1. United States
2. Md.
3. Letter

I am writing to you as I am deeply concerned with the threatening rhetoric Donald Trump has been spreading about Baltimore. Despite the fact that violent crimes are currently the lowest it has been for over a decade, especially within historically Black neighborhoods, Trump is calling our city a "horrible deathbed" and threatening what amounts to a federal invasion. Baltimore does not need military occupation. What our city needs are resources: investments in housing, education, healthcare, and jobs. Deploying armed troops into neighborhoods already struggling with inequality and over-policing does nothing to address the root causes of unrest; it only heightens fear and tension. History shows us that militarized responses escalate conflict rather than resolve it. What Trump is suggesting is no more than an affront to state and local authority, a racially-motivated attack solely focused on punishing those who oppose him. I urge you to oppose the use of the National Guard in Baltimore, and to continue advocating for meaningful investments in our communities that will keep bringing improvements to safety and stability.