Federal Law Enforcement Use Unmarked Vehicles To Grab Protesters Off Portland Streets (UPDATE: Trump admin. deploying federal LE to cities) (1 Viewer)

[Dragon]

“All United States Marshals Service arrestees have public records of arrest documenting their charges. Our agency did not arrest or detain Mark James Pettibone.”

OPB sent DHS an extensive list of questions about Pettibone’s arrest including: What is the legal justification for making arrests away from federal property? What is the legal justification for searching people who are not participating in criminal activity? Why are federal officers using civilian vehicles and taking people away in them? Are the arrests federal officers make legal under the constitution? If so, how?

After 7 p.m. Thursday, a DHS spokesperson responded, on background, that they could confirm Wolf was in Portland during the day. The spokesperson didn’t acknowledge the remaining questions.

Federal Law Enforcement Use Unmarked Vehicles To Grab Protesters Off Portland Streets

Federal law enforcement officers have been using unmarked vehicles to drive around downtown Portland and detain protesters since at least July 14.

www.opb.org

This story is very troublesome.

 

[dtc]

Those numbers have to be used in context. Do you have a count of how many gatherings where there was no violence and peaceful protest. From TaylorBs post of 93% off the top of my head that means there were 8000 total protests in that time period. Of those, 570 turned violent. So in the world of math that is mostly peaceful.

First of all I do not support violent protest but am a huge fan of peaceful demonstration. I will defend both sides for their right to peacefully protest and it is clearly stated in the constitution. To generalize all protests as violent does a huge dis-service to your argument. If you want to say there is too many violent protests or that needs to stop, I agree with you completely. There are other factors resulting in this violence including the police, agitators from counter protestors and people using protests as cover to be knuckleheads. It isn’t black and white, all protestors aren’t bad, all counter protestors aren’t bad either.

Do some research and look how the public portrayed the Civil Rights movement in the sixties. Today it is looked upon fondly with photos of peaceful protestors being spot on or attacked. The same elements then are here today saying the protests are going to end America. Those people were on the wrong side of history and people who claim these protests make things worst will likely be the same.

I would also add that those numbers include forms of "violence" that aren't necessarily violent nor attributed to the protestors.

Here in my town, we had an organized and well published protest at a local underpass at a railroad bridge.

There are at least 3 ways around this little intersection, but it's a well known place where grafitti is tolerated and even celebrated. There's a parking lot and some visibility downtown on the water.

A self-described "MAGA Incel" decided he did not want to allow the protestors to block traffic so he drive right through the protestors. When they tried to stand in his way, he continued to drive and one of the protesting idiots decided to jump on the hood of his car. At that point, Mr. Maga took off and tried to shake the guy off eventually driving the clinging idiot 3 miles across the bay bridge.

That's considered violent. It had very little to do with the protestors and would never have happened had Mr. Maga just driven around.

Who's to blame and how many of those incidents are similar?

Sure, it takes 2 to tango, but taken at face value, your post is seemingly pointing towards armed raids on neighborhoods by BLM pretending they're vikings.

 

[CoolBrees]

So here is the Proud Boys doing Proud Boys things in Salem today.

Unsurprisingly no arrests were made.

 

[Richard]

While I certainly reject the violence shown in the clip, it doesn't provide any context for the situation. A women at the end is indicating that she has video of "what you did to me," so it is possible that the two men who were attacked in the video were the instigators in this particular case. That said, the Proud Boys, Patriots Prayer, antifa and other anarchist elements are instigators by design. At no time should these groups be gathered in public spaces without a significant police presence. However, the person who posted this video obviously would rather see anarchy, since the hashtags they listed with the video include #abolishthepolice, #allcopsarebastards, #f***thepolice, #f***thelaw, etc.

People often see what they want to see. For my part, I see groups filled with hate and I don't see anyone actually looking for solutions. It isn't what I want to see, but I can't help coming to the conclusion that no one is truly seeking any peaceful resolution to the unrest in Oregon. They just move from place to place looking for more confrontation.

 

[LA - L.A.]

So here is the Proud Boys doing Proud Boys things in Salem today.

Unsurprisingly no arrests were made.

The woman that pepper sprays the one guy that doesn't get up insinuates that she's getting him for "everything you did to me." I'd like to know what she thinks he did to her that justifies spraying him in the face with pepper spray after he was already pummeled to the ground and while on the ground.

Regardless of what he previously did or didn't do her actions were those of vengeance, not justice or equality.

