Couple who’ve been in the US for 20+ years arrested and shipped to detention while visiting their son-in-law in advance of his third Afghanistan tour.
This is internal state terrorism: Terrorizing not only long-term, assimilated residents of the US, but their kids and grandkids—US citizens.
And choosing "model" members of the targeted group to mistreat and harass isn't an accident. It's intentional. It serves a purpose.
By targeting long-term residents with heartwarming stories and strong US ties, you groom your supporters to embrace ever-more brutal acts of bigotry and violence against ordinary people.
Why attack this family? Not because they’re gang members: they’re not. Not because they’re alien: they’re apple-pie Americans. Not because they’re undocumented: this isn’t happening to Irish-American grandparents. There’s only one answer left.
On one level, this kind of race-based state persecution IS chaotic, and intentionally so: If any nonwhite family with immigrant roots can be targeted, then everyone lives in fear.
If you might be arrested visiting your son or picking up your grandkids from school or supporting a neighbor who was a crime victim in court, maybe you stop doing those things.
If a cop can rip you from your home if you speak up against police brutality or attend a protest or write a letter to your elected officials, you’re less likely to do those things.
Most of us won’t be affected by this stuff directly. Most of us will just continue to live our lives. But the country is being transformed in a way that won’t be quickly or easily reversed.
This is why calls for “civility” must be repudiated. This is why we have to put our bodies upon the gears. Because we’re at a pivot point in history, and it goes deeper than just voting.
If you are not among the groups being targeted and demonized and attacked by this administration and its lackeys and minions, you have a moral duty to stand with those who are.
There is no neutral place to stand when your neighbors are being shipped to detention camps.
If they’re not coming for you? COME FOR THEM.
Also: These fights aren’t won in weeks or months. We’re building networks and infrastructure and skills for the long haul right now.
And forget any argument that this is about “illegal immigrants.” Forget that right now. They’re deporting US citizens now.
63-year-old Floridian. US citizen. In the States half her life. The govt is trying to strip her citizenship and deport her. Why? You tell me.
One more thing: I've gotten several well-meaning "they'll come for all of us eventually" responses to this thread. But no. They won't. And that's important.
The negative effects of Trumpism will be felt intensely across the country and the world for decades. But most Americans will never feel themselves to have been personally targeted by the administration.
