It is good to see so many citizens confronting ICE agents as they try to arrest our neighbors. Sometimes the protests are not enough, and ICE is able to drag these non-violent workers and their families away. But on other occasions, ICE officials have had to walk away like a pack of sick dogs, with their tails —and their long guns— between their legs because of the pressure from ordinary citizens.
We need to save every video, audio recording, and photo, and, when possible, write up a narrative of what took place. Our legal teams will need this evidence to prosecute officers of Homeland Security and other agencies later down the road.
It is most impressive to see our communities standing up and doing it peacefully, all permitted by the First Amendment. At the same time, these so-called law officers have little or no understanding of the law or the Constitution.
Across the country, there are many groups training people for these acts of resistance, and in the future, we might see massive civil disobedience. Many of us took part in such actions during the Civil Rights Movement, the United Farm Workers struggle, opposition to the death penalty, the war in Vietnam, climate issues, equal marriage, the fight against apartheid in South Africa, resistance to Somoza, solidarity with El Salvador, and many more causes. We kept demonstrating and educating the public and the media about these human rights situations.
I told a friend the other day that I would run naked down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., if it would stop these racist attacks on immigrants. But in reality, with these bad legs, it might be more of a stroll than a run.
Women in particular, over so many years, have used their unclothed bodies painted with important messages to get the attention of the press and the public at large.
Drifting, as I do some mornings, through the internet, I have come across some incredible new protest songs in English and Spanish. I have also heard great comics from many ethnicities, with material so funny and sharp it makes one laugh and then think about what more should be done.
Many have gone to town halls and other public meetings to demand a stop to ICE. We need to continue doing this, along with our letter writing, phone calls, and, of course, praying.
This policy of Trump’s was built on lies. He claimed that a gang called Tren de Aragua was working with Venezuelan president Maduro to overthrow our government; yet there is no evidence of this, or that Biden had let in millions of killers and rapists. He also said that the gang MS-13 was coming from El Salvador, crossing the border to commit crimes. The truth is that MS-13 is a U.S. gang, founded in Los Angeles in the early 1980s.
We, who are part of this historic resistance movement, are not only on the right side of history; we are creating it. So, save memos, flyers, and other items and stories, so that we can share them with others on the other side of this racist mess.
Think about this: what if some activists dressed in riot gear and carrying long guns (no bullets) walked through ruby-red neighborhoods, acting as if they were looking for white “aliens” to deport? Such a group could stage a street or guerrilla theater piece, where it appears that a white person is being arrested and dragged off.
It would be good for our efforts if it looked serious enough to get the media’s attention. Or maybe it would be enough just to have our actors do a slow walk through the neighborhood with clipboards; 911 would be flooded with calls, I’m sure.
A private person can carry out what is called a citizen’s arrest, and may arrest an offender if the offense is committed in their presence or within their immediate knowledge. If the offense is a felony and the offender is escaping or attempting to escape, a private person may arrest them upon reasonable grounds. But legal counsel should be consulted before attempting to do this.
The tragedy of Rodney King and the murder of George Floyd remind us that without the footage, we would have lost, in court and in the media.
We all need to continue creating new approaches to fighting this madness, and we need to remember to document and save our materials. It will not be easy or quick, but I believe that we will win.
And yes, there are a lot of Davids and Dianas taking on the many versions of Goliath.