“They Called the National Guard in Los Angeles for an ICE Raid
— We Call that Scare Tactics.”
by Liberty Lane and Walden Wright
[Opening note from Liberty]
Well, y’all — it’s been a minute.
We owe you that straight up. The Do What MATAs family took a little time these past two weeks to be with our families — the ones you hug on the porch, not just on the posts. Life pulled us back home, but as this weekend has reminded us — home is exactly what’s on the line.
Because today, the headlines aren’t about barbecue or summer flags or Juneteenth parades.
They’re about the National Guard being called out — right here, in America — against American voices.
So here we are. Back. Standing. Speaking. And on this Porch Talk Grit, Walden and I are pulling no punches.
[Walden]
When the National Guard is mobilized domestically, the excuses are often tidy: “for public safety,” “to assist local authorities,” or “to maintain order.”
But the real test of a democracy is not whether it maintains order — it is how it honors dissent.
This weekend — as protests across Los Angeles and other cities intensified in response to the latest police violence and the ongoing housing and corruption crises — we witnessed a chilling escalation:
👉 Governor deployed National Guard troops to LA to “protect critical infrastructure” and “assist law enforcement.”
👉 Multiple cities echoed similar readiness statements.
👉 Federal leadership remained largely silent — while flag-waving partisans online cheered it.
Let us be clear: this is not about isolated property damage or a few shattered windows.
This is about the creeping normalization of military force against our own people.
And history tells us: that is a line that once crossed, is hard to uncross.
A Dangerous Shift Toward Authoritarian Response
[Liberty]
Now, some will say: “Liberty, we’ve always had the Guard called in during riots or disasters.”
Sure have. And every time it happens, there better be accountability for how and why.
But here’s the kicker:
👉 We are seeing Guard deployments and militarized police used pre-emptively, not reactively.
👉 They are being used to suppress dissent about systemic issues, not to restore calm after true disasters.
👉 They are being paired with language that dehumanizes protestors — calling them “outside agitators,” “terrorists,” “threat actors.”
That’s authoritarian drift. Plain and simple.
If you don’t believe me, take it from those who study democratic backsliding:
👉 How Democracies Die — Levitsky and Ziblatt’s research shows that normalizing military responses to civilian protest is a common hallmark of democratic decay.
👉 Freedom House warns in its 2024 report that the U.S. remains on a watchlist precisely because of increasing state violence and suppression of dissent.
👉 The International Center for Not-for-Profit Law tracks global trends in civic space — and the U.S. has been trending negative.
What Happened This Weekend? A Recap
[Walden]
Let us ground this discussion in fact:
Protests began earlier this week in LA following the controversial police killing of a young unarmed man in Watts.
The protests grew in size as housing advocates, anti-corruption groups, and community leaders joined in.
By Friday, police response escalated significantly — mass arrests, heavy force, and dispersal orders issued for peaceful daytime marches.
On Saturday morning, Governor announced Guard mobilization to support LAPD and “critical infrastructure protection.”
Videos already circulating show Guard units positioned downtown by mid-afternoon.
First Amendment attorneys have sounded the alarm — noting unlawful restrictions on assembly and press access.
👉 This is not about violence prevention. The pattern shows suppression of political speech — period.
Why This Matters: Historical Influence and Dangerous Precedent
[Liberty]
I grew up learning about Kent State. About Selma. About Little Rock.
Every one of those moments taught the same truth:
👉 When government reaches for troops before it reaches for dialogue, democracy is cracking.
This is not 1968. This is 2025. But we are walking some of the same damn roads.
And here’s why we need to talk about it:
Authoritarianism does not arrive with tanks. It arrives with excuses.
👉 “We need stability.”
👉 “This is for your safety.”
👉 “We can’t tolerate lawlessness.”
And bit by bit — protest becomes criminalized, speech becomes surveilled, assembly becomes conditional.
That is not the America the Declaration envisioned.
But Didn’t They Do This Before? Why Now Matters More
[Walden]
Yes — we have seen National Guard deployments before. 2020 comes to mind.
But each repetition, in a more normalized, less extraordinary context, should alarm us.
👉 2020: Guard used amid true national unrest.
👉 2023-2024: creeping use at state level for smaller protests.
👉 2025: now being used against relatively peaceful civic movements.
What matters is intent and pattern.
👉 Are they used to restore order after catastrophic violence? Or are they being used to intimidate and pre-empt legitimate dissent?
This weekend’s answer is clear: the latter.
Who Stands to Benefit from This Shift?
[Liberty]
It’s not hard to see:
Corporate developers facing mass pressure over LA’s housing crisis.
Corrupt officials seeking cover for failed leadership.
Far-right propagandists eager to frame civil rights protests as chaos.
Authoritarian influencers online, many of them funded by foreign disinformation networks, already seizing this as a “patriotism” moment.
They want a narrative of “strong leadership” over “messy democracy.”
And when the Guard is called out without full transparency and clear civilian oversight — they get it.
What We Can Do — Right Now
[Walden]
Now is not the time to wring hands. It is the time to act:
👉 Contact your representatives — federal and state. Demand accountability for National Guard use against civilians.
👉 Support civil rights legal groups — ACLU, NLG, Southern Poverty Law Center.
👉 Document everything — if you are in a city where Guard is deployed, film responsibly and protect footage.
👉 Support independent journalism — groups like ProPublica and The Marshall Project often cover these stories with integrity.
👉 Talk to your community — don’t let fear narratives go unchallenged in your circles.
The Deeper Moral Fight
[Liberty]
Look — I love this country. My whole damn family has served it.
But loving your country means standing up when it is in danger of losing its way.
And when a government reaches for the Guard to suppress its own citizens’ speech — no matter the flag flying above — it is stepping off that righteous path.
👉 The Declaration of Independence was a radical act.
👉 The Constitution enshrined dissent.
👉 The Bill of Rights guarantees peaceful protest.
No uniform, no badge, no order can erase that moral truth.
Final Word: Stay Vigilant — Stay Brave
[Walden]
Authoritarian drift is not about headlines.
It is about whether we wake up tomorrow slightly more afraid to speak, march, or dissent — and whether that fear accumulates over time.
This weekend, a line was crossed. How far we allow them to walk past it is now up to us.
[Liberty]
We’re back, family. The porch is open. The words will flow. The truth will stand.
Now let’s rise. Together.
👉 Want to help? Start here:
Freedom House | Protect Democracy | Movement Voter Project | Vote Save America
Porch Talk Grit — June 14, 2025
“Do What MATAs. Stand where it counts.”