We have been hearing whispers coming from the White House about invoking the Insurrection Act over the past eight months. Regretfully, the whispers have grown louder.
Joseph Nunn of the Brennan Center for Justice has written an informative article explaining the Insurrection Act that I hope you will read. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/insurrection-act-explained
I have written about dissent twice. “Dissent: The Secret of Democracy,” and “Fear: Dissent and Civic Uprising.” The fact of the matter is, and I want to avoid being dramatic, my concern about the president invoking the law has deepened for personal reasons. Family and friends express their fears as they share disturbing news with me. They are feeling the cold ICE wind. I am increasingly concerned about our individual liberties, the future of our Republic, and the survival of our democracy.
The news from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland is disconcerting. City streets, once active with pedestrians going about their daily lives, are now deserted. People hide in their homes. Restaurants and other businesses have lost customer traffic. The drop in revenue, some owners say, may force them to close.
The methods used by federal law enforcement are increasingly combative. Masked agents fail to identify themselves by showing their badges. American citizens and immigrants with legal status are racially profiled. Immigrants are arrested at or near their scheduled immigration court hearings. They, along with peaceful demonstrators, are violently arrested― thrown to the ground, punched, choked, and kicked. In residential areas, homes are broken into by agents rappelling from Black Hawk helicopters during the night. People disappear.
The conduct of federal authorities reminds me of the British occupation of Boston. On 5 March 1770, a group of citizens taunted British soldiers. They threw snowballs and rocks at the troops, which led to the soldiers firing on the colonists, resulting in five deaths. Kent State also comes to mind. On 4 May 1970, the National Guard fired into a crowd of anti-war demonstrators, killing four students and wounding nine others. I am also reminded of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who authorized the extrajudicial killings of citizens. His masked bands roamed the streets terrorizing citizens. As president, he encouraged law enforcement to shoot citizens who “violently resisted or threatened” officers. American law enforcement officers now follow their example by masking themselves. Trump has wondered aloud about shooting peaceful protestors in the legs. He believes cities should be military training grounds.
We are at a dangerous point as the whispered threats of invoking the Insurrection Act grow louder from the White House.
I am including a short, informative video here that Robert Reich issued, which I hope you will take the time to watch.
Image One Source: Brennan Center for Justice
Image Two: The Boston Massacre
Source/Credit Line:
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Drawings and Prints
Gift of Mrs. Russell Sage, 1910
Charles van Heck's Woodhull Journal 
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