The Republican Administration claims the right to arrest and “disappear” anyone to another state (or to another country), at any time, by masked men, without charging them with any crime.
This is outrageous, illegal, and unconstitutional. The Republican Administration does not care. When ordered to stop the deportation of five named plaintiffs to a foreign prison, the Administration simply ignored the court order. The Republican Secretary of State actually reposted an online comment by El Salvador’s dictator, “Oopsie … Too late”!
The end of due process
When I watched the video of the March 25th “detainment” (kidnapping) of Tufts University student, Rumeysa Ozturk by six armed, masked, ICE agents, I wondered, “Who are these guys?” “Why are they committing an obviously illegal act?” There was no accusation of a crime, no reading of her rights, no presentation of a legal warrant, just handcuffs and a waiting unmarked car. The very fact that they wore masks suggests to me that they were ashamed of their own actions.
The danger is manyfold: 1. The administration, indeed, most Republicans, don’t care about the protections supposedly afforded to everyone by the Constitution. 2. The very existence of “private” prisons creates a massive financial incentive to incarcerate as many people as possible, for as long as possible, as cheaply as possible, and with as few rights as possible. 3. The threat that one can now be arrested for “unapproved” political speech has a chilling effect on our First Amendment rights.
Enabling Fascism
We are in a Constitutional crisis. The Republicans are destroying the Republic before our very eyes. There are many, many, indicators that we are in crisis. But what most concerns me is the people who are enabling these corrupt billionaires, and the politicians they have bought (or scared into submission), to take apart our country.
Who were those plainclothes guys in Somerville, Massachusetts wearing masks and harassing a doctoral student? On one video, a guy says, “We are the police.” But when they are asked, more than once, why they are wearing masks the thugs do not answer. In the sound recording, one passerby wonders if he was witnessing a kidnapping.
Bullies with Badges
Fascism requires “tough guy” bullies to enforce its edicts. During WW2, German military (and paramilitary) wore long black leather boots known as jackboots. Since then, “jackbooted” has been a synonym for ruthless and violently oppressive behavior.
As the long dark night of Republican MAGA Fascism settles in, a frightening question we all should ask ourselves is, “How well do we know and trust our local police?” Remember, they are not trained to consider guilt or innocence, that is supposed to be left up to the (now corrupt) courts. They certainly never question the Constitutionality of any law. The police are merely “enforcers.” They do what they are told and “pick up” whomever they are told to “suspect.”
This is not to point fingers at the average cop on the beat. But in the hierarchy of law enforcement across the country, there is an increasing number of MAGA lieutenants, giving orders, who support the new fascist regime and are willing to use police power to enforce the new political agenda.
When will they come for you?
We can see, at the top, the obvious servility to the fascist cause of Pam Bondi, the Attorney General. The Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, is now fully corrupted and doing his part to advance the fascist agenda. And, of course, the Supreme Court has long been bought and paid for.
My more immediate concern is who will be knocking at MY door. I am a known MAGA “dissident.” How long will it take for the nice local police officer who oversees the safety of kids walking home from the nearby school to become a violent, masked, thug pounding on my door? He surely will obey once his own personal and financial interest requires him to bow before the new king.
I hope I am wrong.
Sources: (Please watch the videos linked below. The crisis becomes more “real” when you see it happen).
Robert Kuttner, “‘Oopsie…Too Late’,” The American Prospect, March 17, 2025.
Gloria Pazmino, et al, “What we know about the Tufts University PhD student detained by federal agents,” CNN, March 28, 2025.
Gale King, “New video shows Tufts University student detained by ICE over pro-Hamas accusations,” CBS News, March 27, 2025.
Katy Tur, “Canadian citizen describes her ‘nightmare’ 12 day ICE detention that came without warning,” MSNBC, March 21, 2025.
Pardon me if I make what is probably a tiresome observation. But I must say something. Ann and I listened to all of conference. I was hoping for some advice from the brethren regarding our constitutional crisis. I heard NOTHING. Is our Church afraid of Trump? Does it like Trump? Don’t know. But I’m pretty sure the Church will not defend us if the Trump goons come for us.