Yeah, yeah, no shit. But read further down in the article and you get this:

If there were law-enforcement agencies particularly ill-suited to anonymity, it would be Customs and Border Protection and the Border Patrol. From 2005 to 2024, nearly 5,000 CBP and Border Patrol officers were arrested, according to the journalist Garrett Graff, who testified about his findings to an accountability commission set up by the governor of Illinois. Information on the multitude of corruption-related charges faced by agents can be found on the CBP’s own website. “The crime rate of CBP agents and offices was higher PER CAPITA than the crime rate of undocumented immigrants in the United States,” Graff writes. Statistically speaking, “worst of the worst” seems to describe CBP and the Border Patrol as law-enforcement agencies better than it does the people they’re rounding up. (emphases mine)

To me, that’s the real story, right up there with and equivalent to what they’re doing at work.

The regime HAS to hire sociopaths to inspire fear and terror on the streets because no one else will do it, and even then some are starting to crash out. Applicants are already well aware there is neither honor nor glory in what they’re signing up for (that’s for the rubes) but it turns out that being called out to your own face daily, by entire crowds that never stop, in the worst language people can find, and finding yourself universally hated by everyone but your peers sucks the joy out of it too. You can’t even do it without getting swarmed and filmed now, much less as secretly as you’d like: it’s hard to savor that brutality when all those citizens are filming you from fifteen different angles.

So I’m not at all surprised to see stories coming out of individual ICE agents working under the influence, drunk driving, passed out in their vehicle covered in puke, or involved in theft and sexual assault, because they are FAILING. And not only are they failing, they are HATED. They’re not heroes, they’re not winning, they’re not even meeting their quotas. It’s inevitable that when all that mutual pseudo-military back-slapping bro-cheering togetherness ends and they end up in their hotel rooms alone some will be leaning hard into their preferred maladaptive coping behaviors, and that even the most effective of those will now be failing them.

Or to put it another way, these are brutal fucks who are hired because they get joy out of thuggery: take that away like the public has, surrounding them with cameras and calling them names and pointing out their exceptional incompetence in everything they touch, they’re just going to bust out in other ways.

In fact, I’d lay money on what we’ve actually seen of individual ICE sociopathy being the least of it, and that the reality and scale of ICE off-hours criminality is a hell of a lot worse than that. I’d also bet that at least part of that very large DHS budget has is dedicated to keeping as much evidence of ICE personal crime out of public sight as possible, by any means.

Not pics but a smoking fart. From January 29:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_6kGluvINg

There’s a small but audible fart around :33, and what some maintain is a squelchy sound around :44, but pay attention to the faces and positions of the people behind him, esp Ms. Green Jacket and Bobby Brainworm, and then the sudden immediacy with which the reporters are herded out. “Thank you! Thank you everyone! Thank you!” But keep your eyes on the two behind him: Bobby’s making some remark to her about it and she appears to want to use her folder to fan the air but is stopping herself until the reporters are out.

Also, enjoy the comments, lol.

Ally? That suggests both a specific intention and a longevity I can’t imagine she’s capable of.

I know I’m not. She’s no Bernie Sanders, lol.

She’s also still a racist, as per her regime-friendly reaction to Don Lemon’s arrest. I find that intolerable.

Oh, it gets better.

Right now there is a constitutional amendment (NOT convention, just an amendment; see footnote below**) in the works right now called “For Our Freedom” that would get unlimited campaign money out of US government and return control of campaign spending to Congress and the states. Heather Cox Richardson had a talk with one of the organizers on her channel last week, and I was surprised to see it’s already well underway, with just under half the states already prepared to ratify (map linked in footnote).

What this proposed amendment seeks to do is 1) constitutionally distinguish between humans and artificial “persons,” which overturns Citizens United and similar rulings, and 2) firmly establish the states and Congress as where election spending laws get decided, removing it entirely from the purview of the corrupt courts, which is how we got here to begin with.

When I first heard about it I didn’t think it had a snowball’s chance, but it turns out that legislators are in favor of it too because they have to compete in fundraising with all the PAC and foreign money now being thrown at their races by special interests, and all this cash is making it much harder for anyone not already purchased to win or keep a seat. This amendment helps them too, which is probably why it’s getting more than token support.

This is the proposed text of the amendment:

Section 1. We the People have compelling sovereign interests in the freedom of speech, representative self-government, federalism, the integrity of the electoral process, and the political equality of natural persons.

Section 2. Nothing in this Constitution shall be construed to forbid Congress or the States, within their respective jurisdictions, from reasonably regulating and limiting contributions and spending in campaigns, elections, or ballot measures.

