Our basic right as Americans to protest is embedded in our Constitution. I’ve personally participated in dozens of protests over the years. I’ve never felt in danger of losing my freedom (or my life, for that matter) over my actions. Not until now. Although our rights are under attack, some positive results from government overreach are occurring. People are revolting against a government that thinks it can bend, ignore, or break the rules to their advantage. We need to stop this disregard. To witness our government’s foray into autocratic rule, one need go no further than Spokane, to the recent convictions of three protesters, who stood up to ICE’s detainments of two legal immigrants. A day after the arrests, the DOJ ordered U.S. attorneys to prioritize prosecutions of ICE protesters. After the Spokane protest, nine participants were charged with felonies; six of them took a plea bargain. Three protesters went to trial and were convicted on May 28 of felony conspiracy to impede or injure ICE agents, using threat of force or intimidation. Knowing the abuse of power that ICE has recently been imposing on non-violent protesters (search “Delaney Hall”), these charges are infuriating. The three protesters face up to six years in prison. Appeals are in the works. If what is happening doesn’t outrage you, dig deeper. We need to get Trump’s sycophants out of office. Please vote. And remember Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, who paid the ultimate price for protesting.