​What we do is who we are: potential acts of war

By John Strand

If you are reading this editorial and you too are worried sick about the state of our country, keep reading. Maybe we can inspire each other.

It was near closing time. We were discussing our values crisis. So this guy turns around and says “Tell somebody who gives a shit.”

If you are of the other school of thought, and you are relishing the collapse of American values, stop reading now. You, frankly, need to own up to your actions and the consequences now borne by millions of decent people who heretofore were proud of these United States of America.

Our country is at war with itself. We are divided and it’s deadlier each day. Our government at the highest levels has drawn targets on the backs of many millions of Americans. They’ve budgeted billions upon billions of your tax dollars to bring this bloodshed and terror to your door, to your neighbor’s door and first to their stated “enemies.” It’s but the first taste of a bitter cup, to paraphrase Winston Churchill’s remarks when he saw similar pathways unfolding.

Our troops have been deployed to major American cities, thousands of soldiers in our streets. Now thousands of generally masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers are present next door among our closest friends on earth, Minnesotans.

The world watched as Renee Nicole Good was shot three times in the head by an ICE agent. We then watched our “truthteller” national leadership lie about what we had seen with our own eyes.

All of us have family, friends, colleagues and peers, people we are connected to across Minnesota. Some of them are absolutely terrified. Understandably.

ICE agents are setting up shop in Rochester, Minn. According to our very credible sources there, the city is filled with ICE agents stopping every Black and brown person they can at work, in cars, at the Mayo Clinic — and even door knocking, as if the death in Minneapolis weren’t enough. It’s a nightmare. Some restaurants have had to close as the chefs and servers are not coming in.

That’s Rochester, Minnesota. And their problem, much like the Twin Cities, is that they are too blue politically and their residents are Black and brown.

For God’s sake, is this the America we all know and honor? Is this the value system we want or endorse or tolerate? And if so, for how long? And what will it take to create a tipping point that gets us back to where we were, walking the walk, not needing to profess greatness.

Meanwhile, in other parts of the world, U.S. troops have invaded Venezuela and absconded with their president and his wife after terrorizing boats traveling in that region in the Caribbean and after blockading the passage of oil tankers, additional potential acts of war. Our national leadership says we will “run” Venezuela from now on. Really?

And then in the same breath we hear of U.S. military action in Nigeria. And we hear threats against Cuba, Columbia, Greenland, Denmark, Canada and the Panama Canal. All this courage and bravado from a five time draft dodger whose rich parents arranged medical deferments because of “bone spurs.”

It’s past time to be talking party politics. This is no longer a Democratic or Republican issue. The fabric of our nation is being disrupted.

Each and every one of us who has an iota of pride in what America used to be needs to stand up and be counted. We are not alone. We, in fact, are in the best company imaginable. We stand with other good people who want the best for our people, plain and simple.

America is the envy of the world — or used to be. Say “no” every moment to anyone who tries to tell you we’re doing our best. Tell them the truth. Tell them you’re not that insecure that you’d sell your soul to be part of a cultish movement taking us over a cliff like lemmings.

Stand with those now targeted. Have their backs. Be their emotional and spiritual shields, if nothing else. Stand with love and truth, not with hate and lies. And don’t ever pretend you don’t know the difference and that it doesn’t matter.

And stand with Minnesota.

Reach John Strand at jas@hpr1.com.