No Kings protest
The following is a feeling I have had many mornings, but the way a good friend expressed it to me, really hit home. It goes like this: I am not going to lie, ever since the election a sense of bitterness engulfed me and because of this I had not participated in any of the protests. Today I woke up with the same feeling; what’s the point, it’s too late, it’s not going to matter. I laid there for 10 minutes debating what to do. I finally made myself get out of bed, grab my cameras and go. I got there at 9:00 and there were only a couple of people there. I was disappointed, but then all of a sudden, all at once the floodgates opened and humanity poured onto highway 41 like a blue wave. There were good souls all the way from the Bell Tower Shops to Home Depot. There were peaceful people of all ages, from 8 to 80 years old, for a mile on both sides of 41 and some on Daniels Parkway. My heart soared with a glorious feeling of not being alone. I had once again found my tribe. For all of you who participated in the No Kings Protest in Fort Myers, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me hope. I thank you for showing me there are still many good and decent people in our area. The last count was 4,000 in Lee County and 11 million around the country. I love you all, thank you.
My good friend opened her soul to me and many of her friends in such a beautiful way, that I had to share it, so that any of you, like me, that have had this same feeling, can rest assured you are not alone. We all know what has to be done. “We the people” all know that what is happening is not right. We have to band together as brothers and sisters of the world and make a difference. Democracy is everything and the only thing.
John Mark Simon, Cape Coral
At the protest
On No Kings Day I stood on the corner of a residential street with a sign saying, “NO KINGS.” I waved two small American flags. Some driving by ignored me but others honked or gave me a thumbs up. A man on a bicycle yelled “Go Trump!” A pedestrian stopped to talk. I gave him a flag. Now we were two protesters demonstrating peacefully on a residential street in North Naples.
Peter Fagan, Naples
Power of the people
To elected official: June 14 demonstrations across the nation in favor of democracy and against Trump’s dictatorship revealed the power of the people. The energy, exuberance, and solidarity of those demonstrations stood in sharp contrast to Trump’s noxious display of tanks and military equipment. While Trump continues to politicize the military, hundreds of thousands of us are saying no to his usurpation of power that belongs to the people.
The moral squalor of Trump has brought us back to basics: The meaning of the rule of law. The importance of checks and balances and separation of powers. The centrality of our judiciary. The significance of due process and habeas corpus. Perhaps most fundamentally of all, the malignant narcissism of Trump has helped us understand the opposite — the true meaning of patriotism and the common good. True patriots confirm the good that we have in common. They seek to strengthen and celebrate the “We” in “We the people.” Trump is the opposite of a patriot. He is a traitor and a coward. His lust for power and wealth at the expense of the common good makes this one of the most shameful chapters of our history.
(June 14) we reasserted “We.” We did it largely peacefully. We gained strength from our solidarity.We will not cower to a dictator. We will win! You will lose your next election if you continue to support King Trump.
Ray Allen, Fort Myers
Open season
It appears that Govenor Ron DeSantis and Sheriff Wayne Ivey of Brevard County have declared open season on protesters. The bears should be relieved to note they may no longer be the prime hunting targets.
Madelaine Gardner, Naples
Misguided protest
As I was driving down the East Trail today, I saw 1,000 protesters with signs that I could not even read endangering lives while holding up traffic. While they should’ve been home celebrating and watching the parade for the United States Army’s 250th birthday. Whatever they are protesting, they have that right because of the United States military, they should show some respect. If you don’t like this country’s politics leave or may suggest this thing called a pen, write your congressman, your president and your commissioners.
Christopher Barcia, Naples
Protests around the nation
The truest expression of the American patriot is not the ability to wield a firearm or exercise excessive force against those practicing rights that should be guaranteed under law to all that reside within our national boundaries. It is the voice of men and women united and speaking truth to power with a willingness to risk their freedom in the face of resurgent fascism. The most destructive enemy that America (E Pluribus Unum) now faces is a twisted version of itself that practices a subversive dirigisme backed by every controlling media outlet available. Now that the jackboots of foes once thought defeated have descended upon us, it is the responsibility of those who witness wrongful actions from government, policing institutions, and public to raise our voices in protest more now than ever. This regardless of threats of violence from those purporting to be patriots while walking the same paths of villains we have thrown down in the past (everyone from the Confederates to the Brown Shirts of Italy). We have never been a perfect republic, but what we are seeing is an insult to the memory of every founding father, every true-blooded soldier that fought for real freedom, and every immigrant that fought for a better life for themselves and their family.
