My Message To All Americans

Key Message

Tulsi Gabbard urges Americans—especially young people—to defend constitutional freedoms and hold elected officials accountable. Drawing on Abraham Lincoln’s warning that a free nation could “perish by [its] own hand” and Benjamin Franklin’s remark that a republic survives “if you can save it,” she argues that preserving the country requires sustained civic participation, not just voting.

Threats to Liberty

Gabbard identifies several threats to liberty:

• Government censorship: She criticizes the Biden administration’s handling of speech during the COVID era and describes government pressure on social-media companies to suppress material challenging official accounts. She also compares a short-lived federal “disinformation” initiative to Orwell’s Ministry of Truth.
• Surveillance and privacy: She argues that powers expanded after September 11 and the widespread use of license-plate-reading cameras have weakened Fourth Amendment protections. She recounts cases in which, she says, camera data contributed to wrongful police actions, including the arrest of a Florida woman who was later cleared of charges. She welcomes Texas localities’ decisions to end some camera contracts but says continued public scrutiny is needed.
• War and concentrated power: Citing James Madison and George Washington, she warns that prolonged war can strengthen government and military institutions while costing the public lives, money, and freedom.
• Islamism: She describes political Islamism as incompatible with America’s founding principles, criticizes leaders and media for, in her view, avoiding the subject, and calls for opposition to the ideology while defending constitutional freedoms. These are Gabbard’s political claims and characterizations.

Personal Reflection

Gabbard recalls her 2005 deployment to Iraq, where frequent mortar alerts and a sign asking “Is today the same day?” led her to reflect on mortality, faith, and how to use each day. She uses the story to encourage listeners not to assume they have unlimited time—or that someone else will act in their place.

Call to Action

With Election Day 25 days away, Gabbard urges people to vote, contact representatives, attend public meetings, speak openly, and participate in civic life. She emphasizes that young people can make a difference and calls for respectful debate and persistent defense of freedom.

Presenter/contributor: Tulsi Gabbard