Say what you will about BLM, but at least their leadership is peacefully seeking justice and equality, not demanding and promoting vengeance.

 

[LA - L.A.]

People often see what they want to see. For my part, I see groups filled with hate and I don't see anyone actually looking for solutions. It isn't what I want to see, but I can't help coming to the conclusion that no one is truly seeking any peaceful resolution to the unrest in Oregon. They just move from place to place looking for more confrontation.

Have you drawn that conclusion about all of the protestors based on just the limited view you are getting of some without actually knowing the true affiliations or motivations of each individual you've seen?

I believe CoolBrees and his wife are actively protesting and I get the distinct impression that they are most definitely seeking a peaceful resolution to the unrest in their hometown of Portland.

 

[CoolBrees]

So I am in traffic on way to Portland protest here so I have to be quick.

Another Proud Boy Trump rally in Clackamas county. Another caravan like when there was the shooting. This time they went to Salem. Small BLM group. Outnumbered 10-1. Tactical attack on small group. police were everywhere. Did nothing to stop it. Let the PB go afterward, despite video.

 

[Taurus]

While I certainly reject the violence shown in the clip, it doesn't provide any context for the situation. A women at the end is indicating that she has video of "what you did to me," so it is possible that the two men who were attacked in the video were the instigators in this particular case. That said, the Proud Boys, Patriots Prayer, antifa and other anarchist elements are instigators by design. At no time should these groups be gathered in public spaces without a significant police presence. However, the person who posted this video obviously would rather see anarchy, since the hashtags they listed with the video include #abolishthepolice, #allcopsarebastards, #f***thepolice, #f***thelaw, etc.

People often see what they want to see. For my part, I see groups filled with hate and I don't see anyone actually looking for solutions. It isn't what I want to see, but I can't help coming to the conclusion that no one is truly seeking any peaceful resolution to the unrest in Oregon. They just move from place to place looking for more confrontation.

What context are you missing?
Do you think for a second BLM members would be released like that?
I mean, we have reams of video evidence of pigs instigating violence, of happily using violence against protesters, but when the perps are white it's a different story.
THAT is the problem, that's the iniquity at the root of the protests.
If you're black or "left", the [Mod Edit: Referring to police as "pigs" is counterproductive as it is inflammatory and not conducive to meaningful discussion - Andrus] will cheerfully murder you, crack your skull or smother you in tear gas.
If you're white, you get the Bundy treatment at worst.
If you're a cop, you don't have to fear repercussions at all. You won't be charged, you won't even be arrested unless someone other than a cop films you in the act.
Eventually the police delegitimize themselves in the community.
When that happens, what kind of reaction do you expect a uniformed street gang to receive?

 

[Richard]

Please watch the documentary I posted from the Oregonian. It gives a great view of the city from all perspectives - including police.

I know you don’t believe me but the protests are peaceful until the Proud Boys show up. Every. Night. At Mayor Wheeler’s house we were dressed up in pool floaties and doing the Macarena until 11. Then a bunch of people showed up and lit the place on fire.

State police are arresting protestors for being in the street and not the sidewalk. And calling it a riot. My wife’s google album has excellent video of all of this if you (or anyone else) is interested.

My wife is down at the police station right now waiting for those who were arrested last night are released. She has joined the group to wait for them to come out every day since her group’s leader (who is interviewed by the Oregonian) was arrested. These people are never charged with anything. They are being held for up to 18 hours without charges.

The new thing is police are using their personal phones and video equipment to film protesters and are harassing them off duty. A PPS teacher had An officer show up I plain clothes at her house - just to say hi. I am fully expecting them at my house soon.

I watched it and read the accompanying article. Certainly, I denounce any police harassment of protesters at their homes. At the same time, and I don't mean to unnecessarily point the finger at you, I also denounce the harassment of the mayor at his home. Dancing the macarena at his home until 11pm sounds more like a party than a protest. Did people think this was an effective means of communicating serious issues. Again, it seems like harassment of a public official, not an effort to come to meaningful solutions. In everything I have seen and read, the mayor has expressed support for the causes of the protestors. Yet one of the demands I read was that the protestors demand his resignation. A woman in the video said she doesn't see any end until there is no more Portland Police Bureau. Does anyone actually believe that to be a realistic goal?