Johnathan Williams, LaBelle
Story sad and profound
I am very much aware of the terrible history of the Nazi efforts to exterminate the Jewish population in Europe. However, I had never heard of the Terezin death camp. I applaud George Baum for his courage to relate the terrible experiences of his family and himself in this place. His story and that of his family are sad and profound. We keep saying that we will “never forget,” but we often do.
Bruce Foster, Naples
Pay a living wage
I heartily applaud the idea of workers having decent housing! Everyone should. Yet the article “Can’t afford to live in SW FL? Lee, Collier County employers are doing something about it” (15 June) fails to address the obvious question: Why don’t these employers simply pay their workers enough to afford market-rate housing? That would give them the competitive advantage they seek to attract and retain workers, and it would happen instantly rather than several years out following permit, zoning, and construction delays. I can vaguely see how it might be less expensive for big employers to build their own housing and not make a profit on it, but what are the financial and other considerations that led them to this conclusion? An in-depth treatment would be appreciated.
Bruce Weide, Marco Island
Empathy under attack
At my All Faiths Unitarian Congregation, we recently discussed compassion, guided by Karen Armstrong’s Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life. The conversation felt urgent. Across the country, compassion’s very foundation — empathy — is under attack.
Elon Musk recently declared, “The fundamental weakness of Western civilization is empathy.” When did empathy become a liability? Have we drifted so far from our democratic principles that feeling with others is now suspect?
This brought me back to my childhood in the 1950s, when Civics was a staple of education. We learned the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and how to engage across difference. Today, that shared civic literacy is vanishing. Even the American flag is no longer a unifying symbol — it’s become partisan shorthand.
“You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught,” sings South Pacific. But today the question is: taught what? Are we preparing children with a truthful, complex understanding of history and democracy — or letting Christian Nationalism rewrite the script?
The First Amendment’s separation of church and state is not a suggestion — it’s liberty’s bedrock. The Bill of Rights protects individuals from the excesses of power.
Let’s launch Project 2028 — a nationwide recommitment to Civics education by the Constitution’s 250th anniversary. Restoring civic knowledge is not nostalgia; it’s survival. If we want a future grounded in truth, conscience, and common ground, we must teach the next generation what we once knew: how to be citizens.
Frank Geltner, North Fort Myers
Compromising law enforcement
Excuse me. The MAGA president pardoned or commuted the sentences of all those who injured and maimed police officers on January 6. His Justice Department, not ordered by any court, is now willingly paying $4.75 million to the family of Ashley Babbitt who attempted to attack members of Congress and was shot and killed by law enforcement. The neo-Nazi Proud Boys who spearheaded the attempted sedition on January 6 are suing the U.S. government for $100 million and in all likelihood, Ms. “Bless your Heart” Pam Bondi’s Law Offices of Trump, Do We Lie To’em and How Justice Department will look favorably upon this as well. Bootlicking Mr. DeSantis, taking every opportunity to rid himself of his hung dog look after being thumped by Mr. Trump in his presidential bid, and a few of his MAGA supporting posse of constitutional sheriffs and law enforcement officers around the state now rush to microphones and tell us how they will “shoot people graveyard dead” in the event of violence from any “No Kings Day” protests. These same politicians and lawmen were muted in their responses on the most violent attack on the U.S. government since the South’s insurrection in the Civil War. Their “we will enforce the law” bravado now rings pretty damn hollow with me. OBEY the law always. ADMINISTER the law fairly and impartially always, regardless of whether a person has an “R” or “D” after their name. Under the ongoing criminal enterprise run from the White House’s Felon-In-Chief and aided and abetted by the likes of Ron DeSantis and others, that second part seems to escape too many, thankfully not all, in law enforcement here in Mr. DeSantis’s Florida fiefdom. The people of this state can change this before we all find ourselves stopped, arrested and worse for “driving while opposing MAGA.”
Thomas Minor, Bonita Springs
Taking pleasure in others’ pain
In 1843 Charles Dickens captured a human flaw which has raised its ugly head in 2025. Dickens described the flaw, not just as an indifference to poverty, but a glee in seeing others suffer through the character of Scrooge. Trump, his oligarchs and his enhancers, like Scrooge, have taken aid from the poor and starving and in order to enhance their own riches and power. They have taken pleasure in sending paupers into debtor’s prisons. The human flaw of greed was present in the days of Charles Dickens and is rampant today.
