“There is nothing in conflict between patriotism and dissent. These men were patriots, and they were standing up to unchecked power,” said Lexington native Bill McKibben in last week’s interview with the Observer.

I think that’s exactly right. Many in Lexington are angry that an elected President can ignore the laws, our constitution, and our basic freedoms.

No government behaving lawfully sends masked men to snatch a person off the street without a warrant, hearing, and notification of charges. This happened to Tufts doctoral student Rumeysa Ozturk, attending one of our local universities on a valid student visa.

Our Lexington militia started a war to overthrow tyranny. Under the rule of law, a person is not targeted at the whim of a king but is charged before a judge or an administrative officer with a chance to answer the charges. Only then can the government act. There are media reports that because of their speech, student visas for over 300 foreign graduate students have been secretly cancelled without notice. The students cannot appeal. They do not even know they are on a snatch list. They can’t get a lawyer and fight the charges. Punishment for speech is not the America our forefathers fought to create.

In 1776, Thomas Paine said, “In America, the law is King.” He meant that we are free, sovereign people who do not obey a king or tyrant—the whims of one man—but collectively, we obey the laws we have democratically created. When our government violates those same laws, we must stand up in defense.

On the 250th anniversary of the start of our revolution, we have a President who denies the authority of Congress under Article 1 of our Constitution and eliminates government agencies created and funded by Congress on his whim—that is tyranny. 

A group of Lexingtonians will honor the values of our militia. We will attend the 250th festivities with respectful signs, including “In America, the Law is King” and “No King! No Tyranny!” Our website is lexingtonalarm.org, named after the original Lexington Alarm sent across the colonies after the British killed eight members of Captain John Parker’s company. 

I will proudly stand up for the memory of these men by honoring the values they cared for, and for which they gave their lives.

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4 Comments

  1. Thank you for this important perspective and for posting the information about Lexington Alarm! (lexingtonalarm.org). I’ll be standing with you on April 19, confirming the 250 years of our town’s commitment to the ideals of liberty.

  3. Thank you for this. I will be taking signs bearing Lexington Alarm stickers (and quotes from Paine and the Declaration of Independence) to the April 5th protests.

  4. Lexington Alarm! and Hands Off! are peaceful protests that complement each other beautifully and perfectly. When the rule of law is flouted, people’s everyday lives and rights are thrown into jeopardy and needless uncertainty. Please join me in both protests! Thank you, Toby.

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