Several things caught my eye in the story accompanying the video. The story indicated that broken windows and thrown items were intended to provoke a police reaction. When the police moved protesters away from the precincts, they would retreat and the cycle of provocation and police reaction would continue. The narrative you put out there several times is that the actions of police have been unprovoked. There was a graph included for a time period beginning in July. I am not sure whether that coincided with the presence of federal law enforcement or not. But during that period, 60% of the arrests were for assaulting a police officer. Even if one discounts the 25% of arrests for failure to obey a lawful order as overreactions by police, that leaves 75% that were justifiable for things like arson and destruction of property in addition to the assaults.

I have little doubt that many of the protests, especially early on, have been relatively peaceful. But there have been sufficient events that lead an observer to believe that there has been significant violence, burning and destruction of property that have nothing to do with the Proud Boys. People can look the other way when "their team" has a justifiable objective, but I cannot support ongoing protests that don't respect persons or property and don't seem to seek workable solutions in a reasonable timeframe. From my perspective as an outside observer, the Portland elected officials seem willing to make changes in the police department, but that isn't enough. What else must they do?

 

[Richard]

Have you drawn that conclusion about all of the protestors based on just the limited view you are getting of some without actually knowing the true affiliations or motivations of each individual you've seen?

I believe CoolBrees and his wife are actively protesting and I get the distinct impression that they are most definitely seeking a peaceful resolution to the unrest in their hometown of Portland.

And what tangible results do they seek that will end the protests in Portland?

 

[Taurus]

I watched it and read the accompanying article. Certainly, I denounce any police harassment of protesters at their homes. At the same time, and I don't mean to unnecessarily point the finger at you, I also denounce the harassment of the mayor at his home. Dancing the macarena at his home until 11pm sounds more like a party than a protest. Did people think this was an effective means of communicating serious issues. Again, it seems like harassment of a public official, not an effort to come to meaningful solutions. In everything I have seen and read, the mayor has expressed support for the causes of the protestors. Yet one of the demands I read was that the protestors demand his resignation. A woman in the video said she doesn't see any end until there is no more Portland Police Bureau. Does anyone actually believe that to be a realistic goal?

Several things caught my eye in the story accompanying the video. The story indicated that broken windows and thrown items were intended to provoke a police reaction. When the police moved protesters away from the precincts, they would retreat and the cycle of provocation and police reaction would continue. The narrative you put out there several times is that the actions of police have been unprovoked. There was a graph included for a time period beginning in July. I am not sure whether that coincided with the presence of federal law enforcement or not. But during that period, 60% of the arrests were for assaulting a police officer. Even if one discounts the 25% of arrests for failure to obey a lawful order as overreactions by police, that leaves 75% that were justifiable for things like arson and destruction of property in addition to the assaults.

I have little doubt that many of the protests, especially early on, have been relatively peaceful. But there have been sufficient events that lead an observer to believe that there has been significant violence, burning and destruction of property that have nothing to do with the Proud Boys. People can look the other way when "their team" has a justifiable objective, but I cannot support ongoing protests that don't respect persons or property and don't seem to seek workable solutions in a reasonable timeframe. From my perspective as an outside observer, the Portland elected officials seem willing to make changes in the police department, but that isn't enough. What else must they do?

Actually *make* the changes.
"We'll get right on that." isn't good enough anymore.

 

[Richard]

What context are you missing?
Do you think for a second BLM members would be released like that?
I mean, we have reams of video evidence of pigs instigating violence, of happily using violence against protesters, but when the perps are white it's a different story.
THAT is the problem, that's the iniquity at the root of the protests.
If you're black or "left", the pigs will cheerfully murder you, crack your skull or smother you in tear gas.
If you're white, you get the Bundy treatment at worst.
If you're a cop, you don't have to fear repercussions at all. You won't be charged, you won't even be arrested unless someone other than a cop films you in the act.
Eventually the police delegitimize themselves in the community.
When that happens, what kind of reaction do you expect a uniformed street gang to receive?

I have frequently spoken against police violence. Most of the "perps" in Portland have been white, so I must be misunderstanding your argument. We don't know what happened. We are told that these Proud Boys goons were detained and released, but we don't know that. The context we are missing is what transpired before (were the two men who were attacked actually the instigators?), what transpired afterward (were any police in the area and if so, what actions did they take?) and why were these people in close proximity. Those who seek anarchy like the Proud Boys and antifa will do everything they can to confront one another. Then they feed their supporters videos to support their narratives and ratchet up the hatred.

We have all seen the police act inappropriately in a number of cities and I agree that blacks and other minorities have been treated unfairly. I do not believe that all police are "pigs" and don't believe they all warrant your disrespect.

 

[Richard]

Actually *make* the changes.
"We'll get right on that." isn't good enough anymore.

