The World Turned Upside Down
One would have to be living as a hermit to have not heard or read about the civil unrest in Minneapolis. Regrettably two protesters have lost their lives there, others injured, many inconvenienced due to the protests. Whichever side you fall on in regards to the protests, I think we all need to pause, restrain emotions, and look at the facts. As John Adams famously said, “Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.”.
Firstly, Ms. Good, and Mr. Pretti were the victims of shooting by law enforcement officers. Both situations were avoidable and terribly unfortunate. Both situations were different as well. It’s easy to sit back and play the armchair judge & jury. I will simply give my observations. Both Good & Pretti could be alive and well today had they chosen to stay home, go to their jobs, tend to their families. Both freely chose to go and join in protests over issues which did not personally impact them. Both freely chose to engage with law enforcement officials in a less than peaceful way. The law enforcement officers, who are already under stress were confronted with even more stress. In those situations, decisions must be made in a micro-second. Sadly, those decisions made resulted in death.
Secondly, we must look at how these situations, and the protests are being presented by the media and political officials. We hear the terms “kidnap”, “disappear”, “fascist”, “racist” being bandied about. What we do not hear or read is what power(s) is/are behind organizing and promoting the protests. What are the sources of the money behind the protests. We don’t hear the full story of why and where the arrests are taking place now. We hear or read very little as to why the governor of Minnesota and the mayor of Minneapolis are encouraging the protests. It seems to me to be a convenient way to turn attention away from the evident corruption in federal funding that was poured into fake businesses in certain communities, which the state and local officials were aware of. Who exactly is benefiting from this chaos? That is a question the news media is not addressing.
As an immigrant to this country, and as a naturalized citizen, I honestly have no sympathy for those who are here illegally. Granted, I was an infant when brought into this county. However, my parents went through all of the legal channels, paid the considerable legal costs to have me enter this country, and finally, after years, have me naturalized as a citizen of the United States. I have thoroughly embraced the culture and ideals of this nation, and consider myself a good citizen and patriotic American. I know that our nation is not perfect, but it’s a damned sight better than any other nation on the face of this earth. I treasure the freedoms and liberties we have in our speech, our ability of worship as we choose, in our ability to choose our political representatives, faulty as they are. My family was not wealthy by any means. We were solidly middle-class, but we did things the legal way, despite the long waits and high costs. I do have to honestly ask why others today do not do the same. If they cannot afford it, then don't stay here. Bear in mind, I am talking of immigrants, not asylum seekers, a group which needs better oversight and vetting as well.
I do believe that every human being deserves to be treated with respect and dignity, even those who are illegal aliens, even those who loudly protest their arrests, as well as those charged with enforcing the laws of this nation. Sadly, that belief seems to be lacking in the minds of many protestors, and proponents of the use of force. However, what I cannot abide are the attitudes based on lies.
ICE agents are law enforcement officers. To deny them the ability to do their jobs is criminal activity. Simple as that. To call them “racist”, “fascist”, and other epithets is uncharitable and unjust. To physically impede them in their work is a crime. For local law enforcement to be ordered not to render them assistance, aid and protection is inexcusable. To think that one can walk into a potentially dangerous situation and think that one can agitate, scream at, confront, or resist arrest and walk out unharmed is quite simply insane. I am not, and I want to be very clear about this, rejoicing the deaths of Good or Pretti. Both leave behind grieving families and friends. I pray for their eternal repose, and for comfort for their loved ones. But I cannot justify their choices in engaging law enforcement in the ways they chose. I also pray for the law enforcement officers who have to live with the effects of the choices they made in response to those situations.
Both of these tragic situations highlight the necessity of a long-needed reform of our immigration laws. It shows that our nation does need to strengthen its borders. It shows that we need to properly vet any person desiring entrance into our nation, whether for work, study, vacation, or residency. It shows that we need to address and stop the corruption in shoveling tax dollars into fake businesses. It shows that we need to investigate any complicity of political leaders in these matters. We are supposed to be a nation of laws. We have devolved into a nation of emotions. In regards to the most vocal and volatile supporters on both sides of the issues - calm down; shut your mouths; start engaging your rational minds. Let the investigations play out as to the guilt or innocence of those involved. Start looking critically at how the news media presents their narratives, and ask why; who does this benefit; is this the whole story.
We all have our political preferences, cultural biases, and beliefs. These color how we view things, but sometimes they may warp our understanding, or blind us to the facts. If you feel the need to protest, you have that right to do so - peacefully. That means not impeding law enforcement, that means not physically confronting officers, that means not resisting arrest. If you feel the need to enter this country, do so legally. If you overstay your visa, you know well that you are breaking the law, so be prepared to pay the consequences. If you’re a legal resident of this county, then adapt to our culture and laws. If you’re law enforcement, then do your job with courage, all while respecting the rights and dignity of those you bring into custody. Above all, for everyone, stop being pushed into extremes by the hyper-emotional media presentation of the current national situation. If not, then don’t be surprised when we see violence escalate on an even larger scale.
If we want this nation to survive, and I assume we all do, then be law abiding; be rational; be considerate of those who disagree with you. Personally, I am damned sick and tired of all this crap, and crap it indeed is.
