Before becoming a United States citizen, I was an illegal immigrant for 13 years of my teen and young adult years. My parents fled Israel using visitor visas and never left the United States (that was about the only way to leave Israel for the United States back then). We’ve all since been naturalized, but it took many years. We all paid our dues, taxes and penalties, rightfully so.
Living in the United States as an illegal immigrant back in the 1990s was scary, too bad. Democratic politicians passed Prop 187 before it was overturned, and school officials were required to report all students who didn’t have a green card or refugee document 🙋🏻♀️. I didn’t go to school for a few weeks when it happened.
Immigration policies and ICE like programs have existed for many years and were far more severe than they are today. However, the immigrant communities back then were quiet, grateful, and didn’t raise an eyebrow. The sheer audacity these days blows my mind.
My wife had a similar experience, illegal for 10 years, living in fear of being caught. And she thinks open border advocates and these protestors in MN are out of their goddamn minds.
I was an employer back then. People have conveniently forgotten that Obama instituted a policy that employers had to confirm citizenship of their employees. If employers hired illegal aliens, they could be heavily fined. I have no idea if that law is on the books. If not, perhpas it should be.
David, in one of Rod Dreher’s columns, he quotes an informant of his in Minneapolis claiming that the demonstrations and protests are financed, organized, and led by outside instigators associated with far left organizations associated with Marxist, communist, and socialist political groups. Do you know of any evidence that would back up these claims?
I keep wondering the same. There are never names of these diabolical orgs or individuals. Claiming "outside agitators" are the cause of everything is a timeworn strategy of any establishment that is challenged, and repeated by their supporters. Without specific evidence, it's not worth listening to. And "marxist?" "Communist?" What does that even mean nowadays?
I love, love, love your work and am a paid subscriber because of how well you look into things and present strong analyses to very nuanced and complex topics. However, there is one place in this article where I'm struck that you seem to have been sloppy and it's been bothering me:
ICE arrests and police arrests are fundamentally different because police respond to violent crimes in progress and crimes with a high potential of becoming violent, to people who are intoxicated or psychotic, and have to deal with all manner of dangerous criminals. ICE does targeted arrests of suspects that they have information about beforehand. They plan ahead. There is no excuse for killing someone like Renee Good or Alex Pretti. Arrest them and let the justice system handle it if they're obstructing. You don't shoot them. It's not comparable.
I want lists. I want to see a list of citizens incorrectly arrested as illegal aliens. I want to see a list of citizens illegally deported. I want to see a list of citizens detained for obstruction. I want to see a list of occasions when federal law enforcement detained or harmed citizens who were protesting without attempting to interfere with them doing their jobs. I want to see a list of the crimes committed by deportees and the number of deportations of people without additional criminal offences beyond entering the country illegally or overstaying a visa. I want to see a side-by-side comparison of similar enforcement activity for the last 25 years - total numbers detained and deported, mistaken detentions, injuries and deaths on both sides. I keep hearing that ICE is doing illegal things - I want to see the receipts.
I also want to see what training the new agents are getting because I have heard some are hitting the streets with only online training. Are they getting counseling or some way to deal with the pressure of putting their lives on the line while being stalked by a rabble who are screaming, making dangerous levels of noise, calling them everything but a human, doxing and threatening them, and occasionally actually attacking them.
As the article says, there are no clean hands. But the same work is being done elsewhere without "protesters" getting injured or killed, which leads me to believe the difference, the cause, is the way people are "protesting" - particularly obstructing and then resisting.
In your description of what took place, you didn't mention that the first action of the officer was to spray Alex Pretti directly in the face with Pepper Spray. Alex was blinded. He was in pain, then thrown to the ground. This fact of burning spray in the eyes certainly makes a difference when interpreting his motions as "resisting."
Also important here, and which virtually no one has asked as far as I can tell is: why did the agent push the woman to the ground in the first place? When would this be justified? And most importantly, why did he not follow policy and training that says, "deescalate before resorting to force?" This appears to be another instnce in which an agent, possibly overly aggressive after weeks of harassment, creates an incident that will be characterized as "incitement" or "interference" by the protester. Given this Administration, officers likely feel pretty confident that they can get away with excessive use of force.
And of course, you are absolutely correct that in the end, none of our speculation matters. As you wrote, "Only a thorough, independent examination grounded in evidence can determine what went wrong this past weekend, who bears responsibility, and how similar tragedies might be prevented in the future."
What I'm hoping, however, is that the issue of "deescalation" as an expectation of armed officers will ALSO be part of this inquiry. Excessive use of force does not apply only at the point where someone dies. It sets up a situation in which someone is more likely to die.
It's been pointed out that Ashli Babbitt was also a nurse, and also shot by a cop. It's funny how people's political leanings seem to be the main criterion for judging who is guilty or not, facts be damned.
And no, Derick Chauvin did not murder George Floyd. And Trayvon Martin assaulted George Zimmerman, who fired in self defense. And Nick Sandman not only didn't do anything wrong, he didn't do anything at all. And "hands up, don't shoot," was never said; Michael Brown reached into the cop's car and tried to grab his gun.
