Details
The deployment of the National Guard into U.S. cities has been used in times of unrest, disaster, and emergency. Supporters often see it as a necessary step to restore order or protect communities, while critics worry it blurs the line between civilian life and military force.
At this meeting, we’ll explore the role of the National Guard in America’s urban centers and consider what it means for safety, democracy, and local control.
We’ll ask questions such as:
- In what situations, if any, do you think it’s appropriate to deploy the National Guard into cities?
- How does the presence of the Guard influence trust between citizens and government?
- Where do you personally draw the line between a situation that should be handled locally and one that warrants federal involvement?
- Under what circumstances, if any, do you think the National Guard should be federalized?
- How do you define the appropriate uses of the National Guard—should that include crime control, riots, or something else?
- How might Guard deployments shape how communities experience safety, freedom, and democracy?
- When you first heard the idea of the National Guard coming to our cities, what was your initial reaction, and what shaped it?
This will be an opportunity to consider multiple perspectives on the use of the National Guard in civilian spaces and to reflect on how we balance public safety and civil liberty.
Please do your best to arrive at the beginning of the meeting – once we are in breakout rooms and the conversations have started, the meeting doors close to new arrivals. The breakout rooms open (and the doors close) approximately 15 minutes after the hour.
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