I normally avoid political posts anymore.
But I cannot ignore that my city is under siege by a fascist-leaning, racist, murdering, and lawless Administration who is disregarding all law and order in an effort to eject brown-skinned people of all citizenship statuses.
We have rights.
The right to protest. The right to free speech. The right of assembly. The right to be free from unreasonable, warrantless seizing of persons and property. The right to due process.
And now? Our State of Minnesota is being threatened with invocation of the Insurrection Act because we are exercising those Rights.
The Federal government is violating our Constitutional Rights and harming the people of Minnesota with their jackbooted thugs marching around, harming and arresting US citizens (as well as immigrants) without restraint, demanding to see our “IDs and paperwork” to prove we are citizens, under threat of being Disappeared or suffering disproportionate violence if we do not comply. These thugs are breaking down doors without judicially-signed warrants to demand proof of citizenship and dragging people out of their homes. They are racially profiling people, and are often wrong about their race, let alone their citizenship.
I am posting about these things because this is a travesty of justice and the rule of law. What you see in news media from outside Minnesota is not media sensationalism. It is stone-cold fact. People exercising their right to peacefully protest are being arrested, beaten, assaulted with “less-than-lethal” ammunition, pepper-spayed, flash-banged and terrorized by the Federal government for “not being very nice” and because “they are not being respected”. Seriously. This is how thin-skinned these folks are: they are using military weapons against Minnesotans because we aren’t showing them enough respect.
The President and his minions are on his little revenge tour because our governor dared to run against him (as VP) and our state dared give our electoral votes for someone besides him. That is why we’re in the line of fire.
If it is not self-evident, I am angry. And, if you honestly love your country, you should be offended and angry by what is happening in Minnesota right now. It is disgusting and absolutely un-American on top of being utterly shameful.
I will close all comments if they are not respectful. I don’t care if you disagree, but I do demand you are respectful in language and content. I will delete or edit all comments failing to meet that threshold.
21 responses to “shameful”
Don’t know what to say tbh but I wanted to support you so I’m here saying Hi & I hope you and yours are surviving. The shit that is going on world-wide is…I don’t have words in general or strong enough swear words to describe it. Stay safe Michael. A rule I live by is do not harm, take no shit. It’s a fine line we walk these days sadly
I appreciate your support, really.
I do not recognize this country anymore. And I know there are other places suffering worse than us, but this is alarming in the extreme, when basic rights we have are being trampled upon in the name of a racist, authoritarian agenda. I never really thought my state would be home to a turning point, but I think we are about to become the flashpoint for change.
The majority of Minnesotans are very stubborn and extremely fed up. I am pretty certain we’re about to see some fireworks as a result.
I live at absolute ground zero (DC) and I can attest that the news reports are accurate, because we have experienced the indignities here, as well. I personally witnessed an ICE arrest in the neighborhood last summer and it has unsettled me for months. These are terrible times we live in, but I am heartened by the fact that there are grassroots organizations out there (who have to remain anonymous for obvious reasons) who are working diligently to stop the madness. It’s the only thing that keeps me going in the face of the depressing and disgusting headline news day after day after day, ad nauseum.
Yeah, DC is being punished for their treatment of the toddler who would be king too. I feel for you. We only had minor incidents over the summer, but this surge of 3000 lawless ICE agents is not “protecting us”; it is causing mayhem. Any arguments otherwise are disingenuous or plain ignorant.
We’re seeing arrests all over our city — yesterday, they nabbed a parent as soon as her kid got on the bus to go to school… In full view of the children on the bus, less than a mile a way. We had more ICE gunfire last night (luckily it was not a deadly injury). Yesterday ICE went into a neighborhood, not to make any arrests, but to provoke protesters and then assault them with flashbangs, tear gas, pepper balls and pepper spray for… yelling meanly at them.
This is absurd and unforgiveable.
I’m sorry you are going through this. And I agree–positively absurd and totally unnecessary.
I appreciate it. Thank you 💕
I agree. This is absolutely shameful. And authoritarian through and through.
Thanks, Bob. I just can’t even believe what’s going on.
Neither can I . It really is jaw dropping.
Well said, my friend, and I’m here from the UK to support you – although, like you, I try to stay away from political comments. I could say so much but I’ll confine myself to expressing my disbelief at what is being done to your country. I worry for you, my other friends over there and all of us, ultimately. Stay strong and safe. xxx
Thank you and I appreciate your support. I’m unconvinced that the gestapo will have the wisdom to lower the temperature and I firmly believe we will see the worst this craven Administration has to offer in the coming days.
I feel for you all but I fear that what you say is true. There is no wisdom or finer feelings, merely hate and a desire to control and crush. Stay as safe as you can, Michael. xx
I will try, as long as they let me. Thanks again.
😪😪😪
Funny how the political line was “we’re going to protect you from dangerous, deranged immigrants” (which was always a bunch of bullshit, obviously) and the truth is the dangerous and deranged were already here, sitting in their high castles where they always are, thinking up ways to give guns to bullies.
That about sums it up.
The racist in chief is racist. I’m shocked! Shocked!
Double standards – criticise those in other nations who persecute yet do the same where you are. How dare you disagree?
You have my sympathy, although, thinking globally, I am ashamed that Europe, as a whole, has not stood up to the playground bully antics you are witnessing first hand.
I read what someone said about the only difference between 1930’s Germany and 2020’s USA is that Germany did not have 90 years of history to tell them what was going to happen.
Take care, my friend.
At least a judge has started reigning in some of the worst excesses of ICE (in theory). We’ll have to see if she sleeps them with contempt if they continue.
Some out of state right wing influencer thought he was hot stuff and threw a rally that mostly counter protestors showed up to this afternoon. He was going to go through the immigrant hating, brown skin hating, Muslim hating rhetoric and try to mob a neighborhood filled with that kind of people.
Minnesotans don’t take kindly to people like that. The counter crowd far exceeded his own (a couple of dozen visited by hundreds) and shoved him around, telling him to get the fuck out of our state. When he finally escaped, rumor has it he was so scared by the number of people against him he pissed his pants. They sprayed him with water from squirt bottles, for certain, which can be outright painful in -4°F weather.
Even more amusing is the crowds pouring water over the road leading to their temporary headquarters so the agents slipped and fell on their asses when they came out to agitate and pepper spray peaceful protestors while pointing their guns at them as an intimidation tactic.
The result is downright hilarious. 🤣
Again, Minnesotans don’t much care for bullies and thugs.
Sounds like my kind of place. It’s a shame that moderate liberals (generally those with the most reasonable arguments) have to resort to tactics which are alien to most in order to make their voices heard. Question is, how does one stand up to bullying when the bullies are sanctioned by other bullies?
Has there even been a president with the forename ‘Michael’ yet??
I might be dumb, but I’m not stupid. The presidency is a thankless job unless you leverage the corruption to your advantage. Most of our presidents have had some skill in hiding that, if not outright abstained from it.
I used to consider running for State offices or the lower chambers of the Federal government when I was more politically active, but you used to have to be squeaky clean and I have done some dumb things in life. Nothing too terrible, but opposition will always paint you in the worst light possible if they dig up something sordid. No thanks.
But I will use my power of the vote, yessiree.
Have a great day, Chris.
You and a hundred million + like yourself, hopefully.
My best to you.