I’m done.  I’m done giving people the benefit of the doubt and trying to find empathy, compassion, or understanding for their political beliefs when these beliefs justify violence (murder) of innocent people. To put it simply, there is absolutely nothing that makes humanity’s inhumanity to “man” right.

What has been happening in Minneapolis/Minnesota has become my final straw. I am all for reasonable immigration laws and the enforcement of those laws, but what the recently appointed ICE army has been doing in Minneapolis is unconscionable. These actions have been both enabled and celebrated by the current administration (Donald Trump) and by those who still support him, including state-funded media who twist visual evidence to justify murder.  It’s disgusting, immoral, and just plain evil.

To me, it is no longer about (truly, it never really was) Republican, Democrat, Socialist, Libertarian, or otherwise, it is a simple matter of human decency. If you cannot have empathy or compassion for someone who hasn’t had it as easy as you, who has skin of a different color, loves differently than you, is of an ethnicity different than your own, has different religious or spiritual beliefs, or god-forbid hasn’t yet learned English or wears a hijab or turban, then I don’t know how I can have a single ounce of respect for you. Actually – I don’t.

I’m not sorry. In my mind, human beings deserve to feel safe, to have access to food, clothing, shelter, an education and healthcare. If one does not have access to these things within their home country, they have the right to seek it elsewhere. If they do not have access to these things in OUR OWN country, they have the right and duty to DEMAND it. And it is the right and duty of those who have to create a path for those who do not have so they can get those needs met. If we don’t do these things for each other, then we have failed as a species.

As it relates to immigration, I’m not talking about open borders. I’m talking about basic human decency – putting ourselves in another’s shoes and asking, “if I was in this situation, what help and support would I need and how would I want to be treated?”  It is as simple as this.

And to the great people of Minnesota who have been standing up for what is right and working together to protect their neighbors and keep them safe, I thank you.  From the bottom of my heart I thank you. The world is watching and I could not be more proud of the example you have set that now others can follow. You have shown the world that it is truly the people who have the power.  Thank you!