Section 3. Congress and the States shall have the power to implement and enforce this article by appropriate legislation and may distinguish between natural persons and artificial entities, including by prohibiting artificial entities from raising and spending money in campaigns, elections, or ballot measures.

Beyond that I really only know what I heard in the talk and read in the FAQ so I’m probably not the best one to answer questions, but this is the most promising thing I’ve seen in some time, and apparently it stands a REALLY good chance of passing. I strongly encourage anyone interested to check it out, and especially listen to the guy explain it to Dr. Richardson. Good shit.

** Note: There are two methods to amend the US Constitution located in Article V. One is a constitutional convention, which no one wants (look it up if you’re interested). The other method, and the means by which we got most of our amendments, is when two-thirds – a supermajority – of both the House and the Senate approve a proposed amendment, AND then that amendment is individually ratified by at least three-quarters of the states. All the states can ratify (or not) but as soon as state ratification hits that magic number, which is 38 at present, it’s a valid constitutional amendment.

According to the map, this proposed amendment is now at 23 states approving, meaning that those states stand ready to both adopt the proposed amendment at the federal level when it appears before their representatives and senators in Congress, and then to approve it again it in their state legislatures when it comes back to the states for ratification. Fourteen more states are actively considering resolution at this time. Taken together, that’s almost three-quarters of the states already involved.

Just to add, THIS is what will make the difference. Find local action and go down there and meet people. Get to know your neighbors. Do it now so that when the time comes you will already know what to do and how you can help.

If you’re not sure where to start, try https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/ for a list of things going on near you.

There is a way you can quietly, unobtrusively support these people: just get to know them. If you get to know people, and by this I mean really listen, and take interest in what they say when they speak of whatever is important to them, later on all the little ways you can help will arise from that personal, direct knowledge over time, and between now and then maybe you’ve made a friend.

I’m not saying drape yourself over their cubicle wall and ask them detailed questions about their national traditions until you’re glowing and they’re weirded out; I’m saying get interested in who they are and what they have to say, and try to do it as naturally as you can. If you’re not good at friendly small talk, at least know their names and greet them like you’re glad to know them. In whatever way it means to you, be a friend so that when friends are needed, you’re on their list.

Don’t think that this casual ongoing personal interaction is powerless: rather, it is the source of our greatest strength. Community is what is saving Minneapolis, community is what is defeating ICE, community is what is getting people spontaneously out on the streets in freezing weather to prove that together we – a whole lot of individual I’s – WE have no intention of quietly standing for this shit.

WE is the most powerful thing we have.

And it all starts right where you are now: wanting to help and having no idea how. But you asked. To me, that counts.

Getting to know people before the trouble starts is how you know the best ways to act in their behalf if they ever need it, in ways that do not trample their agency or cause humiliation or, god forbid, increase their dread. As a nation of citizens we have been set at each others’ throats for far too long, a division that only succeeds because we plant ourselves behind screens and let complete strangers tell us what to think and how to feel. In doing this, we have forgotten how to just be friends. So start there. Pay attention to others. Greet people when you see them, even a nod. Learn to listen. Take general interest. See who responds and who doesn’t. In time this will open every door that can be opened, and also allow those who have their own reasons for staying aloof the personal privacy they want.

I feel the whole shame thing, but if you can, give yourself permission to set it aside. Seriously. Everyone starts somewhere. You’re starting here, and honestly I’m grateful for every single one of us who is feeling just as lost and wondering right now what can I do to help? But you asked; you’ve already made a start. It’s a good one. No shame required. And if you have nothing better in mind, then the answer is, build community. However you can, wherever you can, in whatever small ways feel right to you so that when the shit starts you’re already known as an ally.

EDITED to add link

Oh yeah. And then some. Back around the beginning of the month I got into it with someone here who was trying to play like they live in Minneapolis and know all about the city while they were putting out similar ragebait, except they had no idea, literally none, where George Floyd was killed. Oh, and the “American” genius who was holding forth on all the things the US Constitution says that are not actually in there while having multiple English lapses. That was some shit.

I should add that when I see this, I never offer the specific correction because I want other pretenders like them to fall into the same trap. So I pick around it to let them flounder in their obvious errors because I know anyone paying attention will see it for themselves, and I’d suggest that to others as well: point it out without actually correcting it. Highlight it, quote it, ask about it and all around it, but don’t call it wrong and don’t correct it, so that they can’t use your input to better their game.

To be clear, if someone’s not American and you have a bone to pick with the US, so what. Join the club.

But if you’re pretending to be American, actively lying about where you are so you can try to manipulate, discourage and get people to give up, then you can fuck yourself sideways with a rusty chainsaw and I absolutely will jam a stick in your spokes when I see it.

