It seems like the tone of this blog has changed since the election. It's no longer about pointing out the good and bad of our community but becoming more like the rest of the rhetoric published these days. Be afraid, be angry, be helpless, be very afraid, we are all good, our federal government is all bad. How disappointing to see another reference to Germany in how our country is becoming the 3rd Reich.
Everyone seemed to like Zuckerberg despite his wealth when he only allowed the Democratic/Socialist voice, it was only when both voices were allowed that he became the enemy.
We can choose to tear ourselves down with division or we can choose to build ourselves up by working together. Better Minneapolis should be that, finding a way to better our city. Using it as a tool to separate the community and spread fear laced with hate will only accomplish the opposite. Hate begets hate, even if the cause seems right and just. We need to find where this anger is really coming from because it seems to be here the minute we wake up and only gets worse as the day progresses. We should be loving our country knowing it it imperfect instead of tearing it to the ground.
I recognize that not everyone agrees with the protests. There is also a risk of overusing terms like “fascism” to the point where they lose their meaning. It was not my intention to contribute to calls for fear, but rather to note that an inflection point appears to be occurring—and that, in large part, this moment is being driven by Trump and his policies. One can disagree with the tactics used to express opposition while still acknowledging that a genuine “rupture” has occurred and that some form of opposition is warranted.
Yesterday, Judge Fred Biery in Texas ordered the release of five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, condemning their arrest as unconstitutional. In his opinion, he wrote that it reflected “the perfidious lust for unbridled power” and “the imposition of cruelty.”
There is room for those opposing “Operation Metro Surge” to reconsider and refine both their tactics and their language. This opposition is decentralized by nature, and the risk that some groups will take unpopular actions that undermine the broader message is real. For many, storming the church crossed a line. A balance is needed—one that allows us to call out federal overreach without being dismissed as alarmist.
The comments coming from our Mayor, Governor, Senators, etc. actually seem worse than what is coming from the Feds these days and most likely contributed to the deaths of 2 citizens. Our locally elected leaders have taken an aggressive stance to defy federal law. There has been no call for calmer voices and responses and we keep drawing lines in the sand while saying "we dare you to cross". The Feds are not without fault but I know they are not 100%wrong either. Part of the problem is many if the recent phrases used to defy the Feds have become so commonplace that little attention is given to how hurtful, crazy and threatening they can be all because the cause is believed to be righteous. Righteous can be very dangerous if everyone is reacting instead of working twards a solution most can live with. Being human makes it nearly impossible to be in complete alliance so why is it the goal?
I used to think our justice system was mostly fair. The biggest problem was related to money, as wealthy individuals often weren’t held to the same standard, and could afford better legal representation if they were.
But it’s pretty clear that a massive shift has taken place, and the book is spot on for our current situation. Trump has hijacked the DOJ. We now live in both a dual state and a prerogative state.
I’m proud of my fellow Minnesotans for standing up to the injustice, and of Americans nationwide, and those across the globe, who are standing by our side. As the old saying goes, history doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes. We have the awareness of that, and are effectively short-circuiting the current administration’s nakedly fascist approach to governance.
The best and worst of humankind is on full display in Mpls. Friends from across the country have checked in out of concern for my well being in the midst of what is seen as chaos. I think about the shaping forces, beginning with the Mpls sanctuary city policy which set up an adversarial relationship with federal immigration enforcement. Frey and a united Mpls city council call for "ICE out", and Walz wants them out of MN altogether. Which implies they are not in favor of enforcing immigration law. ICE is harrassed, threatened, stalked and wnistles employed that impact emotional stability. There are questions about ICE tactics and lawsuits are multiplying. This is not happening outside of Mpls, as ICE goes about its job. Protesters are embedded with paid agitators focused on wnipping up the outrage. Who benefits the most from not bringing an end to this chaos?
Consider that democrat leaders have spent the past 10 years demonizing Trump. and positioning him as the evil villian irregardless of what good he has accomplished. ICE becomes the enforcer of the villian. Social media continue the message because emotional outrage feeds it and generates more clicks. The paid agitators are working on the behalf of both democratic and democratic socialists as a weapon against the Trump and Republicans in the midterms.....keeping the chaos going is to their advantage. It feels like we are pawns in a much larger game.
As always, it is the most vulnerable among us who suffer, and the best among us are helping their neighbors survive the storm. We need our lawmakers to work together on immigration reform and Frey and Walz to cooperate with Tom Homan to bring order to Mpls.
Some cooperation will be necessary if we are to move beyond the current situation. However, I question the concept of paid agitators. Who do you think is getting paid? And who is paying them? Other than rumors, I haven't seen any evidence.
