By James B. Ewers Jr. Ed.D.
America is a nation that has laws and rules. They govern our everyday lives. Wherever we go, at least in this country, we know we are protected. We know that we are safe because of them.
As I was coming of age, my earliest recollection of rules was in my house. My parents had certain rules that I had to follow. For example, I had to make my bed, and I had to do my homework. Those were just a few of them.
I had the good sense to follow them. Not following them put me at risk. If you are old school, you know what I mean by the phrase, “put me at risk.”
Back then, there were some unjust laws that were in place. There wasn’t much compromise about them. During my early years, there were rules in my city and state that didn’t benefit all people. The overarching term to describe them was segregation.
America just celebrated the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday. He was one of many leaders who helped to change laws that gave people more rights. Without struggle and sacrifice, people of color and other marginalized groups would have been hopeless and forgotten.
The premise is that laws were made to protect all people. Is that premise still being followed? Let’s fast-forward to today, when laws on the books aren’t being followed as they should be.
In America, we have the right to assemble in a peaceful and orderly way. We should not be subjected to brutality or intimidation. Self-expression peacefully has always been a part of our democracy. Has that changed?
The city of Minneapolis has become the center of violence and protests. America is watching, and the reviews aren’t good.
The tragic death of Renee Good in Minneapolis has triggered a number of events in which ICE agents have overstepped their authority. This sentiment has been widely confirmed by citizens in the city.
Now, just a few days ago, another citizen, Alex Jeffrey Pretti was shot and killed by ICE agents. Video shows his registered gun was taken from him before he was shot. While the gun was registered in another state, he was shot after the gun was taken from him.
There have been different reports about the deaths of Ms. Good and Mr. Pretti. At this juncture, tempers are high and will remain that way for the foreseeable future.
Regarding the untimely death of Renee Good, the lead attorney for the Good family, Antonio M. Romanucci said, “We believe the evidence we are gathering and will continue to gather in our investigation will suffice to prove our case.”
Public outcry is split between Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Many say the current administration has not given a sufficient rationale to dispute claims of overstepping by these federal agents. Their statements are not grounded in law and order. However, they are indicative of putting fear in the lives of folks in Minneapolis.
Another case in this same city involved a boy and his father. The boy is five years old. According to reports, the man had been granted asylum and was therefore legally in the country from Ecuador.
At this writing, the father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Ramos, and the son, Liam Adrian Conejo Ramos, are at the Dilley detention center in Texas.
If you take a step back, what we have here is a five-year-old boy being detained in a prison-like setting. It’s his 5th year on earth, and he is being held in a strange place by strange people.
I hope what is playing out in the city of Minneapolis troubles you, regardless of your political stripes. If you are in the office, how are you feeling right now? So, America, we do have laws, some rewritten and some interpreted differently. We have standards, yet we struggle to adhere to them. Oh, America, what is happening to us?