We need to return to a way of life which embraces the conclusion of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol: “God bless us, EVERYONE.”
Sally Lam, Naples
End divisive, violent rhetoric
Donald Trump instigated an insurrectionist attack on the U.S. Capitol, during which over 140 police were injured, the Capitol building incurred over $2 million in damages, and more people died directly and indirectly than in the Benghazi raid. Republicans later called the day a “normal tourist day” and Trump pardoned over 1,000 rioters who had been convicted, including those who injured police and had been found guilty of insurrection. He called them “patriots.” This week, Alex Padilla, the senior U.S. Senator from California, was thrown to the floor and handcuffed after he identified himself and said he wanted to ask DHS Secretary Noem a question at her LA press conference. Secretary Noem immediately went on Fox News to falsely claim Padilla didn’t identify himself and he had charged her podium. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, incredibly justified the manhandling of Senator Padilla! All other Republican senators remained silent. After Trump pardoned more MAGA felons, his pardon attorney, Ed Martin, gleefully stated “NO MAGA left behind!” Now a gunman has killed a Minnesota legislator and seriously wounded another − both Democrats. Trump’s normalization of violent rhetoric and his protection of violent and lawless supporters have consequences. It is time for all Republican legislators, including Florida’s Senator Ashley Moody and Representative Byron Donald, to demand an end to the overblown, divisive, and violent rhetoric that pervades what used to be the “Grand Old Party.”
Douglas Seaver, Fort Myers
Words definitely do matter
On Saturday morning, I was appalled by the story on the front page of The News-Press. It reported the comments of the Florida attorney general and a local (Brevard County) sheriff regarding behavior during demonstrations. What was sad to me was the hyperbolic words used which seemed to forget that we live in America and peaceful protest is one of our key rights. Words definitely do matter.
No one supports violence against the police or anyone else during protests. However, both the attorney general and the sheriff are public servants whose salaries are paid by the taxpayers. Their job should be focused on keeping the peace and protecting citizens. Threatening citizens will only incite violence. These people should set a better example and do their best to de-escalate difficult situations.
JoAnn Stehr, Sanibel
Democracy at stake
The article that appeared in the Friday, June 13th edition suggests that the reasons for the protests are related to the military parade in D.C. That grossly oversimplifies the many reasons why people were out to protest on Saturday, in a nationwide effort to draw attention to the trampling of our Constitution and the extreme overreach of the Trump administration as it destroys our reputation in the world and attempts to destroy our great country. As we stand together peacefully, we can make a difference, and our voices will be heard. Your article on Saturday quoting Florida Sheriff Ivey says it all about the effect of the Trump administration on our local law enforcement and our communities. Our democracy is at stake here folks.
Kathleen Quarto, Fort Myers
Heartbreaking story
What a heartbreaking story in Friday’s news about Maria Isidro, who is a mother, wife (of a preacher), a nanny and a respected community member. She took an 80-mile drive to Tallahassee to do her annual immigration “check-in,” which ICE tricked her into doing. When she got there, she was detained and shackled like a criminal without getting care for her diabetes and is being mistreated. Her employer and community members urge Floridians to call their elected officials and advocate for her release.
How can our country leaders and ICE be so callous and mean? And lie to people? We know this isn’t the only horrific story of what is being done to many hard-working, decent human beings. As a TRUE Christian, I believe in the teachings of Jesus and how he instructed us to be kind to strangers and foreigners, they are not to be oppressed. In Leviticus 19:34, it says, “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born.” Our Hispanic brothers and sisters left terrible conditions in their own countries and most are hard-working, trustworthy and good people with love of family. The key word there is “people,” not aliens or any other derogatory names that they are called. Look it up, my Jewish and Christian brethren, look up how many times in the Old and New Testament does God instruct us to treat foreigners with love and respect.
Nina Iraggi, Bonita Springs
Democrats will keep losing
Why are the Democrats fighting to keep illegal immigrants in our country? If this is their mandate they will keep on losing elections from now on. Trump was elected because of the Biden /Harris open border policy and the boys in girls’ sports issue.
Jim McMenamy, Fort Myers
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Letters to the editor for Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Reporting by Letter writers / Fort Myers News-Press
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