So what is your solution? How can the city officials of Portland get justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and many others? How can those officials institute racial justice with the wave of a hand? They have expressed their support and they have taken a sizeable amount from the police budget and rerouted it to other programs. The chief has expressed a desire to retrain officers and they have eliminated several units within the department. It seems to me that Portland officials have been making changes, but it won't be enough for some until the mayor resigns and they shutter the police department. Does that sound reasonable?

 

[Taurus]

So what is your solution? How can the city officials of Portland get justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and many others? How can those officials institute racial justice with the wave of a hand? They have expressed their support and they have taken a sizeable amount from the police budget and rerouted it to other programs. The chief has expressed a desire to retrain officers and they have eliminated several units within the department. It seems to me that Portland officials have been making changes, but it won't be enough for some until the mayor resigns and they shutter the police department. Does that sound reasonable?

Yup.
If the mayor resigned and the next one purged the PD with near-100% turnover, that would do it.
Now, is that reasonable? No. But some action, not just words would likely defuse the situation.
At this point, I don't think *any* amount of mere words is going to do any good.
Words have failed too often in the past.

I hope you've followed my posting history long enough to have seen where I separate law enforcement into three categories.
Police officers
Cops
And pigs

 

[LA - L.A.]

And what tangible results do they seek that will end the protests in Portland?

That would best be answered by CoolBrees and his wife, absolutely no snark intended.

I thought the big issue was with the vandalism and violence during the protests. To that end, I do know that his wife and other women stood peacefully between police and protesters to prevent violent clashes and it worked. To me that's tangible.

I don't share your opinion that protests need to be ended before change can happen. Both can happen at the same time.

Empirically, blacks have protested for equality several different times throughout our history. Lots a promises were made to get the protests to end. While some of those promises were kept, most were not. History shows us that many of those promises were not made in good faith. I have no doubt you are a man of your word and that when you were an elected official you kept your word as much as it was in your power to do so. I also think you had the wisdom not to promise something you couldn't do, just to get someone to do what you wanted. Unfortunately, that is a rare trait among elected state and federal officials.

I'm okay with leaders of protests who do everything they can to keep their protests peaceful. I'm okay with peaceful protestors peacefully protesting as long as they feel they need to. Who am I to tell another person when they've said enough. That's there choice to make.

I agree with you that they should also be reaching out for private discussions with the appropriate people, but that can be done while the protests are happening. I would be suspicious of anyone that made ending a protest a prerequisite for opening discussions. That's because I personally see no reason not to sit down with someone while their group is actively protesting. In fact, I'd being reaching out to their leadership, but I know that's just me. Based on some of your posts, I think that's also how you are. We need more people like that running for higher offices.

Another thing about me, I despise being denied something for someone else's actions. It's like in grade school when the whole class was denied something, because someone couldn't play nice or follow the rules. That ticked me off back then and it still ticks me off today. That's why I don't think the peaceful protestors have an obligation to stop protesting just because some people don't know how to play nice or follow the rules. It gives too much power to the trouble makers. See a protest you don't like, no problem. Just go to it, cause trouble and the whole thing gets shut down. Nixon got that tactic down to a fine art and no doubt he wasn't the only one.

Richard, the rest of this is not a response to anything you wrote. It's just something I really want to say and I'm in kind of a stream of consciousness.

Ultimately, I put the responsibility for not limiting the vandalism and violence on the police department heads in Portland. I know that if they wanted to they could single out the rogue individuals and just deal with them. I know this, because several police departments throughout the country did just that and consequently those protests didn't escalate like in Portland and a few other cities. Just like the protestors, I'm sure some of the police officers in Portland and the other afflicted cities would rather keep things peaceful. At the same time, several of them and their leadership want the escalation.

I think I'm fair and mostly objective in looking at the situation. For instance, I was expecting much worse form the police here in Los Angeles, because both the LAPD and LA sheriff department have issues. They showed a clear policy of deescalation. Even though they had missteps, it was clear their top down goal was to keep things as calm and peaceful as they could. There are two things that most illustrated that. First was their use of tear gas. I don't like the use of it, but I give them credit for their clear policy of using. Without going into all the tactical details, they gave ample warning to disperse before using it, they allowed most of the people to slow disperse, and when they used the tear gas on those who wouldn't leave, they shot the canisters far enough from people that they had time to leave the area before any of it got to them. The other thing is the organized crime looting. They knew most of it wasn't the protestors, so they tracked the looters and busted most of them and their rings after curfew started. They could have easily used it as justification to use force against the proterstors, but they didn't. It looked bad in the videos and it gave a lot of fuel to the "Democratic mayors aren't doing anything to stop it" nonsense.