I make a distinction between peaceful protestors and agitators (which break laws in the name of civil unrest). There is funding support for organizing instructure and leadership that encourages protesting. A handsomely paid example is local activist Nekima Levy Armstrong, funded by the Wayfinder Foundation, which is committed to making subgrants to community activists who work on anti-poverty and racial justice issues.. She was one of the organizers of the storming of a St. Paul church. A 2024 tax filing shows Armstrong was paid $215,726 plus $40, 548 in health and other benefit costs. The foundation awards were just $158, 811. Previous years shows a similar pattern.
The Soros Open Society Foundation also supports protests:
Then, an organization called "Crowds on Demand" will produce people willing to protest or attend a political rally for a fee, etc. I doubt they want to make their clients public, nor do I think it is illegal.
Where is the line between peaceful protests and agitators? Doesn't take much for an emotionally charged crowd to turn into a mob. Paid or not, anyone who crosses the line into agitation is a danger to all of us.
Laura, I won’t attempt to tackle everything you’ve said. But I’m gathering that Armstrong—who I really don’t like at all, btw—is your only evidence of paid agitator.
From your own link about Soros: “There is no credible evidence that Soros or his foundations pay individual protesters to attend events. A viral 2025 post claiming Trump said Soros paid "5 million actors" was debunked as a digital forgery.”
Your previous comment above says this: “Protesters are embedded with paid agitators focused on wnipping up the outrage.” But it seems like this statement is massive overreach based on the evidence you provided. There have been tens of thousands of protesters in Minneapolis alone. Funding for things like the Target Center (paid for by a labor union, I believe) surely have come from people with deep pockets. But to paint the protests as something other than grass roots is wrong.
I am a long-time listener of Galloway’s various podcasts. I like his strike idea. A one-day local strike in Minneapolis seems to hurt only small local businesses. Galloway’s long-term strike against the oligarchy seems like a better approach.
Also consider that many of these local businesses contribute the many of the families that are too afraid to leave their homes. They help because they know after many years of working together they are good and do not deserve the current fear and intimidation. Closing these businesses, small and large, for short times makes it difficult for these businesses to continue. No one wins if the business closes.
It seems like the tone of this blog has changed since the election. It's no longer about pointing out the good and bad of our community but becoming more like the rest of the rhetoric published these days. Be afraid, be angry, be helpless, be very afraid, we are all good, our federal government is all bad. How disappointing to see another reference to Germany in how our country is becoming the 3rd Reich.
Everyone seemed to like Zuckerberg despite his wealth when he only allowed the Democratic/Socialist voice, it was only when both voices were allowed that he became the enemy.
We can choose to tear ourselves down with division or we can choose to build ourselves up by working together. Better Minneapolis should be that, finding a way to better our city. Using it as a tool to separate the community and spread fear laced with hate will only accomplish the opposite. Hate begets hate, even if the cause seems right and just. We need to find where this anger is really coming from because it seems to be here the minute we wake up and only gets worse as the day progresses. We should be loving our country knowing it it imperfect instead of tearing it to the ground.
I think the assumption is that everybody in the city is on board with the protests and in solidarity
Dear Linda & Paul,
I recognize that not everyone agrees with the protests. There is also a risk of overusing terms like “fascism” to the point where they lose their meaning. It was not my intention to contribute to calls for fear, but rather to note that an inflection point appears to be occurring—and that, in large part, this moment is being driven by Trump and his policies. One can disagree with the tactics used to express opposition while still acknowledging that a genuine “rupture” has occurred and that some form of opposition is warranted.
Yesterday, Judge Fred Biery in Texas ordered the release of five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, condemning their arrest as unconstitutional. In his opinion, he wrote that it reflected “the perfidious lust for unbridled power” and “the imposition of cruelty.”
There is room for those opposing “Operation Metro Surge” to reconsider and refine both their tactics and their language. This opposition is decentralized by nature, and the risk that some groups will take unpopular actions that undermine the broader message is real. For many, storming the church crossed a line. A balance is needed—one that allows us to call out federal overreach without being dismissed as alarmist.
Thank you for reading and commenting.
Terry
The comments coming from our Mayor, Governor, Senators, etc. actually seem worse than what is coming from the Feds these days and most likely contributed to the deaths of 2 citizens. Our locally elected leaders have taken an aggressive stance to defy federal law. There has been no call for calmer voices and responses and we keep drawing lines in the sand while saying "we dare you to cross". The Feds are not without fault but I know they are not 100%wrong either. Part of the problem is many if the recent phrases used to defy the Feds have become so commonplace that little attention is given to how hurtful, crazy and threatening they can be all because the cause is believed to be righteous. Righteous can be very dangerous if everyone is reacting instead of working twards a solution most can live with. Being human makes it nearly impossible to be in complete alliance so why is it the goal?
I used to think our justice system was mostly fair. The biggest problem was related to money, as wealthy individuals often weren’t held to the same standard, and could afford better legal representation if they were.
But it’s pretty clear that a massive shift has taken place, and the book is spot on for our current situation. Trump has hijacked the DOJ. We now live in both a dual state and a prerogative state.
