We all already ARE Minneapolis. We just tell ourselves otherwise. Injustice in one place is, in my thought, an injustice everywhere. We just don't know it. We tell ourselves otherwise. We. are. one.
Your reporting is on fire, dear Hamilton. Because of you, we can smell, taste, and see what is going on in the warmest city in the nation. Minneapolis has set the bar high for Americans today. Please stay safe. (And thank you, Elizabeth, and all your neighbors for your corporal works of mercy)
Thank you, Hamilton. I really appreciate your first hand observations. I note, below, Deborah Carver's comments. For those people who've considered the Midwest a "fly over zone," think again! I hadn't realized how much preparation and organizing have been going on there. I'm very moved. Also, so moved by the PBS photos of the massive demonstration on Friday.
People underestimate the Midwest, but this is where lasting change starts. And it starts in church basements, tiny wood paneled community centers in towns no one’s ever heard of and places like Elizabeth’s studio apartment.
I can't believe I'm still "shut down" by people when I bring up anything - from international to national events. "Don't talk politics." Excuse me??? "It's so depressing. So negative. So polarizing." I am not a D or R. I am a concerned citizen! WTAF is WRONG with these people? They are literally delusional about what has been brewing for decades, and think they have the luxury of burying their heads in the sand? We all know the "first they came..." thing. I'm so proud of Minneapolis. So disgusted, and TBH, disappointed by the Minnesota state police for protecting the ICE agents instead of the community members! My point is, I understand your thoughts about "brunch." I hope are able to reproduce the same level of community support, courage, and obstruction (because resistance sounds like such a flimsy verb) in our community.
Exactly! Why do our otherwise loveable friends/family/neighbors recoil with It’s Politics! when just trying to observe that it’s beyond all that 😡 So frustrating
Everything you're saying here: 100%! I don't understand how it is that there can still be people seeing what's currently happening and not understanding that choosing disengagement is only an option if you're ok with being complicit with harming innocent people. If we had a better system, if Citizens United hadn't come down, maybe it would be possible to have the luxury of "not doing" politics. This is definitely not that world. Ironically if more people had cared about politics sooner maybe we could have avoided all this. Regardless though it's just so exhausting and frustrating to deal with people who refuse to see the reality of what's happening now.
The difference is that we in MPLS have been talking with our neighbors for years on a small scale and noticing what has been happening on a large scale. The difference is that we lived it before. That I was prepared for the neighborhood where I got married and where I built my business to be under siege doesn't make it less heartbreaking.
Our activist community is vocal and helps us understand our rights and our resources, and we don't dismiss them as "overly political." I like to think our amazing local media also does a good job of helping us understand the facts of what's happening. We love MPR.
That's why many of us can speak to activism even in the private sector, even on Sunday morning before 8AM before we have had our coffee. That is why we feel comfortable just barging into people's substack comments (god bless an open form field!) because it's a conversation we are ready to have.
Start talking to your friends who would still go to brunch because this isn't rage bait.
There are decent folks here, I don't want to give the impression there are none. But it is very stark to me to see the difference between Minneapolis and Louisville considering we know what the similarities are, you know?
I have met many great people, including some awesome mpls transplants, from Louisville. I only spent one overnight there but it seemed very familiar to me, a bit more like Charleston, and tiny. My point is just that resistance and organization is about in-person conversation and helping adults realize that we are not powerless. Also, it doesn’t have to be about political parties because they aren’t helping that much tbh, although please do call your reps and senators.
Thank you for this. If these assholes continue to be little horror puppets,killing and gassing innocent people, may their fate be the same as the scum who wore the swastika. Ernie Kovaks was an American comedian; in one of his skits, he was "Buffalo Bongo" and the star of the show was a Howdy Doody puppet who wouldn't stop making cruel remarks to him, so he calmly picked up a pair of scissors, walked over to "Howdy" and cut his strings. Let's cut the strings of the cowardly frauds who have the hand of another fraud up their butts.
Hamilton, your reporting is outstanding. I hope that your posts will get picked up by other media outlets to get a wider audience. Thank you for your excellent work.
We all already ARE Minneapolis. We just tell ourselves otherwise. Injustice in one place is, in my thought, an injustice everywhere. We just don't know it. We tell ourselves otherwise. We. are. one.
Tear gas. Do not use water. Use milk.
This happened to me and thankfully mmy neighbours came out with milk.
Luckily we’re in a milk rich area. Thanks, I didn’t know!
I didn't either but I live in France now and people here have been used to riots etc for a long time.
ALSO do not hug anyone who has been sprayed!!!!!! Nasty stuff.
Thanks, Hamilton. Also I am pretty sure you can get a proper gas mask at the ace on Nicollet and 38th or the hardware store on 36th and Bryant.
Your reporting is on fire, dear Hamilton. Because of you, we can smell, taste, and see what is going on in the warmest city in the nation. Minneapolis has set the bar high for Americans today. Please stay safe. (And thank you, Elizabeth, and all your neighbors for your corporal works of mercy)
Thank you for being on the ground, Hamilton. Your reporting is so valuable, clear, evocative, incisive, and humane.
