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Letter: Constitutional concerns

An apology to the people of Aspen and all those concerned:

My name is Vince Thomas, and I would like to formally apologize to the people of Aspen and any visitors or others who witnessed the protest and demonstration March 12 that started at the Health and Human Services Building at 405 Castle Creek Road and spanned to the Rubey Park Transit Center at 420 E. Durant Ave., where I was arrested for the first time in my life at 50 years of age.

I deeply regret any inconveniences that anyone at all experienced, as this was not intended nor directed at the people of Aspen but was necessary in order to uphold the Constitution by exercising the rights of the individual to protest and demonstrate, because constitutional rights were being violated at both locations. As a result of these violations, I felt compelled to act.



You see, I had the privilege of attending the convention in Las Vegas in 2013 sponsored by the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, where I heard constitutional attorneys (and other experts). There I saw brave men and women, the boots on the ground, studying the intent of the framers so that they could uphold their individual oaths against all enemies foreign and domestic — without violating the rights of the people — and I found my heart, mind and eternal soul on trial.

After all, there are, as you know, brave Americans fighting and dying to protect and defend the Constitution (our natural and civil rights) right now. I also reasoned that all those sworn as individuals are the boots on the ground in this constitutional republic, which guarantees the rights of the individual, and that if the boots on the ground don’t allow the violation of the Constitution, then tyranny cannot prevail.




And so, as an Army veteran who has sworn the oath, the boots on the ground at the time, after nearly a year of having to repeatedly watch, day after day, a system and its individuals violating many of these rights, I eventually protested and demonstrated vigorously with offensive speech in order to uphold my oath.

Offensive speech and gestures were used, but all was necessary, not directed at the people of Aspen, and no victims were created in the process. Hopefully everything will be explained in court today and something can be done to address the problems protested and demonstrated against.

All are invited to attend, to include the press, at 2 p.m. at 130 S. Galena St. (City Hall in the Armory Building) Thank you.

Vince Thomas

Aspen