For several months now, Washington, D.C., has faced the sobering sight of National Guard troops patrolling our streets — an image that inspires both gratitude and unease.
Gratitude, because among these young men and women are those who choose service over comfort; unease, because their presence now raises difficult questions about how we deploy volunteers to protect us.
That unease worsened tragically last week with the death of Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, a 20-year-old member of the West Virginia National Guard, who succumbed to her wounds after being shot while on duty near Farragut Square. Still a young adult, she stepped up to serve her country with a sense of duty and bravery that many twice her age rarely exhibit.
Specialist Andrew Wolfe, 24, who was wounded in the same attack, continues to fight for his life.
Their families deserve more than just our condolences and prayers. They deserve acknowledgment that these losses occurred not on a distant battlefield, but on the streets of our nation’s capital.
District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser put it plainly.
“This was a senseless act of violence,” she said, “and we must honor those who put themselves in harm’s way to protect our residents while demanding accountability from every level of government.”
Her words convey both the grief and frustration felt by many, not only across the District but throughout the country.
As we mourn, we must also ask: Is this truly how we want to use the National Guard?
These young Americans train for emergencies, natural disasters, and national defense— not for extended street deployments that blur the line between community safety and military presence.
Their service is sacred; their sacrifice should never be treated as routine.
Even amid this shared grief, political opportunism undermines true reflection.
Instead of addressing core issues, President Donald J. Trump now seeks to blame the entire Afghan refugee community for one person’s actions — punishing thousands who fled violence, supported U.S. forces, and rebuilt their lives with dignity here in the United States.
Blaming others is not leadership; it’s scapegoating.
The National Guard — indeed, all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces — deserve respect. Our communities deserve thoughtful policies. And our grief deserves more than political theater.