1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

Refusing to attend the president's speech to Congress would be a powerful act of resistance against the authoritarian and anti-democratic actions taken by this administration. While mere presence does not inherently condone these harmful policies, boycotting the address would deny it legitimacy and highlight the stark divisiveness plaguing our political system. This administration has repeatedly violated democratic norms, undermined key institutions, and pursued an agenda detrimental to the rights and wellbeing of many Americans. Abstaining from this speech signals that congressional Democrats will not be complicit bystanders as our nation's founding principles are eroded. Substantive opposition necessitates actions commensurate with the severity of offenses against our democracy. A boycott crystalizes the existential crisis confronting the republic and conveys unmistakable repudiation of this regime's abuses of power. It upholds a moral obligation to protect constitutional order when it is under dire threat.