One would have to be living as a hermit to have not heard or read about the civil unrest in Minneapolis. Regrettably two protesters have lost their lives there, others injured, many inconvenienced due to the protests. Whichever side you fall on in regards to the protests, I think we all need to pause, restrain emotions, and look at the facts. As John Adams famously said, “Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.”.
Firstly, Ms. Good, and Mr. Pretti were the victims of shooting by law enforcement officers. Both situations were avoidable and terribly unfortunate. Both situations were different as well. It’s easy to sit back and play the armchair judge & jury. I will simply give my observations. Both Good & Pretti could be alive and well today had they chosen to stay home, go to their jobs, tend to their families. Both freely chose to go and join in protests over issues which did not personally impact them. Both freely chose to engage with law enforcement officials in a less than peaceful way. The law enforcement officers, who are already under stress were confronted with even more stress. In those situations, decisions must be made in a micro-second. Sadly, those decisions made resulted in death.
Secondly, we must look at how these situations, and the protests are being presented by the media and political officials. We hear the terms “kidnap”, “disappear”, “fascist”, “racist” being bandied about. What we do not hear or read is what power(s) is/are behind organizing and promoting the protests. What are the sources of the money behind the protests. We don’t hear the full story of why and where the arrests are taking place now. We hear or read very little as to why the governor of Minnesota and the mayor of Minneapolis are encouraging the protests. It seems to me to be a convenient way to turn attention away from the evident corruption in federal funding that was poured into fake businesses in certain communities, which the state and local officials were aware of. Who exactly is benefiting from this chaos? That is a question the news media is not addressing.
As an immigrant to this country, and as a naturalized citizen, I honestly have no sympathy for those who are here illegally. Granted, I was an infant when brought into this county. However, my parents went through all of the legal channels, paid the considerable legal costs to have me enter this country, and finally, after years, have me naturalized as a citizen of the United States. I have thoroughly embraced the culture and ideals of this nation, and consider myself a good citizen and patriotic American. I know that our nation is not perfect, but it’s a damned sight better than any other nation on the face of this earth. I treasure the freedoms and liberties we have in our speech, our ability of worship as we choose, in our ability to choose our political representatives, faulty as they are. My family was not wealthy by any means. We were solidly middle-class, but we did things the legal way, despite the long waits and high costs. I do have to honestly ask why others today do not do the same. If they cannot afford it, then don't stay here. Bear in mind, I am talking of immigrants, not asylum seekers, a group which needs better oversight and vetting as well.
I do believe that every human being deserves to be treated with respect and dignity, even those who are illegal aliens, even those who loudly protest their arrests, as well as those charged with enforcing the laws of this nation. Sadly, that belief seems to be lacking in the minds of many protestors, and proponents of the use of force. However, what I cannot abide are the attitudes based on lies.
ICE agents are law enforcement officers. To deny them the ability to do their jobs is criminal activity. Simple as that. To call them “racist”, “fascist”, and other epithets is uncharitable and unjust. To physically impede them in their work is a crime. For local law enforcement to be ordered not to render them assistance, aid and protection is inexcusable. To think that one can walk into a potentially dangerous situation and think that one can agitate, scream at, confront, or resist arrest and walk out unharmed is quite simply insane. I am not, and I want to be very clear about this, rejoicing the deaths of Good or Pretti. Both leave behind grieving families and friends. I pray for their eternal repose, and for comfort for their loved ones. But I cannot justify their choices in engaging law enforcement in the ways they chose. I also pray for the law enforcement officers who have to live with the effects of the choices they made in response to those situations.
Both of these tragic situations highlight the necessity of a long-needed reform of our immigration laws. It shows that our nation does need to strengthen its borders. It shows that we need to properly vet any person desiring entrance into our nation, whether for work, study, vacation, or residency. It shows that we need to address and stop the corruption in shoveling tax dollars into fake businesses. It shows that we need to investigate any complicity of political leaders in these matters. We are supposed to be a nation of laws. We have devolved into a nation of emotions. In regards to the most vocal and volatile supporters on both sides of the issues - calm down; shut your mouths; start engaging your rational minds. Let the investigations play out as to the guilt or innocence of those involved. Start looking critically at how the news media presents their narratives, and ask why; who does this benefit; is this the whole story.
We all have our political preferences, cultural biases, and beliefs. These color how we view things, but sometimes they may warp our understanding, or blind us to the facts. If you feel the need to protest, you have that right to do so - peacefully. That means not impeding law enforcement, that means not physically confronting officers, that means not resisting arrest. If you feel the need to enter this country, do so legally. If you overstay your visa, you know well that you are breaking the law, so be prepared to pay the consequences. If you’re a legal resident of this county, then adapt to our culture and laws. If you’re law enforcement, then do your job with courage, all while respecting the rights and dignity of those you bring into custody. Above all, for everyone, stop being pushed into extremes by the hyper-emotional media presentation of the current national situation. If not, then don’t be surprised when we see violence escalate on an even larger scale.
If we want this nation to survive, and I assume we all do, then be law abiding; be rational; be considerate of those who disagree with you. Personally, I am damned sick and tired of all this crap, and crap it indeed is.
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