One Person Is Enough: Standing Up in a Minnesota Winter

After another killing, Minnesotans gathered in grief and in resolve. Refuse silence.

A Note From Judith:

Saturday in Minneapolis

Saturday morning, another Minnesotan was murdered in cold blood on the streets of Minneapolis.

Although our Saturday protest had initially been canceled, word went out to our volunteers. By 1:00 p.m., in the bitter cold, we stood shoulder to shoulder: Protesting, grieving, and crying out for another life taken in our streets.

More than 430 of you showed up. It was difficult to get an exact count: Many people left early because of the cold, while others arrived later. Still, that is our best estimate.

The Day Before

The day before had been astonishing. Fifty thousand marched in Minneapolis and more across Minnesota. Businesses shut their doors to tell the rest of the United States that we were not going to take this anymore.

It was peaceful.
People sang.
People chanted.

At the airport, more than 100 clergy from many denominations prayed and sang in a peaceful protest against the now-daily deportation flights leaving Minneapolis/Saint Paul International Airport. All clergy were arrested, yet again, everything remained peaceful.

Names and Lives

Renee Good was peaceful.

Alex Pretti was protecting a woman who had just been shoved by ICE.

He was filming, as is our right under the Constitution. He was not attacking anyone, and yet he was shot in cold blood and then smeared by our government.

What We Are Living Through

Minnesotans have shown extraordinary restraint in recent weeks as ICE has taken over our cities and even our small towns. We have banded together, forming neighborhood watch groups and trying to feed neighbors who cannot safely leave their homes.

We thought children would not be targets. That belief was shattered when five-year-old Liam was taken and then two-year-old Chloe.

High schools have not been safe.
School bus stops have not been safe.

This is not just happening in Minneapolis. ICE activity has been reported as far as Belle Plaine, Hudson, Albert Lea, and Willmar. The economic effects are devastating, but the greatest toll is psychological.

Children are hiding in their homes—often with curtains drawn because of increasing drone use at all hours—or living in fear that ICE may come to schools to take a child or a teacher. People are avoiding medical care.

Fear has become routine.

The Danger of Looking Away

This is the moment when some people shut down emotionally.

They tell themselves nothing can be changed, or that it won’t affect them, so it’s best to look away. Others claim these actions are justified because they are removing “criminals and rapists.”

Liam was not a criminal.

The men trying to put a roof on a house in Chanhassen in bitter cold were not criminals.

They were people—people who work, love their children, and want to feel safe.

What We Must Do

Do not shut down.
Do not hide.

This is happening, and it will get worse unless we collectively stand up and fight back.

Make calls. Many calls.

Call Target and tell them you will no longer shop there because they are allowing ICE to stage in their parking lots. Cut up your RedCard and mail it to:

Target Headquarters
1000 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55403

Donate to organizations like Latino Voices so we can continue protecting our neighbors, or to groups like Bountiful Baskets or PROP.

Support ethnic restaurants and grocery stores. Join neighborhood groups. Participate in patrols.

Have other talents? Use them. Make T-shirts or buttons. Help organizations set up surveillance so they can worry less. There is always more to do.

Above all, we must protect free and fair elections. That means showing up for caucus night and staying engaged in who is running for office in your area.

Resolve

I won’t pretend this is easy. Anger, despair, and helplessness hit me every day.

But so does resolve. I take that anger and turn it into organizing and planning.

We protest, but we can protest more. A protest can be one person. Stand on a street corner or a bridge for an hour and hold a sign. Invite friends. If no one comes, do it anyway.

Get angry, Minnesota.

Stand up for Alex, Renee, Liam, and Chloe, for all the others being hurt and taken, and for us all.

Chaska Protests

Every Saturday from 1-2 pm at the corner of Hazeltine Boulevard and Highway 41 (Chestnut) [Map]

Waconia

Every Saturday from 11:30-12:30 pm at Highway 5 and County Road 10 in front of the Starbucks and Jersey Mike’s. [Map]

SW Protectors

Every first and third Tuesday from 6:30 – 8:00 pm. It’s no cost and come and go as you like.

Please do buy something to eat or drink, though, to support our venue, which is The Bellows restaurant and it’s located at 232 Pioneer Trail in Chaska.