No other group that I know of is as violent, dishonest, disreputable, and tunnel-visioned as the progressive cult.
The FIRST thing that went wrong was that Alex Pretti interfered with law enforcement while armed with a deadly weapon. This has had the ironic side effect of forcing the progressives to side with the NRA about Amendment II rights.
The SECOND thing that went wrong was that far too many talking heads and their useful idiots following them have taken the side of the lawbreakers, both Pretti and Good and the trolls in the streets, still breaking the law.
This response will soon face significant criticism for stating the truth without filtering it through the lens of the progressive machine's "all things under Trump are wrong" view.
The need to set the record ‘straight’ has never been greater.
The media is a bloodthirsty machine working for a Democrat ‘trauma-ocracy’ where victims are assigned significance directly proportional to their criminality.
But here’s the difference : never before in the history of America have the violent criminals , the lawless members of our society , the dregs, the unwashed junkies , rapists and murderers been the ‘good guys’.
As with Hollywood , the legacy media, with the help of local politicians, are all-in on the bad guys as heroes narrative.
Listening to CNN suddenly argue for the 2nd Amendment is truly breathtaking in its level of hypocrisy, and proves we live in the Upside/Down.
So here I am, America’s chiropractor.
These aren’t protesters in Minneapolis.
Here, let me prove it in one sentence
The Minnesota National Guard is making sandwiches for the so-called protesters…. bringing them coffee .
In REAL protests the National Guard doesn’t take the side of the protesters.
They’re not protesters ….. they’re Handmaids for the Revolution. 
He was just "walking down the middle of Nicollet Avenue"? Was he out for his daily stroll? With a pistol and dozens of bullets? It's pretty simple: No violent protests, no violence. His death was tragic, but preventable.
I've watched the video several times. You can't run a fed over and think they won't use you fur target practise. George Floyd committed suicide by OD, he wasn't murdered.
My bad, Trudy. rod Drehet’s source fingered specific organizations and not amorphous ideologies. Specifically, he mentioned “the Party for Socialism and Liberation, Service Employees International Union, Revolutionary Communists of America, and the Twin Cities chapter of The Communist Party USA.”
Before becoming a United States citizen, I was an illegal immigrant for 13 years of my teen and young adult years. My parents fled Israel using visitor visas and never left the United States (that was about the only way to leave Israel for the United States back then). We’ve all since been naturalized, but it took many years. We all paid our dues, taxes and penalties, rightfully so.
Living in the United States as an illegal immigrant back in the 1990s was scary, too bad. Democratic politicians passed Prop 187 before it was overturned, and school officials were required to report all students who didn’t have a green card or refugee document 🙋🏻♀️. I didn’t go to school for a few weeks when it happened.
Immigration policies and ICE like programs have existed for many years and were far more severe than they are today. However, the immigrant communities back then were quiet, grateful, and didn’t raise an eyebrow. The sheer audacity these days blows my mind.
FAFO.
My wife had a similar experience, illegal for 10 years, living in fear of being caught. And she thinks open border advocates and these protestors in MN are out of their goddamn minds.
I was an employer back then. People have conveniently forgotten that Obama instituted a policy that employers had to confirm citizenship of their employees. If employers hired illegal aliens, they could be heavily fined. I have no idea if that law is on the books. If not, perhpas it should be.
By the time he was president I already had a green card and I remember submitting it for employment verification along with a W9 form.
David, in one of Rod Dreher’s columns, he quotes an informant of his in Minneapolis claiming that the demonstrations and protests are financed, organized, and led by outside instigators associated with far left organizations associated with Marxist, communist, and socialist political groups. Do you know of any evidence that would back up these claims?
Excellent question, Reuven. I've been reading about this exact topic lately. Tell you what, I'll write something up on this sharing what I've found.
Deal!
I keep wondering the same. There are never names of these diabolical orgs or individuals. Claiming "outside agitators" are the cause of everything is a timeworn strategy of any establishment that is challenged, and repeated by their supporters. Without specific evidence, it's not worth listening to. And "marxist?" "Communist?" What does that even mean nowadays?
At times I find your writing reactionary and incredibly anti-The Left…. This was incredibly sober analysis. Well done!!!
Pergola notwithstanding, I applaud your summary.
I love, love, love your work and am a paid subscriber because of how well you look into things and present strong analyses to very nuanced and complex topics. However, there is one place in this article where I'm struck that you seem to have been sloppy and it's been bothering me:
ICE arrests and police arrests are fundamentally different because police respond to violent crimes in progress and crimes with a high potential of becoming violent, to people who are intoxicated or psychotic, and have to deal with all manner of dangerous criminals. ICE does targeted arrests of suspects that they have information about beforehand. They plan ahead. There is no excuse for killing someone like Renee Good or Alex Pretti. Arrest them and let the justice system handle it if they're obstructing. You don't shoot them. It's not comparable.
That's all. Otherwise I really like the article.
Thank you. And I agree. As the law states, lethal force is acceptable only to stop the threat of death or seriously bodily harm.
Thank you for the perspective and staying focused on core principles.
