Letter to the Editor – “You are not alone”

The people holding anti-Trump signs on Main Street aren’t there because they think President Trump will see them or because they hope to go viral on social media. They are standing in front of the Courthouse because people need to know they are not alone.

Whether you voted for President Trump or not, you are not the only person in Lamar who worries that your neighbors, your friends, or even your family might disappear in an ICE van, kidnapped by armed masked men with no identification, no warrants, and no visible authority other than what they tell you they have. You are not the only person who thinks it’s wrong to arrest and deport people, including American citizens, who are simply trying to provide a better life for their families.

You are not the only one worried about what will happen if you or your child gets sick. Because of Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” there is a very real risk that our hospital will close or greatly reduce services. That will affect all of us, regardless of who we voted for. But having a hospital doesn’t do you any good if you can’t afford medical care. Over forty percent of Prowers County is on Medicaid. Most of those people have jobs that don’t pay enough to provide health insurance.  Now, because of budget cuts, many of those people will be uninsured. If that’s you, then you need to know that you are not the only one in that situation.

You are not the only one who is concerned about how the Colorado legislature will deal with the over $1 billion in Federal funding that Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” cut after the 2026 Colorado State Budget was approved. More cuts to schools? Less work on roads and bridges? Fewer programs to provide basic necessities for children? Or all of the above? Trump’s law has already deleted your TABOR refund for this year. It remains to be seen what else will be taken away.

You are not alone if you voted for President Trump but cannot accept what the President is doing. A lot of Trump voters have removed their Trump flags from their flagpoles and porches. They don’t want to hold a sign on Main Street but they are no longer comfortable flying the Trump flag. They need to know that’s OK.  If that’s you, then you need to know you are not alone.

Isolating people—making people feel like no one shares their beliefs and values—generates fear, erodes confidence, and can make you question your sanity. That’s why mobs use this tactic. In places like Lamar, where the overwhelming majority of voters chose Trump, those who oppose the President face potentially serious professional and personal consequences that might prevent them from speaking up.

But if we don’t speak up, we will never know how many of us are out there. We will continue to feel alone, outnumbered, and threatened.

We will hold another demonstration on Main Street starting at noon on Labor Day. We will be letting people know that they are not alone. Join us if you are feeling alone or if you want to let someone else know that you stand with them.

We are there to give a face to people who do not have a voice. It doesn’t matter who you voted for. This is not about political parties. This is about protecting the values that makes America the kind of place where people can raise a family.

The kind of place where people want to be.

Bob Seay – Lamar