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The killing of an American citizen in Minneapolis by masked federal immigration agents has rightly sparked protest and national debate about the improper use of our federal government's power in a constitutional democracy.
The rights to free speech and peaceful assembly protected by the First Amendment are not abstract ideals; they are the foundation of our system of liberty. These rights are safeguarded by the Rule of Law so that ordinary citizens can participate in public life without fear of violence or retaliation from their own government.
Based on the videos that have been released, what has happened in Minnesota was a masked government agent killing a citizen for merely exercising his constitutional rights. The statements that our President and members of his administration have made leading up to and after this event give them complicity in this killing. Their actions make it appear that they approve of armed federal agents violating our constitutionally protected rights and killing citizens.
The use of lethal force by any government actor must be justified, transparent, and subject to independent review. The people of this country do not forfeit their rights because they choose to stand, film, speak (in whatever tone they want), or peacefully protest. Suppressing First Amendment expression through the threat or application of deadly force undermines the democracy we are sworn to protect.
There is no freedom when government armed forces kill a protester who never presented a threat to them, much less a mortal threat. Our profession and our consciences mandate that we defend constitutional protections for all. Now is the time to act — boldly, lawfully, and together — to ensure justice is done and to reaffirm that no one is above the law.
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