The historic protests we have witnessed recently are the inevitable outcome of injustices and inequalities that have persisted for hundreds of years combined with the harsh reality of climate-related disasters that arrive with increasing frequency . The violent system responsible for these conditions has ossified and become unable to change solely through the mechanisms supposedly provided by its own Constitution, except for one: the right to protest. If things are going to change for the better, it will only happen through people expressing their discontent through protest in as large numbers as possible.

By deputizing state and local police as federal deputies, Governor Kate Brown enables the suppression of public dissent by exposing peaceful protesters to more serious federal charges for nonviolent citations, and tacitly approves the continuation of a police culture, steeped in white supremacy, that has brutalized Black and Indigenous people for centuries. We are sending this letter demanding that the Governor instead protect our right to protest by not deputizing state and local officers as feds. This is especially important considering the circumstances around the upcoming election.