127: Shadow Army in Portland
Last week the Secretary of Homeland Security released a press release warning the American people just how dangerous the “violent anarchists” in Portland are. His list includes 17 counts of graffitiing a courthouse, damaging fences, “throwing animal seed”, vandalizing two security cameras, breaking windows, and throwing fireworks. That doesn’t sound too terrible to me.
For these acts, unidentified federal officers in with no badges and in unmarked cars are pulling people off the streets. A special task force was created by the Department of Homeland Security in response to Trump’s Executive Order to combat civic unrest. They dropped into Portland and are kicking the crap out of the protesters.
Local Portland authorities have said repeatedly they do not want the federal officers there, and that they are deliberately aggravating the tensions in the city according to orders. On Friday both of Oregon’s senator and the U.S. Attorney in Oregon called for an investigation into “constitutionally questionable arrests in Portland” by this shadow army. The governor of the state of Oregon asked for them to be removed and the Dept of Homeland Security refused:
More and more our US government is getting closer to fascism. I even looked up the term to make sure I got it exactly right. Here it is:
a form of far-right, authoritarian ultranationalism characterized by dictatorial power, forcible suppression of opposition, as well as strong regimentation of society and of the economy
Yep, that seems to be the playbook.
On that note, the administration on Friday made it clear they intend to take these tactics nationwide. When asked about the arrests in Portland, here’s what they said:
Yep, their response was:
“this is a posture we intend to continue not just in Portland but in any of the facilities that we're responsible for around the country.”
- Acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Ken Cuccinelli
One thing that’s interesting is that all of the people speaking for the Trump administration from Homeland Security and also the head of US Customs and Border Patrol (the people leading the army) are all “acting” secretaries, which means they have not been confirmed by the Senate and thus can be fired at any time by Trump. Just to note that.
This freaks me out. What is happening with our country? Instead of working together to beat a once-in-a-century pandemic, we’re deploying "stormtroopers" across the country to maintain control. What!? I do not feel good about what’s happening in America right now.
John Lewis
Very sad to hear of John Lewis’s passing on Friday. Here’s a guy who helped to organize the 1963 March on Washington where Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke to more than 200,000 people. Just 23 years old, Lewis spoke at the event. Two years later, as Lewis and 600 marchers hoping to register African American voters in Alabama stopped to pray police troopers charged the marchers, beating them with clubs and bullwhips, and fracturing Lewis’s skull. He was in “the shit” and saw America at its worse and remained stoic. He served 32 years in Congress after that. Instead of paying tribute to this man, we’re headed in the other direction.
Other Stuff
This walking pod is totally ridiculous - yet also super safe
A video on how make a donut mask:
Not really relevant to anything other than it’s a great pitch
Corona
The U.S. death toll has topped 140,000, with 775 new deaths reported on Saturday.
That’s it everyone. Have a great Monday. I’ll leave us with a John Lewis quote from two years ago:
Only 64 more days to go