I want lists. I want to see a list of citizens incorrectly arrested as illegal aliens. I want to see a list of citizens illegally deported. I want to see a list of citizens detained for obstruction. I want to see a list of occasions when federal law enforcement detained or harmed citizens who were protesting without attempting to interfere with them doing their jobs. I want to see a list of the crimes committed by deportees and the number of deportations of people without additional criminal offences beyond entering the country illegally or overstaying a visa. I want to see a side-by-side comparison of similar enforcement activity for the last 25 years - total numbers detained and deported, mistaken detentions, injuries and deaths on both sides. I keep hearing that ICE is doing illegal things - I want to see the receipts.
I also want to see what training the new agents are getting because I have heard some are hitting the streets with only online training. Are they getting counseling or some way to deal with the pressure of putting their lives on the line while being stalked by a rabble who are screaming, making dangerous levels of noise, calling them everything but a human, doxing and threatening them, and occasionally actually attacking them.
As the article says, there are no clean hands. But the same work is being done elsewhere without "protesters" getting injured or killed, which leads me to believe the difference, the cause, is the way people are "protesting" - particularly obstructing and then resisting.
In your description of what took place, you didn't mention that the first action of the officer was to spray Alex Pretti directly in the face with Pepper Spray. Alex was blinded. He was in pain, then thrown to the ground. This fact of burning spray in the eyes certainly makes a difference when interpreting his motions as "resisting."
Also important here, and which virtually no one has asked as far as I can tell is: why did the agent push the woman to the ground in the first place? When would this be justified? And most importantly, why did he not follow policy and training that says, "deescalate before resorting to force?" This appears to be another instnce in which an agent, possibly overly aggressive after weeks of harassment, creates an incident that will be characterized as "incitement" or "interference" by the protester. Given this Administration, officers likely feel pretty confident that they can get away with excessive use of force.
And of course, you are absolutely correct that in the end, none of our speculation matters. As you wrote, "Only a thorough, independent examination grounded in evidence can determine what went wrong this past weekend, who bears responsibility, and how similar tragedies might be prevented in the future."
What I'm hoping, however, is that the issue of "deescalation" as an expectation of armed officers will ALSO be part of this inquiry. Excessive use of force does not apply only at the point where someone dies. It sets up a situation in which someone is more likely to die.
Fair point. I added that the agent sprayed Pretti too. Thanks for the note.
Excellent analysis, thank you
It's been pointed out that Ashli Babbitt was also a nurse, and also shot by a cop. It's funny how people's political leanings seem to be the main criterion for judging who is guilty or not, facts be damned.
And no, Derick Chauvin did not murder George Floyd. And Trayvon Martin assaulted George Zimmerman, who fired in self defense. And Nick Sandman not only didn't do anything wrong, he didn't do anything at all. And "hands up, don't shoot," was never said; Michael Brown reached into the cop's car and tried to grab his gun.
No other group that I know of is as violent, dishonest, disreputable, and tunnel-visioned as the progressive cult.
The FIRST thing that went wrong was that Alex Pretti interfered with law enforcement while armed with a deadly weapon. This has had the ironic side effect of forcing the progressives to side with the NRA about Amendment II rights.
The SECOND thing that went wrong was that far too many talking heads and their useful idiots following them have taken the side of the lawbreakers, both Pretti and Good and the trolls in the streets, still breaking the law.
This response will soon face significant criticism for stating the truth without filtering it through the lens of the progressive machine's "all things under Trump are wrong" view.
I feel like America’s chiropractor.
The need to set the record ‘straight’ has never been greater.
The media is a bloodthirsty machine working for a Democrat ‘trauma-ocracy’ where victims are assigned significance directly proportional to their criminality.
But here’s the difference : never before in the history of America have the violent criminals , the lawless members of our society , the dregs, the unwashed junkies , rapists and murderers been the ‘good guys’.
As with Hollywood , the legacy media, with the help of local politicians, are all-in on the bad guys as heroes narrative.
Listening to CNN suddenly argue for the 2nd Amendment is truly breathtaking in its level of hypocrisy, and proves we live in the Upside/Down.
So here I am, America’s chiropractor.
These aren’t protesters in Minneapolis.
Here, let me prove it in one sentence
The Minnesota National Guard is making sandwiches for the so-called protesters…. bringing them coffee .
In REAL protests the National Guard doesn’t take the side of the protesters.
They’re not protesters ….. they’re Handmaids for the Revolution. 
Consider yourself adjusted .
Nonsensical, childish storytelling rubbish . 🥱
He was just "walking down the middle of Nicollet Avenue"? Was he out for his daily stroll? With a pistol and dozens of bullets? It's pretty simple: No violent protests, no violence. His death was tragic, but preventable.
It's not who you voted for in the last election.
I've watched the video several times. You can't run a fed over and think they won't use you fur target practise. George Floyd committed suicide by OD, he wasn't murdered.
My bad, Trudy. rod Drehet’s source fingered specific organizations and not amorphous ideologies. Specifically, he mentioned “the Party for Socialism and Liberation, Service Employees International Union, Revolutionary Communists of America, and the Twin Cities chapter of The Communist Party USA.”