are arrested and detained for peacefully attempting to help immigrants, and then are labeled domestic terrorists by our own government.

By not speaking out, we are allowing our country to become what we defeated in World War II. Because I am writing this, I guess I am now considered a domestic terrorist by the government as well, simply because I do not believe what they are doing is what previous generations fought to prevent.

MIKE BAUM
Coeur d’Alene