ICE Out Minneapolis

Federal Agents Not Allowed On This Property

Our American government has created chaos and fear in Minneapolis and some parts of greater Minnesota. People living in the United States of America are disappearing.

My city is under seige from our own federal government. Our immigrants and people and children that aren’t white have gone into hiding. Last week students at one Minneapolis high school were pepper sprayed. Safety mandated our children not attend school, walk on the street or go to playgrounds. Many helpers are delivering food to families confined to their homes. Many helpers are also monitoring minority business and neighborhoods. doing what they can to keep everyone safe.

Below link is from MinnPost

The ICE occupation, unlike the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, is an intentional disruption


A city’s limit (From the New York Times)
Minneapolis is on a knife’s edge. One week after a federal agent shot and killed Renee Good, aggressive arrests have enraged residents. The Trump administration has redoubled its effort to deport illegal immigrants, sending officers into residential neighborhoods and the parking lots of big-box stores in search of people to grab. They’ve also detained — and roughed up — several U.S. citizens, and social media is awash in viral videos of the confrontations.

Meanwhile, activists have sought to observe, document or impede the agents, Julie Bosman reports. On WhatsApp, neighbors watch out for immigration officers and run from their homes to shout at them. “It feels like our community is under siege by our own federal government,” State Representative Michael Howard, a Democrat, told The Times.

The encounters can be terrifying. My colleagues verified images circulating this week that show agents tackling a man at a gas station and shoving Elliott Payne, the president of the City Council. Payne told my colleagues that there were federal agents equipped with assault rifles and combat gear patrolling the streets, repeatedly unholstering their handguns. “It feels like a military occupation,” he said.
Some of the stops go beyond ordinary law enforcement. In a few of the run-ins, you can feel the animosity building between federal officers and citizens they serve. One man The Times spoke to said he was glad that there were other people around to film his encounter with federal agents, which occurred after they rammed their car into his, forcing him to a stop.

He said he believed the presence of people with cameras had helped lead the agents to let him go. But as the crowd grew — the crowds always seem to grow now — and began to yell at the officers, he worried that the situation could tip over into something darker, something violent. “It makes them act different. NYT

Participation Is Power

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This election is already too long, too silly, and too expensive, but please don’t sit it out! Choosing the next president of the United States is a long cumbersome process, and such a small number of people actually participate in this beginning process, but it is the most important!  Those that show up have the power!

How do we get more people to participate? You are important to this process, and everyone needs to feel that their vote and their opinion count, but you can’t do that if you don’t show up. If you don’t vote, you pass your power as a citizen to those that do participate. With all the money in politics, participation in the voting process is our one voice. This voice is needed to try to keep big money and corporations from making all the rules. Good elected leaders are important to health of our planet and the health of our people.  We need to elect serious leaders that are capable of getting the big picture and choose leaders that are not beholden to those that make big financial contributions.  A democracy is only as strong as those who work to make it strong by participating.
In Minnesota like Iowa we have caucuses. Caucuses take a high level of commitment.  Political parties organize and run the caucus meetings. Because the political parties run the caucus meetings, many think they aren’t welcome. Everyone is welcome, and your voice is not heard if you don’t attend. Even though I don’t like the process, I attend. I believe in the voice of all citizens. You need to attend because your voice as to who is elected is just as important as the party hacks and leaders.  In Minnesota you don’t need to be registered to participate according to what I read, and I have never seen anyone register. Caucuses in Minnesota are not set up to register people.  Find you caucus location through your state Secretary of State website.(This is Minnesota as an example)

If your state has a primary you are lucky, go and cast your vote on the correct date, at the correct polling location, but make sure you are registered.  Call or google your city hall or Secretary of State to find out how to register and where to vote. Every state has different rules for registering and voting. Don’t waste your one vote! See the link below for your state’s primary election or caucus date.

The job of all citizens is enormous, and your help is needed! Caucuses can be fun. Go and make a night of it. You will learn something, and you will meet new people! If your state has a primary election, get registered and vote. Our country will be stronger the more people who participate. Many around the world would love to have this opportunity!

See when your state presidential event takes place in the link below:

http://2016.primary-caucus.org/

Just do it, participate!

Please report back what you learn, and what surprises you.