as was likely to happen, there is a surge of ice activity in the (blue) state i live in. there had already been a surge in december, which seems small in comparison to today.
it's been reported that there is a month-long "operation" which ice/feds will conduct in minnesota's metro areas. as we know, they like to say that they'll go after "criminals" and then disturb and detain ordinary folks. today, i have already seen children and citizens who were seized and detained (thankfully released later). i have heard that many folks are missing out on work, skipping school, and locking themselves in their homes.
our community here is strong, but as we have been pleading (to anyone, maybe even as a reminder to ourselves) we are just human.
many of us are ducking our heads down, focusing on surviving, on toughing out the storm. and yet i want to remind you that, whether we speak about this in numbers or anecdotes, the harm is happening. right now. we are human and we feel it.
at the end of the day, i remain hopeful. if there is anything i believe in, it's that good wins. but between the whiplash of fear and hope, i want to make room for your (my) hurt.
the rage from continually being criminalized, heck even dehumanized. the stress of the paranoia, anxiety, fear that seeped into our daily lives. the anguish of uncertainty, of missing relatives or friends. the trauma of encounters, arrests, detentions. the confusion of the legal process, of memorizing your rights, of what can or can't happen. the doomscrolling of news and seeing your community enduring violence, harassment, and mistreatment. the hurt of wondering when it will stop, when will things be normal again, how long do we have to wait until we can look up again?
there are times for resolutions, calls for action, organization, but for today i let myself grieve.
