I’m from a southern suburb of the twin cities in Minnesota, and I have yet to see ICE in the flesh, but I still feel their presence everywhere. Every place I go I feel uneasy, I look at my brother and sisters of color and worry about their safety constantly with my whistle tucked in my jacket at the ready, along with a paper copy of my passport just in case. ICE has totally disrupted and broken apart our bit of lovely tranquil peace many find here in MN, especially in the twin cities – though Trump would mistakenly have you believe otherwise. Trump would have you believe Minneapolis and St. Paul are lawless, crime ridden cities filled with fraud and Somali trash.
My best friend is Somali, absolutely lovely, and she’s afraid, rightfully so, to do anything or really go anywhere. She mostly stays home or visits me at a park where we both are very confident we’ll both be safe. I hate this, I hate their presence, their cruelty, their complete and utter disregard for our constitution and laws, and I’m mad as hell that this is even happening. It’s stupid and completely unnecessary, as I can assure you Minnesotans are some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.
Our political leanings can be very astute, progressive, equitable, and wise many times. Though the red states, do sometimes give my doubts about that!
The Trump mess
There are many reasons why we’re here in this Trump mess. To summarize it I’d say a huge piece is because the democrats really did do everything in their power to tip the scales for any establishment candidate but Bernie Sanders to win the democratic primaries. Risking a Trump presidency each time by thinking they know best, and they can just anoint whomever they like, true democracy, and a level playing field be damned.
It’s too exhaustive to rehash how the democrats screwed Bernie twice out of his bid for the nomination for our democratic president. I’ll leave you to research exactly how they did tip the scales for Clinton in 2016, and then Biden in 2020. The democrats helped get us here with their poll tested, watered down, “centrist” position and that we needed to appeal to republican swing voters and business as usual politics.
People in 2016 wanted a change. They were primed and ready for a candidate ready and at least appearing ready, to shake things up and disrupt our do very little establishment (neoliberal) politics we’ve grown so used to, for decades upon decades.
Also we have to be viscerally angry with the conservative right wing media in the US, shoving Donald Trump down our throats and indoctrinating republicans for decades to believe ridiculous things (and to not believe science and facts) too many to name, but with one example being saying climate change is a hoax.
There are also those who simply don’t vote in our presidential elections, even less during our midterms, they’re to blame as well. These non-voters feel let down by our political system, politicians who only tinker if anything, around the edges, change minimal things if any, with over 50 years of neoliberalism here in the US.
Though rehashing why it happened is always valuable and are lessons that must be analyzed and learned from, or they will likely be repeated. Though regardless of anything, here we are, Trump is bat shit crazy, mired in criminal investigations and controversy, a downright terrible person to the bone, and an abysmal leader to boot. Causing havoc anywhere he feels like, and now even destroying the global world order and tearing up our most trusted and valued alliances across the globe.
ICE
It’s bad enough having to read and watch the news each day and hear about the next beyond awful thing Trump’s administration has done to Americans and the world. Now to boot here in our lovely blue more progressive state of Minnesota, ICE has decided to terrorize our streets, rip families apart, abduct little children, murder people, assault people, unconstitutionally go door to door, and much more. Just yesterday I met a 72 year old man who said he’s seen ICE and they pointed a gun in his face the day before. This is among countless other stories we all hear and share. This isn’t ok, it is absolutely outrageous and against what most Americans (not brainwashed by Trump) know and truly want. That I can say confidently. Please just know we are the vast majority.
Pride in being a Minnesotan
The only joy and sense of extreme pride I get living here in America right now is to know I’m doing all I can, and my part very heavily to stop and remove this entire administration, hold them all to account and to fight for a better country, and I’m also very proud of the fact that I am a Minnesotan. I’m so proud of my community, of all the neighbors, friends, and strangers all coming out of the woodwork, out of their comfort zone, and into the role of unabashed “Fuck ICE” and this entire administration.
I truly feel proud to stand with my immigrant brother and sisters, the undocumented, fellow citizens, political nerds, and the whole spectrum of people I know who are waking up to the fact that if we’re going to ever find our way to a better political future and a better world, we need to take of each other, love each other, lean in politically as much as we can, and frankly be whole citizens again, and in perpetuity.
People are calling their representatives, writing them handwritten letters, protesting outside their offices, getting involved volunteering in elections, and community organizing like crazy here. That I can be truly astonished by, and really proud of. As an activist for years and a silly political nerd, I knew America had it in us to be like this, I knew it.
Seeing all this activism and hauling ass to save our democracy and create a better world and future, it’s something to be a part of. It could have been avoided in many ways, and it should have never gotten this bad here, that I can assure you too.
Though regardless we’re here now, we’re neighbors who became friends, strangers who became political allies, and solidarity is running through our veins at the point. I can say I am proud to be a Minnesotan if nothing else, and for that, regardless of all the hardships we’ve all had to face I’m oddly and truly grateful for that.
I think MN has shown America’s true beating heart and for that I’m so honored to be a part of my community here. Thank you for listening and giving me the space to write this. To all of our allies across the pond, your support means more to us than you’ll ever know and thank you so much. I can’t tell you how many real tears I’ve shed and the immense hope and solidarity it gives me (and so many of us) to see people protesting for us goofy Americans in Europe, and around the globe.
Solidarity forever and keep up the good fight wherever you find it, as a Minnesotan that’s all I can say to you. Also please learn from our political mistakes as a country and also feel free to share in our newly awakened widespread activist spirit as well. Fight for what’s right, do it now, do it often, and please don’t ever be afraid or hesitant to be a well rounded true citizen of your country. We’re all in some shared way depending on the goodness of each other to get through this, all of our local and worldwide problems, and that is also what ICE’s occupation has taught me here as well. Thank you so much and wish us some luck, we’re frankly going to need it.
