Hi Hal, fellow psychotherapist here. I love the idea of the donuts and not protesting outside the ICE building but watching them like a hawk when they leave to go on a raid.
It’s disgusting and disturbing that we Americans have to deal with this insanity, but the best we can do is to have our own offensive plan and strategically but nonviolently respond.
Have you heard of the Liberty Vans Steve Schmidt’s group is launching? Vans full of lawyers, photographers, clergy, etc. who follow ICE to protect citizens who are being targeted.
Christopher Armitage (Substack) suggested that we call our governors to insist that when ICE breaks down doors, they are committing burglary, when they abduct people without proper federal warrants, they are kidnapping, and everything else they’re doing, comes under the heading of assault with a deadly weapon. These are state laws that these thugs are breaking, and Armitage suggests that local law enforcement in each state be enlisted to arrest, prosecute, and convict them when guilty.
What do you think of that idea? It seems to me to be an essential part of not obeying in advance.
Thanks for the comment. Always great to have therapists here.
Lots to unpack in what you wrote. I admire Steve Schmidt and think he has a great idea and hope it works. The idea of local jurisdiction law enforcement enforcing the laws the Trump Gestapo breaks is worth considering but I worry about it inflaming the situation.
I think they must pick and chose, but certainly if they commit what would be attempted murder or actually commit homicide with anyone else (including regular police) that would be the red line. That would HAVE to be prosecuted by localities.
When the history of all this is written you can be sure with will shame people who obeyed in advance.
Good advice, Hal, about protesting. Good post as well.
Donuts, the great leveler of the masses. Even the rich, the wellborn, and the able eat donuts. Though, some of them would deny it. Can't get too close to the lower ranks.
My laptop is dallying with obsolesce. Just the black screen with "DELL" certifying a protest of sorts. Think I may have to replace this seemingly tired gadget. Obviously, it is okay now, but maybe the ghosts of updates past are coming to the surface.
So much for a tangential, off focus rambling.
Clearly, the Trumpian Torrent is looking for a Gunfight-at-the OK-Corral incident. ICE need press coverage that won't cast their "reasonable force" image as the mauling of a Grizzly Bear.
Sound advice: better a no-show than arrested. Better to step lively away from the fray than locked in conflict with an opponent seemingly holding 4 Aces and a King. Better to run, hide, and engage on ground you choose at a later date. "Engage" does not mean to encourage a "Kent State" outcome.
That's it. May your dog bark when danger approaches. Again, may the lords of karma watch over you and the City of Portland, OR.
Here's an AI generated definition: Guerrilla tactics typically involve unconventional methods like ambushes and sabotage, but peaceful guerrilla tactics can include nonviolent resistance, community organizing, and civil disobedience to challenge authority without armed conflict. These approaches aim to mobilize public support and create social change while minimizing violence. I would add education as a crucial one. We could but printed material in the doughnut boxes.
I wasn't familiar with him but I looked him up. Thank you for sharing. You are right. He taught at UMass Dartmouth which was not too far from where we used to live. His work would be an excellent subject for a Substack.
Excerpts from Wiki:
He was known for his extensive writings on nonviolent struggle, which have influenced numerous anti-government resistance movements around the world.
Sharp received the 2008 Int’l Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award for his lifelong commitment to the defense of freedom, democracy, and the reduction of political violence through scholarly analysis of the power of nonviolent action.
Sharp's key theme is that power is not monolithic; that is, it does not derive from some intrinsic quality of those who are in power. For Sharp, political power, the power of any state – regardless of its particular structural organization – ultimately derives from the subjects of the state. His fundamental belief is that any power structure relies upon the subjects' obedience to the orders of the ruler(s). If subjects do not obey, rulers have no power.
Stay strong Tommy. If I was really a journalist I'd buy a dozen at the store (two minutes from me) and go down to ICE headquarters and have Ann take pictures of me leaving the unique box there of oh so yummy goodies there.
I did not know you lived there (OR near there ;). Great point about not going to the place where the agents just walk in and out, but to get the footage of them doing the really ugly things in the streets.
Thanks Sherry. There have been quite a few videos in the media already of ICE agents brutalizing people. This is the era of the cellphone camera. Everyone has one and knows how to take videos. They end up on Instagram and then media picks them up. (Check this out: https://www.rawstory.com/dhs-chicago-police/ ) The TV stations, at least those like MSNBC and CNN, are eager to obtain and use them. I don't now whether this will have a deterrent effect. I don't know how these violent thugs can go home and face their families after acting treating people like they have no feelings let alone assaulting them for no other reason than not instantly complying with their authority. Well, I guess I do know. They are like the people who joined the Gestapo. They had families too. Of course the actual Gestapo would just shoot anyone who got in their way.
Hi Hal, fellow psychotherapist here. I love the idea of the donuts and not protesting outside the ICE building but watching them like a hawk when they leave to go on a raid.
It’s disgusting and disturbing that we Americans have to deal with this insanity, but the best we can do is to have our own offensive plan and strategically but nonviolently respond.
Have you heard of the Liberty Vans Steve Schmidt’s group is launching? Vans full of lawyers, photographers, clergy, etc. who follow ICE to protect citizens who are being targeted.