NYC stands with Minneapolis!
Excellent, as per the reg.
For all just in case you need the info or to spread around: to help Minneapolis: https://www.reddit.com/r/minnesota/comments/1qcfpmw/how_you_can_help_master_list.
But it’s coming to all of us, and soon; that is true.
We are Gaza now. The Trump regime has chosen the path of Israel, who knows only one thing: extermination.
Great writing about unbelievably horrific times. Thanks to all the Elizabeths in Minnesota.
Thank you, Hamilton. I really appreciate your first hand observations. I note, below, Deborah Carver's comments. For those people who've considered the Midwest a "fly over zone," think again! I hadn't realized how much preparation and organizing have been going on there. I'm very moved. Also, so moved by the PBS photos of the massive demonstration on Friday.
100%
People underestimate the Midwest, but this is where lasting change starts. And it starts in church basements, tiny wood paneled community centers in towns no one’s ever heard of and places like Elizabeth’s studio apartment.
Hamilton, great on the ground reporting. Thank you. The Minnesota Star Tribune and you are the only reliable news sources I can find these days.
Thank you for being there. I'm sick to my stomach.
Anyone interested in donating to support Mpls protests, great info here:
https://www.standwithminnesota.com/
Thank you, Hamilton, for taking the risks to keep people informed!
I feel like the majority of my neighbors would just keep going to brunch. I hope that's not true but I have to plan like it is.
I can't believe I'm still "shut down" by people when I bring up anything - from international to national events. "Don't talk politics." Excuse me??? "It's so depressing. So negative. So polarizing." I am not a D or R. I am a concerned citizen! WTAF is WRONG with these people? They are literally delusional about what has been brewing for decades, and think they have the luxury of burying their heads in the sand? We all know the "first they came..." thing. I'm so proud of Minneapolis. So disgusted, and TBH, disappointed by the Minnesota state police for protecting the ICE agents instead of the community members! My point is, I understand your thoughts about "brunch." I hope are able to reproduce the same level of community support, courage, and obstruction (because resistance sounds like such a flimsy verb) in our community.
Exactly! Why do our otherwise loveable friends/family/neighbors recoil with It’s Politics! when just trying to observe that it’s beyond all that 😡 So frustrating
It’s not politics. It’s a criminal enterprise coup
🎯
Everything you're saying here: 100%! I don't understand how it is that there can still be people seeing what's currently happening and not understanding that choosing disengagement is only an option if you're ok with being complicit with harming innocent people. If we had a better system, if Citizens United hadn't come down, maybe it would be possible to have the luxury of "not doing" politics. This is definitely not that world. Ironically if more people had cared about politics sooner maybe we could have avoided all this. Regardless though it's just so exhausting and frustrating to deal with people who refuse to see the reality of what's happening now.
How many people inn the US went along with this immigration plan.......no foresight.
More than half of the folks who "don't do politics " for sure.
The difference is that we in MPLS have been talking with our neighbors for years on a small scale and noticing what has been happening on a large scale. The difference is that we lived it before. That I was prepared for the neighborhood where I got married and where I built my business to be under siege doesn't make it less heartbreaking.
Our activist community is vocal and helps us understand our rights and our resources, and we don't dismiss them as "overly political." I like to think our amazing local media also does a good job of helping us understand the facts of what's happening. We love MPR.
That's why many of us can speak to activism even in the private sector, even on Sunday morning before 8AM before we have had our coffee. That is why we feel comfortable just barging into people's substack comments (god bless an open form field!) because it's a conversation we are ready to have.
Start talking to your friends who would still go to brunch because this isn't rage bait.
There are decent folks here, I don't want to give the impression there are none. But it is very stark to me to see the difference between Minneapolis and Louisville considering we know what the similarities are, you know?
I have met many great people, including some awesome mpls transplants, from Louisville. I only spent one overnight there but it seemed very familiar to me, a bit more like Charleston, and tiny. My point is just that resistance and organization is about in-person conversation and helping adults realize that we are not powerless. Also, it doesn’t have to be about political parties because they aren’t helping that much tbh, although please do call your reps and senators.
Thank you for this. If these assholes continue to be little horror puppets,killing and gassing innocent people, may their fate be the same as the scum who wore the swastika. Ernie Kovaks was an American comedian; in one of his skits, he was "Buffalo Bongo" and the star of the show was a Howdy Doody puppet who wouldn't stop making cruel remarks to him, so he calmly picked up a pair of scissors, walked over to "Howdy" and cut his strings. Let's cut the strings of the cowardly frauds who have the hand of another fraud up their butts.
Hamilton, your reporting is outstanding. I hope that your posts will get picked up by other media outlets to get a wider audience. Thank you for your excellent work.
Stay safe comrade. These dispatches are invaluable.