Time to Stand Together

To the editor:

The recent events in Minneapolis have reached a level of depravity that should haunt every American, regardless of where they sit on the political spectrum. The murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both American citizens, at the hands of federal agents are not just “tragedies” or “accidents,” they are a chilling demonstration of what happens when federal agencies are weaponized, poorly trained, and shielded by a dishonest leadership.

While these killings happened states away from our homes here in Central Texas, the implications are right on our doorstep.

We must be clear about the facts. Renee Good, a mother of three, was shot and killed in her car by an ICE agent as she was trying to drive away. Weeks later, Alex Pretti, a VA intensive care nurse and lawful gun owner with no criminal record, was tackled and shot multiple times in the back by Border Patrol agents. In both instances, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) immediately released narratives claiming the victims were “domestic terrorists” who “rammed” or “threatened” officers. Not one iota of evidence has been provided that supports these asinine claims. However, multiple bystander videos of these events have since exposed these claims as boldface lies. In Mr. Pretti’s case, video shows him holding nothing but a cellphone while attempting to help a woman who had been pepper-sprayed. The gun he was licensed to carry was reportedly removed from his holster by agents before he was shot ten times while pinned to the ground.

This is no longer a debate about immigration policy. This is about the fundamental right to life and due process.

First, the “Gestapo” tactics being utilized.. masked agents, warrantless entries, and the use of lethal force against nonthreatening US citizens.. are an affront to the Constitution.

Second, the ineffective and reckless leadership of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has created a culture of impunity where agents feel entitled to act as judge, jury, and executioner.

Third, the lack of basic training and de-escalation skills among these field agents has turned them into a liability to all of our communities rather than a source of security.

It is time for the Left and the Right to stand together. Conservatives who believe in limited government and the Second Amendment should be outraged that a lawful gun owner was murdered, shot in the back, for his presence at a protest. Liberals who champion civil rights should be horrified by the state-sanctioned execution of a healthcare worker.

If we allow the federal government to murder American citizens and then lie about it to the public, we no longer live in a free republic. We must demand the immediate removal of ineffective DHS leadership and a total cessation of these “surge” tactics before the next victim is someone from our own community.

Eric Green La Grange