January 6th Was Just the Beginning for Trump
Three years ago, a violent mob, incited by then-President Trump and his allies in Congress, attacked the U.S. Capitol to try and stop the peaceful transfer of power for the first time in American history.
Now, three years and four indictments later, Trump is running for president again in a desperate attempt to avoid accountability. If he is re-elected, his plans for a second term include weaponizing the Department of Justice to persecute and retaliate against his political opponents, giving license to political violence by pardoning his own crimes and the crimes of his supporters, including those committed on January 6 and even using the military against Americans exercising their First Amendment rights. And to make sure his plan succeeds, he'll purge the federal government of and punish anyone who doesn't agree with him until there's no one left to say no.
This is not the America I know. Too much is at stake for voters to allow Trump to take back power. Trump and those who enabled him must answer for their attempts to overturn the 2020 election and for the violence that followed—in the court of law and at the ballot box.
—Gary Porter
Three Years Later: Trump is Still a Threat to Democracy
Three years ago, we all witnessed a violent mob descend on the Capitol, costing people their lives, because one man—Donald Trump—spread lies about a "stolen" election.
The January 6 insurrection was an attack on our democracy and our freedom to vote. Our nation came dangerously close to a coup orchestrated from within the Oval Office and the halls of Congress by President Trump and his allies.
But it didn't end there. Trump and his allies are laying the groundwork for a second presidency even more extreme and authoritarian than the last.
Should he win the 2024 presidential election, Trump is already planning to pardon himself and his allies of crimes committed on January 6th, purge the federal government of officials who disagree with him, use the Department of Justice to exact political revenge, and even unleash the military on civilians exercising their First Amendment rights.
These threats are serious, and if Trump is able to claim power again, he will do everything he can to bring democracy to its knees, backed by MAGA allies in Congress, on the Supreme Court, and in state legislatures. Preserving our democracy takes work—and this year, we must all do our part. It's up to all of us to ensure Trump and his allies do not return to power.
—Jay McMahon
RE: YIMBY vs NIMBY. Take Me Home, 12/28
Let's hear more about how the YIMBY group thinks about water resource in the region. We live in a desert. Water laws are not contemporary, more importantly, no data points to the ability of our watershed, groundwater, and diminishing snow packs to be able to sustain current state of population and u?
—Paul Zadoff via bendsource.com
RE: Ceasefire Coffee for Gaza. Little Bites, 12/14
I appreciate this coffee shop showing solidarity with the oppressed Palestinian people. I wish more Americans would open their eyes/minds/hearts and take some time to explore the history of the conflict. Being pro-peace is not antisemitism. Thank you.
—Heidi Dunn via bendsource.com
RE: Empty Bike Racks Everywhere. Letters, 1/4
People are asking for better bike lanes because we want to bike. Children, people with limited mobility, those using adaptive bikes don't currently commute because it's dangerous. If there were easier, more convenient, safer routes to services, people might choose not to drive. But grocery stores are often on busy streets like 3rd, 27th, and Newport—the exact roads you suggest bikers avoid.
Deaths and serious injuries related to bike/car collisions often happen at intersections, where infrastructure indicates that cars have priority. Even the most experienced bikers must dip out of quiet neighborhoods and cross busy car-centric intersections to get across town or even between neighborhoods. Bike commuters are typically fit, confident and able-bodied. Why not support creating those same opportunities for children, older people and people with disabilities by investing in safer biking infrastructure?
This conversation is about so much more than bike lanes. It's about how the City of Bend creates more affordable housing by reducing parking minimums and car reliance. It's about improving community health by offering safer opportunities for getting outside. It's about reducing emissions by deprioritizing cars and designing roads that make biking the preferred option.
Investing in grade-separated protected bike lanes is exactly how the city is going to fill up bike racks, eliminate parking, and reduce traffic. We obviously agree that biking improves lives, so why wait? Let's invest in bike infrastructure so everyone can enjoy their daily commute.
— Meghan Robins Teeter
Letter of the Week:
More talk about bike lanes and making our city safer outside a car—you get letter of the week, Meghan! Thanks for writing in to share your thoughts about that last bike letter.
—Nicole Vulcan
