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I'm Thomas Mills for PoliticsNC. Today is Tuesday, April 15th, 2025, and we return to a dark place in our history. It's been more than 70 years since authorities could snatch people off the street and disappear them into a gulag for some indeterminate period of time. That practice largely ended in 1955 after the lynching of Emmett Till.
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After almost 60 years of Jim Crow rule, enough people finally became outraged at the vigilante justice and lack of due process that had condemned so many African Americans to death or long prison sentences. Before then, black men were regularly picked up for petty crimes or just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
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They were sentenced to work camps where they provided slave labor to build roads and bridges, tunnels and railways. just to supply labor for local industries. You know, they kept taxes and wages low. Donald Trump has brought it back with a twist. His goons are snatching people off the street and sending them to foreign gulags

The real Trump Derangement Syndrome

We've returned to a dark place in our history.
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Transcript:

I’m Thomas Mills for PoliticsNC. Today is Tuesday, April 15 2025 and we’ve returned to a dark place in our history.

It’s been more than 70 years since authorities or quasi-authorities could snatch people off the street and disappear them into a gulag for some indeterminant period of time.

That practice largely ended in 1955 after the lynching of Emmitt Till.

After almost 60 years of Jim Crow rule, enough people finally became outraged at the vigilante justice and lack of due process that had condemned so many African Americans to death or long prison sentences.

Before then, Black men were regularly picked up for petty crimes, or for just being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and sentenced to work camps where they provided slave labor to build roads, bridges, tunnels, and railways or to supply labor for local industries.

You know, kept taxes and wages low.

Donald Trump has brought it back with a twist.

His goons are snatching people off the street and sending them to foreign gulags with no due process.

He’s not using a corrupt justice system like the ones that condemned Black men to hard labor.

He’s ignoring the justice system altogether.

He’s refusing to comply with an order from the United States Supreme Court to return and unlawfully imprisoned man.

And a lot of Americans are cheering.

Republicans in Congress are acting like Southern legislatures of the early 20th century.

They are turning their backs on the rule of law and civil rights.

They won’t defend the courts.

They are complicit in undermining the Constitution and supporting authoritarianism.

They are the real victims of Trump Derangement Syndrome.

They are deluding themselves.

Watching him threaten our allies, end long-standing trade agreements, blow up our alliances, side with dictators, crash the stock market, trash civil rights, ignore court orders and pretend that’s good for our country?

That’s Trump Derangement Syndrome.

They are the descendants of the people who argued to keep other people enslaved.

They stripped voting rights and civil rights from citizens at the turn of the 20th century.

Now, they’re watching silently as a would-be dictator threatens to send American citizens to foreign gulags.

It took almost 70 years to defeat them last time.

We may have to fight longer this time.

I’m Thomas Mills signing off for PoliticsNC.

Discussion about this video

User's avatar
Martha Morningsong's avatar

Good to hear a Southern voice speak up with the historical truth of our racist history - AGAIN.

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Marvelmoves's avatar

Thank you sir

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Joy Hewett's avatar

With Civil Rights, ending the Vietnam war (eventually), we seemed to be making progress. We have black legislators who never endured segregation. We elected Obama. When t-rump came on board, many of us were horrified. A nasty underbelly of hate was revealed with his mobs. We must resist, continue to reach out to legislators, our neighbors, to end this authoritarian dictatorship. Even in local elections we can vote for those who stand up for ordinary folks, equality and diversity. Project 2025 is happening, and the working class must wake up.

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Doug's avatar

The Supreme Court depends on the US Marshals Service for enforcement, raising concerns about whether it serves the courts or the President. Historically, Presidents have used the military for enforcement, the best example has been desegregation , but the current President may not feel obligated to uphold his oath of office. Congress has the power to impeach a President for failing to faithfully discharge the duties of his office including "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors." However, some Republicans in Congress prioritize personal interests over constitutional oaths, effectively we are in a dictatorship.

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Ivanitch Mike's avatar

Serious question I’ve been looking all morning for the answer to: what enforcement mechanism does SCOTUS have to enforce their order for the administration to bring Abrego Garcia back from El Salvador?

A few bailiffs with pistols probably won’t do the trick.

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Joy Hewett's avatar

I've been wondering the same thing--is there anyone in the justice system or law enforcement left who can go down and get those snatched without rule of law?

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Rebecca's avatar

Exactly. They’re the only ones who deranged by this mango felon. I can’t understand it.

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Jim Duffett's avatar

Right now Thom

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They were sentenced to work camps where they provided slave labor to build roads and bridges, tunnels and railways. just to supply labor for local industries. You know, they kept taxes and wages low. Donald Trump has brought it back with a twist. His goons are snatching people off the street and sending them to foreign gulags