So I think the elephant in the room is that white nationalists infiltration of police departments is a real thing and most people underestimate it. I get it. Most people are decent folk and they can't imagine a police department being lead and heavily influenced by white nationalists. It's too horrible to accept, but it has happened. If you look at protests over the past 30 years across the nation, you will see that it's mostly the same cities that protests for equality escalate into major vandalism and violence. And it's not the most populated or the most "black" cities, so it's not a population issue.

I don't believe in coincidences in these matters. Too much actual verified evidence says that white nationalists groups like the Proud Boys and the Boogaloo Bois (sp) are doing most of the escalations from the side of the protestors. This has been shown many times in Portland for years before the current protest. This gives the bad elements in the police department the cover they need to retaliate in "self-defense."

I know few of us are even open to considering this is a reality. Most people are good folk and that makes it hard to fathom the white nationalist brutality that some of our police departments are capable of. I wish people would remember that once upon a time not long ago a bunch of good folk told themselves there's no way this can really be happening here. There's no way our government, our police, our soldiers, our good citizens would allow such a terrible thing. No way will we allow Jews and other marginalized people to be rounded up and sent into slave/forced labor camps.

Generations of white nationalists/supremacists in this country have never accepted the end of slavery. They never accepted legal and social equality for freed slaves. There have been organized groups of them ever since the end of the civil war. They have sought out and held positions of power and influence in our society since the end of the civil war. We even brought some ardent Nazi's into the US after WWII and gave them positions of power and influence, because they offered something we wanted. It's not like any of this is made up. It's all true. They're real, they've always been here, they've always been active in controlling and influencing our society to some degree and Trump is both emboldening and enabling them.

Now, I'm not saying they're anywhere close to seizing complete power and making us go the way of Nazi Germany. But they sure has heck want to do just that and if we don't stop them, they will. Stopping a problem always starts with admitting to having a problem. We need to admit that white nationalists/supremacists are a real problem and a serious threat.

What is BLM protesting for? Equal justice, treatment and opportunity for a group of people who are mostly the descendants of our former slaves. You want to know where white nationalists have the most influence on police departments? I say look at the cities where protests for equality by any marginalized group is met with the most violent force from police. Look at the cities were an unarmed black person gets shot by police as a threat, while a white armed person who has attacked someone gets treated as an ally, instead of the enemy, by the police.

Portland has been one of those cities for years and I don't believe in coincidences. I may be a dog barking at shadows, but I'd rather be a dog barking at shadows, than a dog fast asleep while the wolves devour members of my herd. One herd, one tribe, one nation, one species, one spirit.

 

[Richard]

I agree with most of what you said, but if I gave the impression that I believe protests have to stop before changes can take place, I apologize. I have understood that Portland officials have been making efforts to institutes changes, so my question has been what do they have to do to make people feel that they are moving in the direction they need to. All changes can't take place immediately.

Police in Portland have certainly made mistakes during the duration of these protests, but I think that their mistakes predate the last 100+ days. They have allowed the Proud Boys and antifa to clash on multiple occasions over the last several years and have not instituted effective policies that would discourage their presence in the city. As much as I believe that Trump and his actions have escalated tensions, I also believe that effective police procedures for the last few years would have lessened the opportunities for bad actors to influence circumstances. Unfortunately, their impotence prior to these protests emboldened those seeking to create anarchy.

The situation in Kenosha is evidence that white nationalist groups are trying to capitalize on the unrest by creating escalation. Instead of police seeing them as a threat to peace, they were embraced as helping protect property and that was a mistake that cost lives. White nationalist organizations should be seen as the threat to our nation's security that they are.

 

[LA - L.A.]

I agree with most of what you said, but if I gave the impression that I believe protests have to stop before changes can take place, I apologize. I have understood that Portland officials have been making efforts to institutes changes, so my question has been what do they have to do to make people feel that they are moving in the direction they need to. All changes can't take place immediately.

Police in Portland have certainly made mistakes during the duration of these protests, but I think that their mistakes predate the last 100+ days. They have allowed the Proud Boys and antifa to clash on multiple occasions over the last several years and have not instituted effective policies that would discourage their presence in the city. As much as I believe that Trump and his actions have escalated tensions, I also believe that effective police procedures for the last few years would have lessened the opportunities for bad actors to influence circumstances. Unfortunately, their impotence prior to these protests emboldened those seeking to create anarchy.

