50501 Veterans' Official Statement: Los Angeles
50501 Veterans opposes in the strongest terms and without exception the White House directive to the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security, as well as the Attorney General, authorizing the deployment of the National Guard to attack Americans peacefully exercising their 1st Amendment rights in Los Angeles, and anywhere in our country.
This unprecedented move obliterates the line between military and civilian roles under both the U.S. Constitution and the laws of the U.S. Code – a line that should never be crossed. It is a declaration of war on the American People, by its own government.
50501 Veterans calls on:
President Trump to rescind the order, stand down the National Guard, retreat from our streets, and promise to never again attack the American people.
The U.S. Congress to immediately enter into Emergency Session to take swift action to ensure the President and Cabinet abides by the Constitution and the existing applicable laws under U.S. Code, including the Posse Comitatus Act.
The Judicial Branch – at every level, including the Supreme Court – to immediately rule in favor of Constitutional challenges brought against this blatantly illegal attempt to suppress the 1st Amendment rights of the American People.
We swore an oath to our country to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. We will not be complicit in eviscerating the Constitution. We did not swear that oath – which never expires – to sit idly by while a tyrant deploys our military on our own soil to suppress and silence the voices of the American People. Our nation was founded in 1776 based on the very idea that no tyrant should be allowed to do so.
50501 Veterans will not be silent. That oath never expires. We will not stand down.
50501 Veterans will continue to speak out against this move to usurp the U.S. Constitution and Federal laws, and also to provide guidance, resources and support to our Active Duty, Reserve and National Guard service members on their rights, duties and obligations under these laws. Please check our website for additional information on this egregious breach of our Constitution by President Trump and his Administration.