I haven’t come in for a little while, but this article certainly requires it.
You say they sanitize the cruelty. They’re not sanitizing it, they are lying about it. And they’re lying about it because the cruelty is the point. This is what I have learned about the far right as a gay man. This is what I have learned about the far religious right as a gay man. The cruelty is the point. They like doing it under color of law. They like doing it under color of God. But that’s because the cruelty is the point.
The state legislature in Kansas just passed the law that says that the gender of someone on their drivers license must match their gender at birth. They have rescinded and de legitimized the drivers license of approximately 30,000 transgender people in Kansas, according to an article I read this morning. What was the point of this? There is not the slightest bit of evidence that a gender that matches the person’s presentation causes any problems for anyone. There’s not the slightest bit of evidence that a gender that matches the person’s presentation means that they are committing crimes. And above all, it certainly does not mean that they were sexually assaulting anyone at any time for any reason.
You want sexual assault? Look at the billionaires of the Epstein class. Look at Trump and nutlick. Look at the hundreds of pastors that are arrested, or convicted, or sentenced, every single goddamn year for their sex crimes against children, and whatever adults can’t outrun them.
I am so sorry. NO child of God should have to suffer the cruelty of hate and bigotry and racism, homophobia, xenophobia and misogyny that this godless man leads his dwindling base into spewing all over the country. If we can keep our democracy long enough to have the midterms, we can start the process of putting an end to this horrible chapter.
Thank you for your kind words. I absolutely agree. I’ve never understood this need to find somebody to hold in contempt for no other reason than that someone doesn’t like them. As I have written here before, I was bullied a lot as a child for being the weird kid, the Jewish kid, and the gay kid. It didn’t stop until I started fighting back and stopped caring whether I was hurt in the process.
thank you, Mike, for naming my grief, rage, and embarrassment at what our government is doing in our names. we are all implicated. renewing my commitment (especially as a person of faith) to challenge this evil at every turn
I imagine a prosecutor could make a case for first degree murder. Knowing he was blind, spoke no English, and could not use an electronic device, intentionally dumping him on the streets when it was cold enough for him to freeze to death, they knew he would die unless a good Samaritan appeared. It would be analogous to tossing someone into water knowing they can't swim and saying "we weren't trying to kill him, we expected another boat would show up and rescue him before he drowned"
As a retired prosecutor & not to minimize this case b/c I also was shocked & deeply saddened when I read this, but it is unlikely to be charged as first degree murder b/c the intentional requirement is a very high bar. But certainly most states would charge this as 2nd degree murder and/or manslaughter. In AZ, where I practiced for 36 yrs, both statutes require knowingly putting this person in a very dangerous situation with a high likelihood of death or serious injury, or an extreme recklessness & disregard of a known danger. (I'm paraphrasing — don't quote me on the legalese!)
In any case, yes, very serious crime. & the victim's helplessness would be an aggravating factor.
Horror after horror, travesty after travesty, incompetence after incompetence -- I was starting to numb out. I was on the verge of assuming this was the new normal. But trying to imagine the men (I'm guessing they were men) who did this to a blind refugee *and then lied about it*? I wish I believed in a literal, physical hell, because even if it exists, it's not hot enough for the ones who did this.
Each of us, regardless of our faith and heritage, understands just how WRONG, CRUEL and UNACCEPTABLE this is. Those ICE agents must be held accountable for what they committed: murder. There is no other way to understand this. Where are they? When will they be appropriately charged? And, WHEN will this stop?
This is something that should haunt 1ce barbie (the giant plastic gnome) and lewdwindowsky every time they travel in luxury (on our dime) and their biggest concern is retrieving their favorite blanket.
It could be me, except I am a single, white female who has severe cerebral palsy. I move and speak differently. My whiteness will only keep me safe so long. This scares me.
The individual agents who left this man in the cold saw, or should have seen, that the restaurant was closed. As individauas they should be prosecuted by the state for negligent homicide. Where is the state attorney general?
I haven’t come in for a little while, but this article certainly requires it.
You say they sanitize the cruelty. They’re not sanitizing it, they are lying about it. And they’re lying about it because the cruelty is the point. This is what I have learned about the far right as a gay man. This is what I have learned about the far religious right as a gay man. The cruelty is the point. They like doing it under color of law. They like doing it under color of God. But that’s because the cruelty is the point.