The situation in Kenosha is evidence that white nationalist groups are trying to capitalize on the unrest by creating escalation. Instead of police seeing them as a threat to peace, they were embraced as helping protect property and that was a mistake that cost lives. White nationalist organizations should be seen as the threat to our nation's security that they are.

I misunderstood you regarding protests having to stop before changes take place. I understand and agree that protesting is not enough. There needs to be discussions and negotiations to agree and commit to actual changes. I don't know how that's going to happen, but I do hope it happens soon.

 

[Ayo]

all of this underscores the difficulty in monolithically attributing violence to one group or another. I'm cynical, so that's going to bias what I think and I feel but I think it's only going to get more provocative and violent. With the perception that the violence helps Trump, his more ardent and violent supporters will seek out these opportunities. Or, like has happened before, commit mayhem and make it look like it was someone else.

I think this is more likely to get worse before it is likely to get better.

 

[CoolBrees]

First I am wicked tired so I am going to answer a bunch of points since my last post.

It was the Mayor’s birthday. That is why we we dressed up that night and we’re at his house in the first place. It WAS a party - for political theater. He had a party earlier that day and we felt it was ill timed for him to be celebrating on the city’s dime. So we wanted to join in.

I have said on multiple occasions the protests are not peaceful but non violent. As in property damage. There are those that believe having a peaceful protest only satisfies guilty liberals but actually accomplishes nothing. I believe there is an argument to be made.

Why must someone be Black to be a member of BLM? That Line of thinking is odd to me. My personal hero Abby Hoffman was a member of the Black Panthers, and I take my lead from his example and donate $ and I am a proud member. I am not a leader because it isn’t my voice that is needed - only my money and to add to the numbers.

The city has met with BLM. And promised to listen. That’s it. No one has done anything. The last budget proposal had no cuts or funds diversion to the police budget.

If you don’t want to believe it is a Proud Boys that’s fine. And they aren’t responsible for every firework or laser pointer or rock being thrown. There are anarchists amongst our side to be sure. But buildings being burned, trucks being run through crowds, and the violence against people is Proud Boys. We have a large white supremacy contingency that has a long disgusting history here. They have moved into Vancouver WA and eastern OR. Proud Boys have a large contingency here- called Patriot Prayer, run by tiny Josh Gibson and his media arm Andy Ngo. They aren’t hard to pick out.

There is a long standing and growing belief that white supremacists have infiltrated Portland and Sate police. I am in this group. FBI warned us almost 15 years ago and we did nothing to stop it as a nation. Tiny Joey Gibson was confronted at a gas station the night of the auto Hate Parade through Portland. There were over 8 officers that showed up in less than a minute. That is some coincidence, or he has phone numbers. There is video of this on my wife’s google share of this whole event. Which i will again be happy to share with anyone once I know who you are too. Thanks to all have joined.

As for what we want - Our actual demands are for Police defunding by 60% and diversion to social programs better suited for handling domestic disputes, mental health etc. We want a full funding of schools and healthcare. We want the remaining officers to wear body cameras and beat cops only be armed with non lethal weapons. That is it in a nutshell. We have 2 City Council on board. Our presumed next Mayor (leading in the polls), who is at the protests every night, Susan Iannrone, has made this her platform.

So what will make the protests stop? We won’t. Until those demands are met with action not just words.

Finally, my city isn’t burning. I live less than two miles (by the way the crow flies) from the federal building. You would not know this is going on here ever or downtown during the day. My wife is not a reactionary by nature. I was happily retired from eco-activism as that movement has been co-opted. But our current local and national environment have made the alternative untenable. My wife is a Social Worker that finds permanent (read adoptive) homes for children that the system deemed un-adoptable. I am a small business owner. Those with us in the streets are teachers, doctors, nurses etc - not unemployed marxists as you would be led to believe. I would love nothing more than to stay home and be with my kids instead of switching every other night with my wife to go get tear gassed. But if we only protest when it is convenient what’s the point? Making people uncomfortable is the point. My wife is next to me right now crying. Because her Alabama born mom is basically disowning her. I taste tear gas all the time.

But we ARE succeeding. Because you all are talking about us. The nation and our neo-facist President talks about us each day. More people are talking than ever before about real equity for PoC. That is how change will come to America.

What do I want? I want America to fulfill its promise to everyone of her citizens. Not just the white ones that look like me.

Now I have to go console my wife so she can go out today and help kids that are abused beyond belief. Hopefully you all can have a good day too.