Swofford Statement on ICE


It is time to deconstruct the narrative of why protesters are on the streets when ICE enters a city. Here are a few bullet format statements, like the ones used on an officer fitness report.

This is not about "picking up criminals".  This is about long guns flooding the streets of America.

This is not about lack of support for oath keepers.  It is about the incremental erosion of Posse Comitatus.

This is not about the good guys.  It is about good guys with obscured facial features, and no discernible means of numeric identification to report abusive and illicit behavior. 

This is not about "protocol".   It is about officers in full battle gear normally only worn in a hostile theater of operation.

This is not about illegal aliens.  But Americans are uneasy they are being perceived as the enemy of the state.

This is not about allowing law enforcement to do their job.  It is about the cult-like zealotry attached to the task.

This is not about lawful orders but about unlawful actions against the Constitution of the United States.

This is not about "violent" protesters alone.  It is about citizens like Alex Pretti who served in observer status to assure no infringement on the rights of ordinary Americans.

This absolutely is about Alex Pretti.  It is about a man who was murdered by ICE - a man who cowered like a defenseless dog, with chemicals blurring his vision, when he was murdered.

This is also about the statement of our POTUS.  He denied the power of Constitutional right.



It is perhaps unwise to walk in protests with guns.  But freedom of expression and the right to bear arms are symbiotic.   Alex Pretti did both.  And his pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness ended with his murder on the streets of Minneapolis.  The oath keepers had disrespect and disregard for their weapons. Maybe they thought they were playing paint ball.  Why stop at one?  Ten is more fun. Mr. Pretti was shot ten times.

History lesson:

Armed citizens marched on January 6th.  It was open carry.  All  weapons were responsibly secured by their rightful owners.  The majority of gun owners have great respect for what is held in their hand. There was no "weapons free" moment.  Your grandmother would have been completely safe, kept safe, by the men in the crowd.  The only shot fired killed an unarmed US Air Force veteran.  That shot - delivered by an oath keeper.  

We should respect and not fear law enforcement.  When there is fear,  respect is lost.

It is time for the combat-clad, unidentifiable,  long gun carrying agents to vacate the streets, debrief, remove from their ranks any trigger happy veterans suffering from PTSD,  and the cow hands who believe they have "total immunity" because Kristi Noem was like the Holy Father bequeathing a special dispensation.  "Blessed are those who kill.  For they shall not be punished."

It is time for a stand down from the streets of our cities.  Permanently.  This social experiment in show of force on our streets is a failure.  We the People have spoken.

Stand down from this model of operation. Please.


 

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