The state legislature in Kansas just passed the law that says that the gender of someone on their drivers license must match their gender at birth. They have rescinded and de legitimized the drivers license of approximately 30,000 transgender people in Kansas, according to an article I read this morning. What was the point of this? There is not the slightest bit of evidence that a gender that matches the person’s presentation causes any problems for anyone. There’s not the slightest bit of evidence that a gender that matches the person’s presentation means that they are committing crimes. And above all, it certainly does not mean that they were sexually assaulting anyone at any time for any reason.
You want sexual assault? Look at the billionaires of the Epstein class. Look at Trump and nutlick. Look at the hundreds of pastors that are arrested, or convicted, or sentenced, every single goddamn year for their sex crimes against children, and whatever adults can’t outrun them.
The cruelty is the point.
I am so sorry. NO child of God should have to suffer the cruelty of hate and bigotry and racism, homophobia, xenophobia and misogyny that this godless man leads his dwindling base into spewing all over the country. If we can keep our democracy long enough to have the midterms, we can start the process of putting an end to this horrible chapter.
Thank you for your kind words. I absolutely agree. I’ve never understood this need to find somebody to hold in contempt for no other reason than that someone doesn’t like them. As I have written here before, I was bullied a lot as a child for being the weird kid, the Jewish kid, and the gay kid. It didn’t stop until I started fighting back and stopped caring whether I was hurt in the process.
Those experiences are why I stand up for others
.
That made me cry ....
Me too, Lynn
May our tears water the fields of Resistance 💧✊ .... and Renewal 🌻
thank you, Mike, for naming my grief, rage, and embarrassment at what our government is doing in our names. we are all implicated. renewing my commitment (especially as a person of faith) to challenge this evil at every turn
I imagine a prosecutor could make a case for first degree murder. Knowing he was blind, spoke no English, and could not use an electronic device, intentionally dumping him on the streets when it was cold enough for him to freeze to death, they knew he would die unless a good Samaritan appeared. It would be analogous to tossing someone into water knowing they can't swim and saying "we weren't trying to kill him, we expected another boat would show up and rescue him before he drowned"
As a retired prosecutor & not to minimize this case b/c I also was shocked & deeply saddened when I read this, but it is unlikely to be charged as first degree murder b/c the intentional requirement is a very high bar. But certainly most states would charge this as 2nd degree murder and/or manslaughter. In AZ, where I practiced for 36 yrs, both statutes require knowingly putting this person in a very dangerous situation with a high likelihood of death or serious injury, or an extreme recklessness & disregard of a known danger. (I'm paraphrasing — don't quote me on the legalese!)
In any case, yes, very serious crime. & the victim's helplessness would be an aggravating factor.
Cruelty, lack of empathy, lawlessness are this Regime's trademarks and how they will be known forever.
Horror after horror, travesty after travesty, incompetence after incompetence -- I was starting to numb out. I was on the verge of assuming this was the new normal. But trying to imagine the men (I'm guessing they were men) who did this to a blind refugee *and then lied about it*? I wish I believed in a literal, physical hell, because even if it exists, it's not hot enough for the ones who did this.
Each of us, regardless of our faith and heritage, understands just how WRONG, CRUEL and UNACCEPTABLE this is. Those ICE agents must be held accountable for what they committed: murder. There is no other way to understand this. Where are they? When will they be appropriately charged? And, WHEN will this stop?
100% Mike, it's vile and despicable, it has be stopped.
This is something that should haunt 1ce barbie (the giant plastic gnome) and lewdwindowsky every time they travel in luxury (on our dime) and their biggest concern is retrieving their favorite blanket.
It could be me, except I am a single, white female who has severe cerebral palsy. I move and speak differently. My whiteness will only keep me safe so long. This scares me.
Thank you for writing this, Mike. I have been feeling white-hot rage ever since I learned of this gentleman's death at the hands of our government.
It is a waste of time to call our Republican Congressman because he is afraid to his job, or hold town halls.
Such a sad story aand describes the lack of empathy and caring for others. ICE officers are a reflection of Trump.
The individual agents who left this man in the cold saw, or should have seen, that the restaurant was closed. As individauas they should be prosecuted by the state for negligent homicide. Where is the state attorney general?
Good question!
It makes me want to grab a damn pitchfork.
Mme DeFarge -- she who sat knitting at the guillotine in TALE OF TWO CITIES -- has been living in my head for several months now.
We need Nuremberg trials.