Good versus Evil

"This is no longer theoretical." Once the early sadness and rage of watching the Minneapolis shooting video subsided, that was the thought which haunted me. We, the segment of the population actually worried about losing freedom and being tread upon, have wondered when an incident like this would occur. When a U.S. citizen would lose their life to the overreach of ICE agents. We have watched as citizens have been dragged away to who knows where. We have watched as immigrants who may or may not be here legally have been whisked off without due process. We have seen protesters arrested and shot with non-lethal (but not non-dangerous) force for questioning the methods of ICE agents. Witnessing these incidents we have assumed at some point ICE agents would murder an American citizen without just cause. We have reached that point. It is no longer a question of when or what if. It is no longer theoretical.
Renee Good is dead because Jonathan Ross murdered her in cold blood. It doesn't matter that Renee was a mom, or a lesbian, or a poet. Though those facts add layers to the story and deepen the tragedy, it only really matters that she was human. (Not that the "All Lives Matter" folks in my feed seem to give a damn. But I digress.) And she was robbed of her humanity in an inhumane act.

It boggles my mind that Ross's actions are being defended. It shouldn't, I suppose, but it does. It confounds me because I have two functional eyes. I have seen the videos. Multiple angles. Slow motion replays. His actions were unwarranted, and I will not be gaslit by those who say otherwise. Nevermind that ICE has no jurisdiction to pull that woman from her car. Nevermind that failure to obey a police offer (which, of course, ICE agents aren't even) isn't a capital crime. Nevermind that even if it were a capital crime the execution would not be carried out on a neighborhood street. Nevermind that real law enforcement officers, not these fascist goons cosplaying in their camouflage and masks, are trained to stay out of a vehicle's path. Nevermind that this piece of garbage had zero reason to have his gun drawn. Nevermind all these things. Even if they were all true, Jonathan Ross was not in danger. This shooting was not in self-defense. Renee Good had ample opportunity to run him down if she wanted. Instead, she turned her wheels hard to the right and slowly started to drive away. The videos don't lie.

Perhaps more troubling than watching an innocent civilian citizen being murdered by her own government, is the aftermath. The administration's immediate response was disgusting. Villifying Good and instantly labeling her a "domestic terrorist", a notion which would be completely laughable if it weren't so tragic. The rush to justify the murder from both government officials and my fellow countrymen. The unquestioning, rubber stamp response of "Comply or die." As if obey or be killed should ever be the only choices. The fear and intimidation designed to quell dissent and quash protest. It's all harrowing, horrifying, and too damn important to turn away from. Oh, you don't watch the news? You'd better because the news is coming for you. Things I never thought would occur, things I shrugged off as impossible are happening. Please pay attention; it's no longer theoretical.