The Issues We Face
Our democracy and rights are under attack. Here's what we're fighting for
Defending the First Amendment
The First Amendment is the cornerstone of our democracy, yet it faces unprecedented attacks from the current administration. From threatening journalists to silencing dissent, these actions strike at the heart of what makes America free.
Recent Attacks on Free Speech:
- →Threats Against Journalists: The administration has repeatedly attacked the press as "enemies of the people" and pursued actions that chill independent reporting and public broadcasting — see the ACLU's 2025 overview of attacks on free speech and the press.
- →Prosecuting Whistleblowers: Escalating threats to press freedom and sources who expose wrongdoing, chilling the ability of citizens to hold their government accountable.
- →Suppressing Peaceful Protest: Using federal forces against peaceful protesters and attempting to criminalize constitutionally protected forms of dissent.
- →Book Bans and Censorship: Supporting efforts to ban books from schools and libraries, restricting access to information and ideas.
"Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." - First Amendment
Our Military's Purpose: Defend, Not Police
In a shocking address at Marine Corps Base Quantico, the administration proposed using American cities as "military training grounds" and declared a "war from within" against our own communities. This represents a dangerous departure from our military's constitutional role and threatens the very freedoms our service members swore to protect.
What They're Proposing:
- →Cities as "Training Grounds": Using cities like San Francisco, Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles as military training sites to "straighten them out one by one."
- →Renaming to "Department of War": Abandoning the "Defense" mission in favor of aggressive warfare, including against American citizens.
- →Violating Posse Comitatus: Ignoring the law that prevents military from domestic law enforcement, a cornerstone protection since 1878.
- →"Enemy Within" Rhetoric: Labeling American citizens and communities as enemies to justify military action against our own people.
What Our Military Is Actually For:
The Department of Defense's mission is to "provide the military forces needed to deter war and protect the security of our country."Notice it says deter war, not create it. Notice it says protect our country, not police our cities.
The Posse Comitatus Act specifically prohibits using the military for domestic law enforcement because our founders understood the danger of turning soldiers into police.
Our service members take an oath to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic" - not to wage war against American communities exercising their constitutional rights.
"I, _____, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same..." - Military Oath of Enlistment
Our service members swear to defend the Constitution - including the rights of Americans to protest, speak freely, and live without fear of their own military. Using troops against American cities violates this sacred oath.
Protecting Immigrant Rights & Due Process
America is a nation built by immigrants, founded on the principle that all people are created equal and deserve due process under the law. Yet today, we see cruel attacks on immigrant families and attempts to strip away fundamental rights.
Our Founding Principles:
The Declaration of Independence states that "all men are created equal" and are endowed with"certain unalienable Rights." These rights don't depend on where you were born.
The Constitution guarantees due process to "any person" within our borders - not just citizens. The Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments protect everyone's right to fair treatment under the law.
Current Attacks on Immigrants:
- →Family Separation: Policies that tear children from their parents, causing lasting trauma and violating basic human rights.
- →Mass Deportation Threats: Escalating enforcement proposals and mass deportation pledges that would separate families and devastate communities and local economies.
- →Denying Asylum Rights: Violating international law by refusing to process asylum claims and turning away refugees fleeing persecution.
- →Ending Birthright Citizenship: Attempting to overturn the 14th Amendment's guarantee that all persons born in the U.S. are citizens.
Remember: Research consistently finds immigrants commit crimes at lower rates than native-born Americans, start businesses at higher rates, and contribute billions in taxes every year.
Rejecting Division, Building Unity
The administration wants us to fear and hate our neighbors. They profit from division, using culture wars and manufactured outrage to distract us while they enrich themselves and their wealthy donors. But here's the truth:Americans actually agree on most things that matter.
What Americans Actually Agree On:
Healthcare
Majorities support Medicare for All or a public option (source)
Workers' Rights
A solid majority support raising the federal minimum wage (source)
Gun Safety
90% support universal background checks (source)
Climate Action
66% support aggressive climate action (source)
Tax Fairness
Most Americans say the wealthy don't pay their fair share (source)
Democracy
Broad majorities support making it easier to vote (source)
They Want Us Divided Because:
- →When we fight each other, we don't fight for fair wages and healthcare
- →When we're distracted by culture wars, we don't notice corporate tax cuts
- →When we fear our neighbors, we don't organize together for change
We have more in common than what divides us. When we stand together, we win.
Ready to Fight Back?
These issues affect all of us. Join Coshocton United and help us organize for real change in our community.
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