Minneapolis is the front line of American democracy
As federal agents kill civilians under the guise of immigration enforcement, the struggle for justice in Minnesota echoes the stakes of Selma and Birmingham. What happens next is up to all of us.
“We hear this quite often, that only time can solve this problem. That we will only be patient, and only pray — which we must do, we must be patient and we must pray …[I]ndividuals in the struggle must come to realize that it is necessary to aid time, that without this kind of aid, time itself will become an ally of the insurgent and primitive forces of social stagnation. Therefore, this movement is a revolt against the myth of time.” —Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., Nov. 16, 1961
Federal immigration agents shot and killed a 37-year-old ICU nurse named Alex Pretti — a U.S. citizen and longtime Minneapolis resident — on Saturday as part of a sweeping enforcement operation in the city. It was the second fatal shooting by federal agents there in recent weeks, following the killing of Renée Good earlier in January.
President Donald Trump’s deployment of massive federal law enforcement forces — under the banner of immigration enforcement — has not only failed to calm tensions; it’s escalated violence, fear, and distrust in the very communities it claims to serve.
If this federal attack on an American city can be stopped in Minneapolis — if courts, legislators, and citizens rise up to demand accountability and reform — then what’s happening in Minnesota may be remembered as a decisive moment for American democracy, as consequential as Birmingham in 1963 or Selma in 1965.
The brave Minnesotans who continue to march, protest, document these events, and call for accountability are everyday people asserting their rights and demanding justice.
What we do in this moment to help them matters. What we do with this moment matters, too.
If you’re confused, then you should be curious.
Curious about why federal immigration agents in U.S. cities have fatally shot civilians and legal observers during their operations.
Curious about what rights peaceful protesters and observers have under the First Amendment.
Curious about long-standing concerns about ICE, Border Patrol abuses, and calls for federal immigration reform.
Curious about how creative nonviolence, organizing, and solidarity have helped shift public views and policies from the civil rights era to now.
If you’re curious, then you should be attentive.
Attentive to reliable news sources. Look beyond headlines to see what journalists, locals, legal observers, and videos actually show about events there.
Attentive to the despair and grief of the families and colleagues of victims, like Alex Pretti and Renée Good.
If you’re attentive, then you should be sad.
Sad about needless deaths and the pain inflicted on families and communities.
Sad about the fear and disruption felt by residents in neighborhoods and city streets.
Sad about the erosion of trust when people see federal power is used without accountability or transparency.
Sad about the horrific abuse of law-abiding immigrants and people of color.
If you’re sad, you should also be outraged.
Outraged that Trump and his advisers defend violence instead of demanding accountability and independent investigations.
Outraged that local communities are forced to live under militarized law-enforcement operations.
Outraged that political rhetoric from the White House and the Justice and Homeland Security Departments defends deadly force rather than de-escalation and dialogue.
If you’re outraged, then you should be engaged.
Use your voice: post thoughtfully on social media, share credible information you find, and highlight real human stories, not just talking points.
Talk with friends, neighbors, family members, and community leaders about what’s happening and why it matters.
If you’re engaged, you should do something more.
March peacefully, or attend vigils and community forums.
Call and write your congressional representatives to urge accountability in federal law enforcement and humane immigration reform.
Show up and speak out at a town hall or other public meetings with political leaders.
Write a letter to the editor.
Support immigrant justice organizations, mutual aid efforts, and causes that work toward de-escalation, transparency, and policy change.
Learn more about the rights of protesters and observers so everyone can exercise them safely and knowledgeably.
Contribute to organizations that support defenders of freedom on the streets of Minneapolis.
Let your heartbreak become purpose.
Let your questions demand answers.
Let your outrage fuel meaningful change.
If you’d like to help the brave citizens of Minneapolis fight fascism, you can find links to various resources here.
Yes, the chaos in Minneapolis is Trump’s dress rehearsal for disrupting the midterm election. If he gets away with it there, he going to move to other blue cities and states and is already in Maine. Remember Trump didn’t want to leave the Oval Office in Jan. 2021. After the crimes he and his regime have committed already, he will not want to leave on Jan. 20, 2029
I replied to a friend's rant earlier, and I'll expand a bit here:
We are at that point in the (science fiction/dystopian) novel where the Good Guys have reached the limit, they are ready to abandon reason and rebel against the Evil Powers. They know well what awaits if they fail; they are ready to give it their all. Our heroes are just not quite sure how to start...
Scary thought: Suppose this is all a part of 'their' plan, to kill enough innocent people so that we rise up and rebel, so that elections are canceled (seriously, can they do that?) martial law is declared, and more people die.
I feel like I'm living out part of the plot line from "The Handmaid's Tale." I already feel as though I've lost all I'd looked forward to having as an oldster.