EDITED to clarify

Don’t pretend you know why they voted for Trump.

Even as you do exactly that, lol. I looked at your post and moderation history; you have a thing for making sweeping proclamations based on nothing but the crust on your right buttcheek. Yeah, no. Blocked.

You can’t tell the difference?

I don’t understand how you can’t know the difference, because this is your own claim.

Where’s that “legal route of succession” that’s already in the US Constitution? You know, the “national divorse” by way of the “constitutional way of states removing themselves from the Federal Government” you led with. You openly claimed,

There’s literally a constitutional way of states removing themselves from the Federal Government, that’s what national divorse means.

Your exact words. So, where is it? A simple enough question for someone as conversant with the US Constitution as you are, right?

This is very interesting to me because you have a lemmy account that’s barely a month old, and much of the time you are fluent in English, and other times – like in your interactions with me – you seem to be barely hanging on by your fingernails. But either way, you’re always desperate to push a narrative, and never able to answer any questions put to you about what you’ve already written.

So let’s talk about that “legal route of succession” that’s already in the US Constitution, the “constitutional way of states removing themselves from the Federal Government,” because YOU cared enough about it to bring it up.

Better yet, let’s talk about constitutionally evicting that orange kiddie rapist and doing a 25 for 47, because I’d far rather keep Minnesota in the union. No need to throw out a perfectly good state when one useless syphilitic pedo is the real problem. Do you think he’s being paid by Russia, Putin’s bitch? Or do you think that $500 million he banked in Qatar from selling stolen Venezuelan oil is the real story? I’m interested in your views on this.

EDITED to add direct quotes

God I hope so.

Yeah, I clock her as a True Believer as well. She’s also a person who believes the end justifies the means.

Put those two things together and they explain everything she’s ever done, including Jewish space laser claims.

A convention of states to amend the constitution;

Uh, no. That’s not a constitutional way of states removing themselves from the federal government; that’s a constitutional way to amend the constitution.

And why would we want to? I am so fucking proud of Minnesota right now you can’t begin to imagine. Why would I want them to leave? They are arguably the very best of us.

No, the one that needs to leave is the orange chancre and his minions. Why are you not talking about that? Minnesota’s not the problem here.

inserting another legal route of succession into the constitution.

Another? I’m still waiting to see the first.

Only thing I will give NYT credit for is the way they recently put together a bunch of the Renee Good videos, determined they showed (what the rest of us already knew) that the murderer was not in front of the car along with a visual explainer, and put it on the front page. That got the unvarnished visual evidence in front of a lot of people that would otherwise have not seen it.

But that’s just one thing, and they’ve been sanewashing for years. Beyond that, both the WSJ and the NYT is a big part of the reason we’re here. Maybe if they hadn’t worked so hard at bothsidesing insanity and lies they would not have lent such a helping hand to the speedrun into fascism that was 47ths first year.

10 day old account trying so hard to ragebait, regularly inciting violence, but accusing someone else of supporting rump.

That’s fucking rich, lol. Blocked.

Anyone else remember the wild accusations all these years about how tHe LiBrUlS wAnNa TaKe Ur gUnS!

But wait. Anyone noticing how it’s not the “libruls” shitting themselves right now, but the NRA and right-wing 2A groups who want no part of this new narrative?

For anyone paying attention, this was always the right wing plan. Always.

National divorse

constitutional way of states removing themselves from the Federal Government

that’s what national divorse means

Not from here, huh. Well, that’s alright. 1860 wasn’t the same everywhere around the world, of course.

Never forget she was AG of Florida from 2011 to 2019, and could readily have prosecuted Epstein herself. It’s not like he stopped offending in 2008.

It’s hard not to interpret as only citizens (or in some way white people) matter

I took it the same way you did. The person who responded to you was of course correct, but the larger truth is that 100% ALL lives matter, black and brown lives every bit as much as white lives, non-citizen lives as much as citizen lives, etc. The distinctions are both immaterial and artificial in terms of value of life, a way to foster division where in truth there is none.

I’m glad you posted. It’s a good reminder.

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Me and mine will be participating in solidarity, and I hop everyone angered by this insane govt overreach does whatever they can as well. A bunch of little adds up to a lot, and the powers that be hate that shit, so Friday the 23rd is the perfect time for all of us – not just Minnesotans – to do whatever we can.

I don’t expect mainstream media to cover it fairly, though. Any more that’s news by the rich, for the rich, and they hate this kind of thing. (Anyone else remember the air traffic controllers and how they got demonized for YEARS by the Reagan administration and the press? Yeah.) I’ll wait for Minnesotans to tell us how they feel about it on the day.