Dear editor:

When the Department of Justice threatens treason for not supporting the Iran war, it abridges our freedom of expression. When the DOJ prosecutes common dissent as a crime, we lose some freedom of speech, and censor ourselves to avoid unjustified harm. When Congress represents Trump or MAGA or moneyed interests rather than the American people, constitutional protections evaporate.

Civic duty and true patriotism requires us to speak out when our political leaders start destroying our “more perfect union” and the “domestic tranquility” sought by our Constitution. It is not treason pointing out that the premature Trump-Netanyahu declaration of war (by their actions) happened without consulting Congress or allies; that Iran posed no imminent threat justifying a regional war with foreseeable and avoidable worldwide harm; that Trump himself caused Iran’s post-2018 move toward a nuclear weapon; and so forth.

The primary and common use of the term “86” refers to ejecting someone, refusing service or canceling something. Many people use 8647 to express a wish that Trump be removed or ejected from office for his criminal and unconstitutional actions. No one I know wants him killed in doing so. Comey’s indictment requires proof that a “reasonable recipient who is familiar with the circumstances would interpret [the seashell picture] as a serious expression of an intent to do harm to the President.” DOJ claims that a recipient and such circumstances exist — we shall see.

Trump’s administration uses governmental force to control our thoughts and words, vigorously attacking any negative comments or criticism — even for our jokes. I hesitated to use the term “8647” as editors might fear publishing it. That hesitation alone amounts to a successful attack on free speech. This seems to be Trump’s un-American approach to freedom. You don’t have to be woke to wake up.

Dennis Reuter

Powell