Let me see your papers
The goons are in North Carolina. Somebody needs to stand up to these thugs.
When I was a kid, “Let me see your papers!” was always said with a harsh German accent that emphasized the evils of Nazism. Today, its a Republican campaign slogan.
In Charlotte this weekend, masked men toting assault rifles demanded to see the papers of a U.S. citizen sitting in his truck. When the man refused to accommodate them, they smashed his window, dragged him out of the truck, and threw him to the ground. He had just shown his “papers” to another group of border patrol agents minutes before.
I wonder why they kept asking for his papers. What made him so different than somebody like, say, me? Of course, we all know.
I would ask what’s wrong with our country, but I already know that, too. Republicans. A Republican administration is using para-military tactics to terrorize communities and to extract people from the country. The Republican-appointed Supreme Court has essentially authorized racial profiling. And rank-and-file Republicans refuse to criticize them or hold anybody accountable for anything.
The party that once criticized government agents as jack-booted thugs now cheers them on. The party that once claimed to champion states’ rights supports a cosplaying national police force patrolling city streets in camo gear. The party that once advocated for small government is now authoritarian.
Where are the police? Why isn’t Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department protecting its citizens? Why aren’t they arresting the thugs who destroyed that man’s property. And why aren’t they being charged with simple assault? What makes the border patrol goons above the law?
They didn’t have probable cause. The guy wasn’t doing anything illegal. If any other citizen had busted out that guy’s window, dragged him out of this truck, and thrown him to ground, they would have been arrested.
What happened to the 14th Amendment? And where are the lawyers when you need them? I hope they show up soon.
I'm a Charlotte resident. I attended an emergency Red Wine & Blue meeting last night and they shared a number of resources, including one on where people could donate to help those effected by these outrageous government actions:
* Carolina Migrant Network (https://carolinamigrantnetwork.org/) fuses legal services and community advocacy to provide holistic support for our clients and their families. Your funds will aid their activities including:
- ICE Hotline that notifies impacted community members of danger.
- Bail funds for neighbors kidnapped by ICE-CBP
* Latin American Coalition (https://latinamericancoalition.org/) “No one should face fear alone.” La Coalición has activated its Family Support Network to provide financial help to impacted families.
* ourBRIDGE for KIDS (joinourbridge.org) ourBRIDGE provides after-school programs and wrap-around services for immigrant and refugee families at three locations in Charlotte.
*Action NC (actionnc.org) Líderes en Acción has been leading the fight for immigrant justice in North Carolina.
I never wanted Charlotte to make the news in this way, but I am proud of how the community has sprung into action.
Most Americans don't understand just how close we are, even historically, to this situation. As I was growing up in South Africa, I witnessed the vile actions of police, and even ordinary non-police whites, demanding that black Africans produce their "dompas". At that time, the Apartheid government was supported in many ways by the US. Yet I still hear so many say "it would never happen here".
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/apartheid-in-south-africa/apartheid-in-south-africa-source-6a/.
"American exceptionalism" is a comfortable myth that is also our Achilles heel.