Letter: Silence in the face of tyranny is permission
Published 1:30 am Saturday, September 6, 2025
Editor,
We cannot allow our federal leaders to commit violence without accountability.
In today’s political climate, it is almost impossible to state an honest opinion without being labeled by those who disagree as “alarmist,” “uninformed,” “idiot” or simply “liar.” The lion’s share of the media ecosystem we live in (especially the part that social media plays) is designed to amplify narratives rather than facts, and to reinforce our pre-existing paradigms rather than inform. While I write my thoughts below, I encourage readers to engage with the facts as they can be found, and to seek out the words of primary sources. It takes time and effort, but it can create an environment of understanding.
On Sept. 2, the U.S. government used drone technology to destroy a boat with 11 people on board while it was in international waters. The Trump administration quickly shared this information with glee, claiming the boat carried drugs and members of a South American drug cartel.
On its face, those facts alone would amount to an impeachable offense for any other president. Without trial, and without presenting any evidence to the public, the president himself (according to his own Truth Social post) ordered the summary execution of 11 people.
Historically, “drug boats” have been intercepted by the Coast Guard when they approached U.S. waters, at which point they were boarded without resistance, or force was shown only after an act of aggression. This unprovoked attack committed by the U.S. is a direct assault on the constitutional limits of executive authority and runs contrary to deeply American values, most notably due process. I struggle to comprehend how any patriotic American can support an action that not only violates international law, but also signals that our current federal leaders view themselves as free to act with violence and impunity. Make no mistake: these acts of lawless violence will be committed within our borders.
The difference between a president and a dictator is, quite simply, the rule of law. Over the last eight months, we have seen the rule of law disrespected and disregarded by Donald Trump numerous times. We, the people of this country, now have a duty to call for impeachment and justice. If we allow continued assaults on the guardrails of democracy, our country will not survive.
Ultimately, the responsibility to defend democracy begins with us. Silence in the face of blatant authoritarianism and tyranny is not neutrality, it is acceptance and permission. Each citizen has the right and responsibility to speak up, loudly, when constitutional limits are trampled and God-given rights are threatened. History shows what happens when the people lose, or refuse to use, their voice. It is catastrophic. The survival and success of our institutions depend not only on our leaders but on each of us using our voice. From citizen to council member to senator, and every person in between, every voice must rise to say: enough is enough. Should the American dream fail, let it fail against the chorus of a people crying out for its restoration.
Joshua Treadway
Oak Harbor
