Open Letter to Rep. Mike Levin

Hello Rep. Levin,
I too share your thoughts on the despicable acts in Washington DC and am glad you and your staff are safe.
I have a few questions in response to the message you sent to your constituents on Jan. 8:
* You claim the Constitution must be defended "every day" and I wholeheartedly agree.  However, your stance and actions against the Second Amendment are opposed to this claim.  I know the discussion on reducing gun violence is too much for this forum but how do you reconcile these contradictory stances?
* Although DC riots were more targeted at government itself, the ongoing riots attributed to Antifa, et. al. were much more widespread and damaging to property and life.  What is your office doing to stop those acts and hold those responsible accountable?

I response would be very much appreciated.

 

Mr. Levin's message:

Dear Neighbor,

I wanted to reach out and address the recent attack that occurred in our nation's capital on Wednesday.

For the first time since 1814, the United States Capitol Building was breached by an angry mob. More than 200 years ago, it was British troops. This time it was domestic terrorists, inspired and encouraged by President Donald Trump. 

I started that day preparing to uphold my oath of office — an oath I took this past Sunday at the launch of the 117th Congress to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” That is an oath I upheld later that night by voting to certify the results of the Electoral College and declaring Joe Biden and Kamala Harris our next president and vice president.

While I was forced to shelter in my office for most of the day, I am thankful for the Capitol Police officers and other law enforcement agencies who tried to keep everyone safe. There are many questions that must be answered for how this security breach occurred in the first place, and there will be a full investigation. 

As for the domestic terrorists who sought to overthrow our democracy, they must be prosecuted. 

We must also acknowledge how these terrorists were inspired. Despite 81 million votes for President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, multiple recounts, and more than 60 failed lawsuits challenging the election results, many of my Republican colleagues followed Trump’s lead and pushed outlandish conspiracy theories and baseless claims of voter fraud without any evidence, entirely void of reality.  

Many congressional Republicans sought to overturn the results of a free and fair election because they didn't like the results. They didn’t realize — or didn’t care — that their actions could result in a violent coup attempt. That’s exactly what happened Wednesday.   
  
The question now is a vital one: Where does our country go from here?  

For many decades, we have had passionate but peaceful political disagreements — a shining beacon of democracy. We Americans do not support insurrection or mob rule. 

In short, we are so much better than this.  

We are now at a crossroads in our great nation’s history, a moment where we see two divergent paths in front of us. We can continue down a path of hyper-partisanship, divisiveness and democratic decay, or we can try to heal our country. 

We can come together to reject the violence we saw Wednesday and recommit to upholding the values that unite us as Americans: democracy, justice and equality. It is paramount that we choose the right path.  

Our Constitution must never be taken for granted. We must continue to support and defend it every day, as our oath demands. 

After this unbelievable attack on our Capitol and democracy, we can't afford another day with President Trump serving in office. I am calling for Vice President Pence and the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment or for Congress to impeach and convict Trump immediately.

I also want to send my condolences to the family and loved ones of the Capitol Police officer who was killed during the attack on Wednesday, as well as at least four others who died during the insurrection. Those responsible must be held accountable.