Honor the National Guard: Stop the Madness 

"Uncommon valor is a common virtue" 

Our United States military is arguably one of the most organized and powerful organizations on the planet.  The patriots who proudly volunteer to wear a US military uniform are capable of making positive contributions to society and running military operations larger and more complex than a small city.  Our military should not, however, be the default organization of choice to manage aspects of civilian society when it’s possible for a more appropriate organization to do so.  When a true emergency comes out of the blue, our country relies on the National Guard to effectively and efficiently bolster local resources to improve the acute crisis response for a limited time. 

Here in my beloved Washington DC, we continue to be occupied by National Guard troops from near and far. Since August 11, I have met guards from the District of Columbia and 6 states: Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Ohio. Currently, there are National Guard troops on the ground in several other US cities.  Of the many tasks the National Guard is addressing during this deployment, most if not all of them could be assigned to an appropriately funded local department or agency.  At the very least, it seems like a misguided and selfish move to misrepresent reality in order to justify the deployment of the selfless individuals in the Guard when local officials are both available and capable. To squander military resources that could otherwise be saved for a more dire situation is reckless, especially if increased funding and improved structure for civilian organizations could meet the moment and alleviate strain on the military and reduce tensions between civil society and the military.

It is unconscionable that leaders in our government are setting the stage for permanent military deployments in American cities. The longer it takes to stop these unprecedented—and arguably counterproductive and unlawful—military deployments to US cities, the harder it will be to reverse course on this dangerous, militarized path. We must raise our voices regularly, deliberately, and loudly to stop the fascistic madness that has been needlessly forced upon our civil society.  Leaders of each state’s National Guard must hear directly from patriotic, democracy-loving Americans who recognize the grave lapse in judgement that could pave the way for a more precarious and inappropriate situation to unfold.

Fighting a false narrative

A narrative promoted by the Trump Administration is that the National Guard is deployed as part of a task force to help law enforcement fight crime. Over the last 2 1/2 months, It would be odd if two days passed without spotting a small group of troops.   I regularly encounter them in relatively safe parts of town engaging in a variety of activities: consuming their ready-to-eat lunch meal while stationed in the park adjacent to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, exiting the restrooms in the guest services area while stationed at the Lincoln Memorial, and chatting with passersby while stationed inside and outside metro entrances in quiet neighborhoods.  None of these hours of service contributes to a reduction in crime significant enough to warrant the new military presence on my streets. 

I have lived in Washington DC for over 12 years. There may have been a handful of moments when a random concern about my safety bubbled up; the areas I’m picturing where I may have experienced such a feeling are not the areas in which I have seen the troops. The mere presence of the “crime fighting” military has darkened the mood in tangible ways, though.  It was mildly traumatizing to walk out of Trader Joe’s on the edge of Georgetown one afternoon and bear witness to four soldiers armed with military rifles.  Granted, the friendly troops were just hanging out and chatting, but the presence of the long guns was unnerving on many levels.  I’m sure it was also traumatizing for the local resident who was crushed inside his car after its collision with a heavily armored military vehicle (designed to survive improvised explosive devices in a war zone) that ran a red light. 

Leaders in the current administration are actively working to present a distorted version of truth. The curated purpose stated in propaganda (the National Guard is here to help fight crime) sounds great on the surface but is not an accurate representation of reality for a host of reasons. Meanwhile, in a statement issued by the Department of War on August 14, a few data points related to crime were in fact included.  Scholars of middle school science will quickly recognize, however, that no data was provided from the past—so no rise or fall in crime is presented in the official government communication.   In fact, there is a deafening absence of scientifically collected and analyzed data that would indicate any significant correlation between the presence of the National Guard and a past or present reduction in crime.  Sadly, the lack of context and manipulation of reality are to be expected in a totalitarian government’s talking points and government publications.

Charters of freedom, values, and expectations

Our first amendment right to freedom of assembly is threatened by the National Guard occupations.  Ironically, defending the right to protest is complicated in this moment: directly challenging guards in the streets could expedite the (unlawful) march towards implementation of martial law and suspension of elections. It goes without saying that the notion of expanding unchecked power concentrated in a centralized government is antithetical to the values held in the highest regard when our nation was founded. Our Decoration of Independence and Constitution have served as beacons of light and blueprints for action for young democracies around the world, but are being shredded by those in power in our own government today. Hence, we need to be strategic in our public and private dissention.  We cannot wait for someone else to dissent on our behalf.  Now is the time for us to take action.

Call to action

We must call state leaders of the National Guard and compel them to end these occupations. Our fellow Americans volunteered to serve in the Guard and deserve to be at home spending time with family and friends. They should not be extracted from their communities unless the mission is critical enough to do so, is well planned, and has a clear way to measure an accomplished mission in a timely manner. The current interstate deployments to fight crime do not meet these marks and discount the sacrifices made by members of the Guard and their families.  As members of the Guard humbly chose to serve our nation, our nation must humbly choose to speak on their behalf when their sacrifice is disregarded. Silence indicates approval for what is happening: we cannot be silent any more.

Below are several phone numbers to call to discuss an end to these unnecessary occupations. There is tremendous power in numbers, especially when we share messages that are in harmony with our American democratic values. Every call matters: start calling today, and encourage others to follow suit.  Email or social media posts are less impactful than a thought-provoking dialogue or a motivating conversation. Be prepared to have an old fashioned discussion about the serious threats of an endless deployment that resonate most with you. Even if no one answers and you just leave a voicemail, whoever listens will hear the tone of your voice and will be affected by your words. Our words and tone matter, and we never know the impact they will have on someone’s future decisions.

Call the leadership of each state’s Guard once or twice a week as long as their troops are deployed in this manner. You could also call the members of Congress from these states. The number to the Congressional switchboard is 202-224-3121, and the operator will connect you with the DC offices of your members of Congress.

Our calls need to be organized, focused, and sustained to effect the change we seek. Research conducted in the field of political science indicates that an outcry from just 3.5% of a population can result in sweeping governmental reforms.  We need all hands on deck to save democracy. 

If you live in a city where there are troops on the ground, find out which states they are from. Please be in touch, and I’ll modify the list of phone numbers accordingly.

Georgia National Guard

Leadership offices:

678-569-6010 or 678-569-5012

Louisiana National Guard

Main switchboard: 318-290-5600

(Ask operator for leadership office)

Mississippi National Guard

Leadership office:

601-313-6175 or

601-313-6531

Ohio National Guard

Office of Brigadier General Matt Woodruff

614-336-7070

South Carolina National Guard

Leadership office:

803-299-5304

West Virginia National Guard

Public Affairs Office

304-561-6689