Christopher Armitage (Substack) suggested that we call our governors to insist that when ICE breaks down doors, they are committing burglary, when they abduct people without proper federal warrants, they are kidnapping, and everything else they’re doing, comes under the heading of assault with a deadly weapon. These are state laws that these thugs are breaking, and Armitage suggests that local law enforcement in each state be enlisted to arrest, prosecute, and convict them when guilty.
What do you think of that idea? It seems to me to be an essential part of not obeying in advance.
Thanks for the comment. Always great to have therapists here.
Lots to unpack in what you wrote. I admire Steve Schmidt and think he has a great idea and hope it works. The idea of local jurisdiction law enforcement enforcing the laws the Trump Gestapo breaks is worth considering but I worry about it inflaming the situation.
I think they must pick and chose, but certainly if they commit what would be attempted murder or actually commit homicide with anyone else (including regular police) that would be the red line. That would HAVE to be prosecuted by localities.
When the history of all this is written you can be sure with will shame people who obeyed in advance.
Love the donut idea / gift.
I just added a Voodoo Doughnuts store map showing where I live. The company was established in 2003 in Portland. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voodoo_Doughnut
Good advice, Hal, about protesting. Good post as well.
Donuts, the great leveler of the masses. Even the rich, the wellborn, and the able eat donuts. Though, some of them would deny it. Can't get too close to the lower ranks.
My laptop is dallying with obsolesce. Just the black screen with "DELL" certifying a protest of sorts. Think I may have to replace this seemingly tired gadget. Obviously, it is okay now, but maybe the ghosts of updates past are coming to the surface.
So much for a tangential, off focus rambling.
Clearly, the Trumpian Torrent is looking for a Gunfight-at-the OK-Corral incident. ICE need press coverage that won't cast their "reasonable force" image as the mauling of a Grizzly Bear.
Sound advice: better a no-show than arrested. Better to step lively away from the fray than locked in conflict with an opponent seemingly holding 4 Aces and a King. Better to run, hide, and engage on ground you choose at a later date. "Engage" does not mean to encourage a "Kent State" outcome.
That's it. May your dog bark when danger approaches. Again, may the lords of karma watch over you and the City of Portland, OR.
Thanks.
TN10670
You put in my mind a phrase that hadn't occurred to me before: peaceful guerilla tactics.
(there's a clear etymological oxymoron there, but sometimes that's a plus)
Here's an AI generated definition: Guerrilla tactics typically involve unconventional methods like ambushes and sabotage, but peaceful guerrilla tactics can include nonviolent resistance, community organizing, and civil disobedience to challenge authority without armed conflict. These approaches aim to mobilize public support and create social change while minimizing violence. I would add education as a crucial one. We could but printed material in the doughnut boxes.
Sounds like Gene Sharp 101 :-)
I wasn't familiar with him but I looked him up. Thank you for sharing. You are right. He taught at UMass Dartmouth which was not too far from where we used to live. His work would be an excellent subject for a Substack.
Excerpts from Wiki:
He was known for his extensive writings on nonviolent struggle, which have influenced numerous anti-government resistance movements around the world.
Sharp received the 2008 Int’l Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award for his lifelong commitment to the defense of freedom, democracy, and the reduction of political violence through scholarly analysis of the power of nonviolent action.
Sharp's key theme is that power is not monolithic; that is, it does not derive from some intrinsic quality of those who are in power. For Sharp, political power, the power of any state – regardless of its particular structural organization – ultimately derives from the subjects of the state. His fundamental belief is that any power structure relies upon the subjects' obedience to the orders of the ruler(s). If subjects do not obey, rulers have no power.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Sharp
Stay strong Tommy. If I was really a journalist I'd buy a dozen at the store (two minutes from me) and go down to ICE headquarters and have Ann take pictures of me leaving the unique box there of oh so yummy goodies there.
Newsome is all over it. And I love the idea of locals charging these cowards for the crimes they are committing. Great strategy IMHO.
Thom Hartmann (who lives and works on Hayden Island, part of Portland, and who we met) wrote about this here: https://hartmannreport.com/p/americas-fourth-amendment-is-on-life-e45
I did not know you lived there (OR near there ;). Great point about not going to the place where the agents just walk in and out, but to get the footage of them doing the really ugly things in the streets.
Thanks Sherry. There have been quite a few videos in the media already of ICE agents brutalizing people. This is the era of the cellphone camera. Everyone has one and knows how to take videos. They end up on Instagram and then media picks them up. (Check this out: https://www.rawstory.com/dhs-chicago-police/ ) The TV stations, at least those like MSNBC and CNN, are eager to obtain and use them. I don't now whether this will have a deterrent effect. I don't know how these violent thugs can go home and face their families after acting treating people like they have no feelings let alone assaulting them for no other reason than not instantly complying with their authority. Well, I guess I do know. They are like the people who joined the Gestapo. They had families too. Of course the actual Gestapo would just shoot anyone who got in their way.
The ICE building and those protests are close. We could get there in 16 minutes according to MapQuest. Here's the map: https://bsky.app/profile/halmbrown.bsky.social/post/3m2ibcprix22x