1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

I’m writing to you today with a heavy heart and a deep sense of urgency. The recent actions by the Trump administration—dismantling federal agencies without congressional approval and erasing content that honors marginalized communities—are alarming. These moves sideline the checks and balances our Founding Fathers put in place and distort the rich tapestry of our nation’s history. For instance, President Trump’s executive order to dismantle the Department of Education without seeking congressional approval has raised significant constitutional concerns (Reuters, March 19, 2025). Similarly, the abrupt shutdown of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has been deemed likely unconstitutional by a federal judge (NPR, March 18, 2025). These actions set a dangerous precedent, concentrating power in the executive branch and undermining the checks and balances envisioned by our Founding Fathers. Moreover, the administration’s directive to purge federal websites of content related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has led to the removal of information honoring the contributions of BIPOC individuals and LGBTQ+ communities. For example, the Pentagon erased tributes to the Navajo Code Talkers and other Native American veterans, only restoring them after significant public backlash (Associated Press, March 2025). Such actions erase vital chapters of our history and marginalize communities whose stories are integral to the American narrative. History teaches us the dangers of such erasure. In Nazi Germany, the systematic removal of certain groups from public life began subtly but escalated into widespread atrocities. As Holocaust survivor Marian Turski warned, “Auschwitz did not descend from the sky.” He proposed “Thou shalt not be indifferent” as the eleventh Commandment, emphasizing the peril of apathy (The Times, February 2025). Similarly, under Stalin’s regime, censorship and rewriting history were tools to suppress dissent and control the populace (The Institute of World Politics, April 2019). I ask you to reflect: Do you have children or grandchildren? Where do you envision the United States in six months, one year, or five years? Is that a country where you want your loved ones to grow up? With each unchecked action by the administration, we edge closer to autocracy—a path that becomes increasingly difficult to reverse. If our federal representatives fail to act, will our state governments step in to uphold democratic principles and protect the integrity of our shared history? We must challenge these overreaches to preserve the values upon which our republic was built.