Words Matter, And Who Uses Them Matters More

A Letter to America on Language, Power, and the Quiet Redefinition of Rights

Words shape laws.
They justify force.
They decide who is protected and who is punished.

In this installment of the Letter to America series, a U.S. Navy Veteran examines how powerful terms like domestic terrorist, threat, and extremist have expanded in meaning, and why that expansion matters to every citizen.

This short, reflective letter explores:

• How legal definitions can be stretched through interpretation

• Why permitted actions like protesting or lawful carry can still result in punishment

• The growing gap between rights on paper and rights in practice

• What happens when language is used to manage dissent rather than address violence

Written without partisan labels or political allegiance, this letter invites readers to pause, reflect, and ask a difficult question:

When words lose precision, who decides what they mean, and who pays the price?

This is not a call to fear.
It is a call to clarity.