I’m proud of my fellow Minnesotans for standing up to the injustice, and of Americans nationwide, and those across the globe, who are standing by our side. As the old saying goes, history doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes. We have the awareness of that, and are effectively short-circuiting the current administration’s nakedly fascist approach to governance.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_They_Came?wprov=sfti1#Text
This is not an immigration story.
It’s a governance story.
What happens when a welfare state subsidizes non-assimilation and punishes oversight? Minneapolis gives the answer.
https://mrchrisarnell.com/p/from-minneapolis-to-somaliapolis
#Governance #WelfareState #CivicDecline
The best and worst of humankind is on full display in Mpls. Friends from across the country have checked in out of concern for my well being in the midst of what is seen as chaos. I think about the shaping forces, beginning with the Mpls sanctuary city policy which set up an adversarial relationship with federal immigration enforcement. Frey and a united Mpls city council call for "ICE out", and Walz wants them out of MN altogether. Which implies they are not in favor of enforcing immigration law. ICE is harrassed, threatened, stalked and wnistles employed that impact emotional stability. There are questions about ICE tactics and lawsuits are multiplying. This is not happening outside of Mpls, as ICE goes about its job. Protesters are embedded with paid agitators focused on wnipping up the outrage. Who benefits the most from not bringing an end to this chaos?
Consider that democrat leaders have spent the past 10 years demonizing Trump. and positioning him as the evil villian irregardless of what good he has accomplished. ICE becomes the enforcer of the villian. Social media continue the message because emotional outrage feeds it and generates more clicks. The paid agitators are working on the behalf of both democratic and democratic socialists as a weapon against the Trump and Republicans in the midterms.....keeping the chaos going is to their advantage. It feels like we are pawns in a much larger game.
As always, it is the most vulnerable among us who suffer, and the best among us are helping their neighbors survive the storm. We need our lawmakers to work together on immigration reform and Frey and Walz to cooperate with Tom Homan to bring order to Mpls.
Hi Laura,
Some cooperation will be necessary if we are to move beyond the current situation. However, I question the concept of paid agitators. Who do you think is getting paid? And who is paying them? Other than rumors, I haven't seen any evidence.
Thanks,
Terry
I make a distinction between peaceful protestors and agitators (which break laws in the name of civil unrest). There is funding support for organizing instructure and leadership that encourages protesting. A handsomely paid example is local activist Nekima Levy Armstrong, funded by the Wayfinder Foundation, which is committed to making subgrants to community activists who work on anti-poverty and racial justice issues.. She was one of the organizers of the storming of a St. Paul church. A 2024 tax filing shows Armstrong was paid $215,726 plus $40, 548 in health and other benefit costs. The foundation awards were just $158, 811. Previous years shows a similar pattern.
The Soros Open Society Foundation also supports protests:
https://www.google.com/search?q=george+soros+funding+of+protests.&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS1177US1177&oq=george+soros+funding+of+protests.&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRiPAjIHCAIQIRiPAjIHCAMQIRiPAtIBCTE2MjY1ajBqNKgCAbACAfEFbZ-yhCgJ7aY&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Billionaire Neville Singham backs the socialist party and organizes protests: https://oversight.house.gov/release/oversight-republicans-investigate-funding-behind-los-angeles-riots-linked-to-chinese-communist-party/#:~:text=Reporters%20from%20the%20New%20York,Attorney%20General%20Pam%20Bondi%20.
Then, an organization called "Crowds on Demand" will produce people willing to protest or attend a political rally for a fee, etc. I doubt they want to make their clients public, nor do I think it is illegal.
Where is the line between peaceful protests and agitators? Doesn't take much for an emotionally charged crowd to turn into a mob. Paid or not, anyone who crosses the line into agitation is a danger to all of us.
Laura, I won’t attempt to tackle everything you’ve said. But I’m gathering that Armstrong—who I really don’t like at all, btw—is your only evidence of paid agitator.
From your own link about Soros: “There is no credible evidence that Soros or his foundations pay individual protesters to attend events. A viral 2025 post claiming Trump said Soros paid "5 million actors" was debunked as a digital forgery.”
Your previous comment above says this: “Protesters are embedded with paid agitators focused on wnipping up the outrage.” But it seems like this statement is massive overreach based on the evidence you provided. There have been tens of thousands of protesters in Minneapolis alone. Funding for things like the Target Center (paid for by a labor union, I believe) surely have come from people with deep pockets. But to paint the protests as something other than grass roots is wrong.
I am a long-time listener of Galloway’s various podcasts. I like his strike idea. A one-day local strike in Minneapolis seems to hurt only small local businesses. Galloway’s long-term strike against the oligarchy seems like a better approach.
Also consider that many of these local businesses contribute the many of the families that are too afraid to leave their homes. They help because they know after many years of working together they are good and do not deserve the current fear and intimidation. Closing these businesses, small and large, for short times makes it difficult for these businesses to continue. No one wins if the business closes.