As Americans, we’re famous for toting the idea of freedom—especially the freedom to elect our own leaders. We like to overthrow dictators who oppose our ideas of freedom, put new leaders in charge who support our ideas of freedom (or at least our own interests…), and then declare wars against the same people we put in power, years later, in the name of freedom.

We sure do like the word freedom. We even help empower soldiers through the School of Americas (now more innocently known as the “Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Operation”) to help enforce our ideas of freedom. Or wait, we do that to obstruct these freedoms and keep people terrorized and controlled. Now there’s job security for you!

Case in point: Manuel Zelaya was democratically elected President of Honduras, fair and square. Democratic elections—good, right? But the oligarchy of Honduras has kept him out of the country, refusing to let him assume his position as President. And how has this elite group managed to do this? Oh, by using military officers we trained at the School of Americas, of course.

During the military’s action against Zelaya, as soldiers blocked the runway with military vehicles, Zelaya implored them—as well as the police who blocked his return—to return their allegiance to him "in the name of God, in the name of the people, and in the name of justice."

More than 120,000 people marched to the International Airport at Honduras, demanding that they allow their rightfully-elected president’s return.

In response, the military fired at the peaceful—and unarmed—protestors, killing three people.

One was a child.

And it’s highly likely that this coup d’état on Honduras would not even be possible without American help—including the work of intelligence operations.

It sort of makes Uncle Sam look like he’s making a peace sign with one hand and holding a gun in the other, right?

A.N.S.W.E.R. (Act Now to Stop War & End Racism) is calling for an immediate severance of all ties with the Honduran military in order to help stop the takeover and allow President Zelaya back into his country. Zelaya attempted entry on July 5, and says he will not stop trying. He may even try to return as early as today or tomorrow.

To sign a pre-written letter asking for the U.S. to stop helping the Honduran military—or to add your own comments, which is always more powerful!—and send it to the White House and your representatives, please click here.