To the editor: We march for America, its values and freedom

I want to thank Mr. Murray for their service and for sharing their views in the comment section of the recent Telegraph article regarding the No Kings protest (No Kings rally in Chester attracts large, peaceful crowd to protest Trump policies, June 16, 2025, The Chester Telegraph.)

Civil dialogue — especially across political divides — is vital. But it’s precisely because I care about Vermont’s future, and respect the values of democracy and civic responsibility, that I feel compelled to respond.

Let’s be clear: the No Kings rallies were not an attack on the flag, the military or Flag Day. They were a response to a very real and growing threat to democratic norms — an attempt to sound the alarm against authoritarianism, political violence and the erosion of truth. They were not about hating one man; they were about defending the institutions that ensure no one man is above the law.

The idea that June 14th — Flag Day and the Army’s 250th birthday — should have silenced protest misunderstands both the meaning of patriotism and the legacy of military service. Many of those who marched did so because they love this country. Many protest participants were veterans themselves, or came from military families, carrying not just signs but the lived understanding that freedom isn’t passive. It must be defended not just abroad, but here at home.

Defending here at home means naming the danger when a president attempts to overturn an election, shares his desire for dictatorship and encourages retribution against political opponents. That’s not policy debate. That’s autocracy in plain sight. If we’re going to “stop throwing stones,” let’s start by naming who’s smashing the windows of democracy: Donald Trump and his MAGA movement.

As for the portrayal of Vermont Republicans as mischaracterized victims: No one argues that there are principled conservatives in Vermont. I know several. Look at our governor. But the national Republican Party — embraced by far too many at the state level — has made room for the normalization of nationalism, oppressive systems and violent rhetoric and behavior. That is not moderation. Painting concerned Vermonters as divisive for pushing back against that is an attempt to reverse responsibility.

Yes, Vermont faces real challenges: housing, healthcare, addiction, education. But suggesting these are the fault of “one-party rule” ignores history and facts. Republican administrations in both Washington and Vermont have made choices — defunding public systems, weakening social safety nets and deregulating industries — that contributed to these crises. To move forward, we need solutions grounded in data and equity, not political blame games dressed up as “common sense.”

Finally, the idea that calling out authoritarianism is somehow unkind or uncivil misunderstands the urgency of this moment. Civility is not silence. Tolerance does not mean tolerating the intolerable. And unity cannot come at the expense of truth.

We marched on June 14 because we believe in America. Not the myth—but the promise. A republic, not a monarchy. Liberty and justice—for all. That is not disrespect. That is democracy in action.

And we will keep showing up—for our neighbors, for our state, and for the future.