From a friend in MN.
Friends,
I live in Minneapolis. Media, left and right, are covering it in their own ways... to make a profit. I am here. I am experiencing it first-hand. Alex Pretti was shot in the back of the head only nine minutes from my home. And it is far, FAR worse than anyone around the country understands, and what is happening affects every single one of us.
I consider myself an independent, politically. I have no problem voting Republican or Democrat; I simply want GOOD - and, hopefully, intelligent - people directing our country. I have no agenda. Politics are tearing our country apart, but politics are little more than the operations/tactics of running a country. Politics are debatable. Somehow, politics have become more important to most than good/evil, right/wrong, child rape, the 10 Commandments - you know "Thou shall not murder". Right/wrong, good/evil, murder, human decency can not be debated; they are universal.
Right now, our rights in Minnesota are being violated like nothing I ever imagined possible in the United States. First, the 4th Amendment is regularly violated. Masked men with no warrants are breaking in anywhere they want. They are setting a precedent, eroding our right to privacy. Politics swing back and forth. Right now, those with brown skin (black, Asian, Latino, Indian - all are fair game to ICE in Minnesota) - or those who support those with brown skin - are being abused, but the pendulum will likely swing the other way. If there is political backlash and the left wins overwhelmingly, which looks to be likely if there are still elections, the next administration will have precedent for breaking into any home with force and taking guns, persecuting certain Christian sects, etc. It's brown people today; it could be Christians tomorrow. It won't stop here and with people of color; it will spiral. Everyone - left/right, Republican/Democrat, white/non-white - will lose.
There is a very real chance that this is the beginning of the end of the United States. That sounds hyperbolic, but I don't think it is. If elections are suspended, or ICE is able to prevent people from voting, how is that a democracy? Sure, it might feel good to be on the side of the "winners", but that can quickly swing the other way. In an authoritarian society, a miniscule number have freedom; 50% certainly don't. Thus, everyone, right or left, should be deeply concerned.
Second, what can't be adequately conveyed by the media is the constant harassment and fear tactics. The words authoritarian, police state, etc are being thrown around, but they are inadequate and sound political. Rule of Terror might be best but still doesn't do it justice. The terror that ICE is attempting to instill is suffocating. The threat of violence - to families - and retribution for not cowering are constant. I have never been prouder to be part of a community than when I found out an underground group of parents had formed to help those who need it. They use encrypted messaging, have secret codes, and have gone to lengths only heard of in spy movies to provide food for those who are hungry, get people to and from appointments and jobs safely, look after children, and so much more. They have had to go to these lengths, because ICE is actively trying to infiltrate the group. ICE tracks their cell phones, so those trying to help have to leave their phones at home and use paper maps. ICE claims anyone found to be helping those in need (again, we're talking food primarily) are considered a Domestic Terrorist and added to a database - for bringing food to hungry children. They follow women - who have simply dropped off food - to their homes and threaten them with violence to their families, including children. They threaten to hurt children, because a man/woman brought someone food. This is not hearsay. This isn't media. This is someone you hopefully consider a friend telling you what I have experienced. This is true. I'm not selling anything. I'm apolitical.
Here is the experience of a friend of mine who lives one mile away. She is Indian and her husband is white. Their son has brown skin. They can no longer let him outside to walk the dog. Maybe because it's known that she works on DEI for a large company or posted something about ICE but a car followed her and her husband for miles the other day. They noticed a car following every turn they made when heading home, so they took a bunch of haphazard turns that the car followed. The driver eventually gave up. This is the United States. She and her husband are US citizens with good jobs. They are good, amazing people, and a US government employee intentionally created fear and stalked them.
A friend of a friend disappeared with his child home alone. He just disappeared. I don't believe he's a US citizen, but he's a good dude with a good job. He's gone, and his wife and child have no idea where he was taken.
A school near me with a significant Latino population had 3 out of 27 kindergarten children show up, because they are too scared to leave their homes. Many don't have enough money for food, but going to school is unsafe. Many are US citizens, but ICE has snatched many US citizens around here.
Fox News recently spoke about my town. They said that moms here were re-living their glory days in the 60s and protesting. So I guess they're 85? Then they said that they were all paid. So are they being paid or are they reliving their glory days at 85-years-old? Also, at least 50% of my town voted for Trump, making it even more idiotic. No protestors are being paid in Minneapolis. How much would you have to pay a person to stand in -20 and be pepper sprayed? The whole "paid protestor" thing doesn't stand up to common sense. It is absolutely idiotic.
I have felt helpless. I want to help, know I can help, but am scared of the risk to my children. Just the other night we had a car creep down our street with the window open, despite -10 degrees, using a phone to film. They slowly pulled into our driveway, sat there, and eventually pulled out. I have never had a gun but am contemplating getting one TO PROTECT MY CHILDREN FROM THE US GOVERNMENT. It's freaking nuts.
Thus, I am doing what little I can, which includes communicating with those I think most highly of, who live throughout the country. My purpose, again, isn't to be political. Politics doesn't solve this; that's just 50% versus 50%. My hope is that 85% of the country can come together as good people. What is happening is so incredibly wrong and evil. It is pure evil, not Liberal or Conservative.
I have enjoyed freedoms like few in history have, and what have I sacrificed for that? Nothing noteworthy. Nothing good comes without pain and sacrifice. I have recently thought much more about the massive number of American soldiers who have died to provide what I have been enjoying my whole life. Seeing men around me - in my neighborhood; hiding behind masks which no other armed force does; armed like real soldiers fighting a war against an adversary with weapons; hurting women, children and dads; all too often 5 on 1... makes me embarrassed for whatever role I have played - or didn't play - in this. Nothing this evil - and pathetic/cowardly - has happened in the history of the United States. The Ku Klux Klan has effectively been enabled to live out their darkest dreams.
ICE, because of its focus on immigration, self-selects many who are racist. On the border, that might be somewhat okay. In diverse US cities, it's incredibly sad. Everyone, left or right, agrees that criminals should be in jail or deported. Because arresting criminals and gang members is dangerous work, ICE is going after women, children and dads. They avoid criminals. Our streets aren't safer. Instead, an entire generation of children are experiencing trauma like nothing before experienced in the United States. That is bad for everyone but especially for all of our children.
There is nothing special about this email; it ain't winning a Pulitzer. But if you feel it would be helpful, please share it with any and everyone who might appreciate the truth over lies and manipulation. It starts with us being good.