What can I say that will be of any benefit? How do I put into words the sorrow, rage and helplessness I feel over the recent murders in Minnesota of Renne Good on January 7th and Alex Jeffery Pretti January 24th, by agents of ICE, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a U.S. federal agency responsible for enforcing immigration laws and investigating customs violations.
I will not go into the details or the videos of each homicide or the total disregard for accountability coming from the Federal government, from Kristi Noem, the head of Homeland Security, in particular. Even the FBI has kowtowed to the Right, refusing to work with state law enforcement on joint investigations.
Ten shots were fired into Pretti, who lay prone on the ground, incapacitated by pepper spray in his face. At no time had it been alleged that Pretti, who had a legal weapon on him, had brandished the gun or even removed it from his pocket. In fact, the ICE teams who accosted him did not know about the weapon, until after Pretti was subdued. Let that sink in! How can anyone honestly believe their life was in danger from a prone injured man. This was not an act of a law enforcement officer, but an execution by a man out of control with rage and full of hatred for the other, one who does not hold the same social or political beliefs as him.
The same reason Renee Good was shot at point blank range. She was trying to drive away from the mayhem. The ICE agents trying to stop her vehicle, masked men with weapons drawn, would terrify anyone. I know I would have locked my doors and fled the scene as fast as I could. Good showed remarkable control, smiling and moving slowly away from the danger she sensed. But still she was shot. Not once but three times in the face.
Minnesotans want justice as they should. Afterall, they put former police officer, Derek Chauvin, in prison for 20 plus years for the death of George Floyd in 2020, precipitated by Chauvin’s knee to Floyd’s throat for over nine minutes.
I decided this morning, that I can’t just sit here wringing my hands and getting worked up watching the news videos and reading online posts about these atrocities. Instead, I must put my energy toward healing and be part of the light that is trying to break through to usher in changes. I will use what I have, my written word.
Not only am I posting this piece to my blog but I have also penned letters to our two Senators in Washington DC, Senator Ted Cruz and John Cornyn and our Representative for the 2nd Congressional district here in Spring, Texas, Dan Crenshaw. [Links to help you find your Senators and Representatives in DC.]
In my correspondence to each of these men, I have tried to play down the occupation of US Cities by ICE agents, and did not recount the horror of what happened. Instead I tried to reach them where their heart and/or head is; their need for control and power, to never admit they are wrong. And if power is all they want, to be elected again, to be always in the good graces of this particular US President who, by the way will not live forever, then I hope I helped them to see the big picture, the future of their MAGA movement. I also pointed out to each of them, that if they think this will all come out in their favor, they are sadly mistaken. This new ICE enforcement group is very much like the Nazi Brownshirts in the 1930s Germany. (Read your history.) Do you really want to be on the wrong side when your great grandchildren are taught about this MAGA era: The January 6th insurrection, the president with 47 felonies, who pardoned all who were held accountable and used the Justice department to go after anyone who opposed him. Add to that the inhumane treatment and kidnapping of thousands of men, women and children, from schools, homes and places of employment. Even jerked out of automobiles, to be taken to unknown destinations, many never heard from again. This sounds a lot like the fascist dictators of third world countries in the last half of the last century. I find it hard to believe this is still the United States of America, the “Shining City on the Hill”, to quote Republicans President Ronald Reagan?
For these reasons, I encouraged them to put their voices and energy toward stopping the rampant decimation of our Constitution by these bands of occupying gangs of paramilitary who think they have immunity to hurt or kill or kidnap or harass anyone for any reason.
So if you feel as I do, and are not able to attend protest demonstrations against ICE, maybe, like me, you can do this one thing. Contact your representatives in Washington DC and let your voice be on record that you do not stand with this regime. No one can take that away from you.
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