1. United States
2. Iowa
3. Letter

I am writing to you as someone who has spent my entire career working in nonprofits — feeding hungry families, helping the homeless, supporting at-risk youth. I have never been a threat to this country; I have tried to make it better. And yet, under the rhetoric and directives coming from this administration, people like me — people who care, who volunteer, who advocate — are being cast as enemies. There is no crime in compassion. There is no crime in asking questions, attending a protest, or taking part in democracy. But today, those simple acts of citizenship are being rebranded as “terrorism.” The President’s orders and public statements are not about safety — they are about silencing and dividing. They label dissenters as dangerous, and by doing so, they create an atmosphere where ordinary Americans live in fear of being targeted simply for caring or speaking out. If you intend to tell me that I am being too sensitive or that I should not be afraid, I must say: that time has passed. After watching indiscriminate attacks on citizens in Chicago, Portland, and Los Angeles, those reassurances ring hollow. When people exercising their constitutional rights are met with violence or suspicion, fear is not irrational — it is a survival response. I am asking you, as my representative, to publicly oppose these policies now. Speak clearly and loudly that your constituents — all of us — have the right to question power, to protest, to participate in shaping the policies that affect our lives without being treated as criminals. Even if I do not agree with your policies, I remain your constituent. I still believe in the promise of this country. I am asking you to show that you believe in it, too. Stand up and protect us — the citizens who have built our communities, not torn them down.