LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Protesting for a more perfect union

Our First Amendment of our U.S. Constitution in part states we all have freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press and the right of the people peaceable to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

In light of current events with our new 119th U.S. Congress, which is held by a Republican majority in both houses, and our Republican 47th president, people are protesting. The reason is with this new office called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The person in charge is Elon Musk, the richest person in the world, as appointed by our 47th president. Many government employees are being fired and/or being encouraged to take an early retirement. Protesting is taking place throughout the country against this policy and using the U.S. courts to help them in their fight as being unjust.

Our history of protest does show by petition for a redress of grievances to the government does in time help a more perfect union. Before our Constitution in the summer of 1787, we had protests like the Boston Tea Party (Dec. 16, 1773), the Quaker Petition Against Slavery (April 16, 1688), which finally in the state of Pennsylvania passed a law to gradually emancipate slaves (it took 92 years) in 1780.

July 19, 1848, was the Seneca Falls Convention, in which July abolitionists Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote an announcement calling for a women's conference in the Seneca County Courier, their declaration of sentiments and grievances, which asserted that women were being denied basic rights, including the right to vote. Not until 1920 in the 19th Amendment was passed, granting women the right to vote.

The GM sit-down strikes, Dec. 30, 1936: The workers at General Motors plant in Flint, Michigan, sat down, stopped working and shut down the company. Their purpose was to form a union, and their protest continued through mid-February. GM finally signed an agreement recognizing the union, and also the workers received a 5% raise. A quote by Franklin D. Roosevelt: "No business which for existence on paying less than living wages has no right to continue in this country. By business, I mean the whole of commerce as well as the whole of industry; by workers I mean all workers: the white-collar class as well as the man in overalls; and by living wages, I mean more than a bare subsistence level — I mean the wages of decent living."

The Montgomery Bus Boycott: Dec. 5, 1955: A Black woman, Rosa Parks, refused to give up her seat to a white person on the bus. She was arrested and fined. The Black community then refused to take the public buses. A protest was organized, which lasted 381 days in which Montgomery, Alabama, was forced to integrate their bus system.

The March on Washington: Aug. 28, 1963. Around 200,000 people marched and demanded that the United States move on the issue of racial justice and equality. This march of civil rights led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The Selma March Protest: March 9, 1965: Black Americans gained the right to vote, but voter suppression was taking place. A sheriff of Dallas County led an opposition to block voter registration. During the peaceful protest, a young Black man was shot and killed by state troopers. The march was from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. The National Guard was called out for protection by President Lyndon B. Johnson. This led to the Voting Rights Act, which was passed in August 1965. The act applied protections for Black voters from discrimination and voter suppression.

Over the past years and decades, many protests took place on a variety of issues. The power and persistence of the people and note giving up is what is necessary to the pursuit of the desired outcome. Let it be known "We the People" of the United States are the ones who will make changes that are necessary to form a more perfect union. Never underestimate the power of protesting for any moral and just cause.

Thomas E. Carter

Rio Rancho