intertext

I started this entry a couple of times. It's really hard to be articulate right now, but I'm going to do my best. 

I was at the vigil for Renee Good, the legal observer who was murderer by ICE yesterday. The speakers were all very good and there was a lot of calls to "get organized." I agree? But, saying that sort of misses the point. Renee was only at the scene because Minneapolis/St. Paul *is* incredibly organized. ICE is afraid of us because we're actually very good at this.

On the flipside, one of the other speakers last night suggested that tragedy happens for a reason and only to people who can handle it. He was, I think, trying to encourage the crowd to keep fighting and that we should continue despite this tragedy, but there is a six year old child who can not handle their parent's death. Nobody in that family is okay today. They might never be okay again.

But here's something hopeful. naomikritzer and I went out when another call came out and drove over to Minneapolis from Saint Paul. On our way, I saw a random guy, by himself, marching with a sign that said "Fuck ICE" on it. (On our way back, I  noticed that he'd picked up another random protester.) When people in other parts of the world wonder, "When things like this happen, why don't Americans just flood the streets?" From what I could tell? Those of us who could, did. Spontaneously, all around the city, I saw signs taped to lamp posts with the same message to ICE. And, while Naomi and I never spotted any "federal activity" we did see a whole stream of human beings just marching and blowing whistles, headed into downtown MInneaoplis. We stopped and got out of the car and marched with them for a while. Every car that passed us shouted in solidarity. When we were parking, even, the person who parked across the street from us was also joining the spontaneous march (having also been out on patrol for ICE) and I gave them a whistle. 

Then the vigil. Like, I say above, there were, for me, some low spots, but that was nothing compared to the feeling of solidarity. Of being shoulder to shoulder with people who were as angry and heartbroken and motivated as me. 

Rest in power, Renee Good. We'll keep up your work until the last of those gestapo thugs are gone.