I'm a Mom Who Came Out to Protest.........

[aubiefifty 18,231]

I'm a Mom Who Came Out to Protest for Black Lives in Portland. I Was Shot by Federal Agents

 

Our president wants you to believe I am a terrorist, a professional agitator stalking the Pacific Northwest.

Four days before federal agents shoot me in Portland, Ore., I riffle through the garage, shooing spiders from my son’s snowboarding helmet. Will it buckle beneath a steel baton? I press my daughter’s swim goggles to my face, testing the fit. Can they repel tear gas? I run my hands over my husband’s life jacket. Can it stop a bullet?

I don’t yet realize how many other moms are slipping oven mitts into backpacks (to minimize burns when tossing aside flaming grenades and tear-gas canisters), how many dads are hoisting leaf blowers from sheds (to clear tear gas), how many teens are gathering plastic toboggans to shield themselves from officers in combat fatigues aiming stun-grenade launchers through temporary fencing around the federal courthouse. This is what happens when you rattle the barricade that policymakers hide behind, screaming “Black lives matter,” protesting for 60-plus nights the brutal tactics officers use to kill Black men on camera and Black women in beds.

The night I am shot, the sky shimmers with a leftover Fourth of July firework lit by a privileged son whose college closed in the spring. He is here because Black lives matter to him but also because he senses the video game he now plays nightly has sprung to life and he won’t be left out. That boy is pretext, he and his friends tossing plastic water bottles at stone walls, justification for an elite force to quell a gathering of Black people and their allies at the door of the same courthouse where four years earlier the white militiamen who led an armed takeover of another federal building in Oregon were acquitted of any wrongdoing in a 41-day siege.

Courtesy Joan Henderson-Gaither/Ellen Urbani

I listen to a Black man on the Justice Center steps invoke the memory of John Lewis while thousands of doctors, veterans, teachers, attorneys stand peacefully, our hands in the air. It is Lewis’ words–“Freedom is the continuous action we all must take, and each generation must do its part to create an even more fair, more just society”–that echo as the gas swallows me. I feel men crashing into me as they flee pepper bullets and fires from flash-bang grenades, dragging choking, bleeding bodies away, but I hold my ground because I know the law: a federal injunction prohibits the use of gas unless the lives or safety of the public or the police are at risk, and that is obviously not the case here. I listen and am prepared to obey dispersal orders from authorities, but they never come.

But I am also naively stunned by the suspension of my lifelong privilege. Those federal agents are the brothers-in-arms of men I love–my father the Navy submariner, my former father-in-law the disabled Marine, the police officer I swooned over in my youth–and I am a white woman, the high school cheerleader those feds once fell for, the sorority girl they courted, the one person those officers truly referred to when they swore an oath to serve and protect. If they are willing to turn on me, to fire on me, for finally breaking my silent complicity and standing with and for my Black neighbors, what havoc will be wreaked on the Black bodies left behind if I vacate this street?

For a second the gas lifts, and it seems there are only a few women left, standing arm in arm in the yellow shirts those agents know mark us as mothers, just empty asphalt between us and the men some other mothers raised.

And that is when they shoot us, point blank, with impact munitions. The woman on my right falls forward; the woman on my left is struck in the head; I feel my bone break. My right ankle is encased in a bulky cast after a fall the previous week, and those American sons shoot my other foot out from under me.

Today, now that federal agents have withdrawn, our protests go on peacefully. But America, be wary. Forget Portland at your peril. Everyone thinks they’d have joined the Resistance if they lived in 1940s Europe, when we know that most stayed inside, served supper, tucked the children into bed with a kiss and a lie: “All is well, close your eyes.”

Don’t wait to be knocked off your feet. It may be you they aim for next.

[jj3jordan 2,171]

Stay home.

[Mikey 16,781]

19 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

Today, now that federal agents have withdrawn, our protests go on peacefully.

Bwahahaha! She should have turned on her local TV news before writing this nonsense.

[aubiefifty 18,231]

24 minutes ago, Mikey said:

Bwahahaha! She should have turned on her local TV news before writing this nonsense

she was there and you were not. ins. so typical of you repukes.instead of applauding her courage and bravery you make fun of her for exercising her right as an american citizen. i bet if that was your mom she would blister you behind. but of course no one can do anything legit like the current crooks in the white house who by the way are trying to make it whiter.

[AUFAN78 4,156]

21 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

Today, now that federal agents have withdrawn, our protests go on peacefully.

She lied throughout the article fidy. Do not get emotionally drawn into a lie. Do some research.

https://www.oann.com/violence-continues-in-portland-days-after-withdrawal-of-federal-agents/

[AUFAN78 4,156]

https://www.rt.com/usa/497227-portland-violence-continues-federal-withdrawal/

[aubiefifty 18,231]

Just now, AUFAN78 said:

She lied throughout the article fidy. Do not get emotionally drawn into a lie. Do some research.

no she did not i called her and asked..........but she said beware 78 because he is a certified trump cult member. you know, gods chosen one......

[AUFAN78 4,156]

4 minutes ago, aubiefifty said:

no she did not i called her and asked..........but she said beware 78 because he is a certified trump cult member. you know, gods chosen one......

Why say more? Brilliant.

[Mikey 16,781]

12 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

she was there and you were not. ins. so typical of you repukes.instead of applauding her courage and bravery you make fun of her for exercising her right as an american citizen. i bet if that was your mom she would blister you behind. but of course no one can do anything legit like the current crooks in the white house who by the way are trying to make it whiter.

I was trying to be nice and give you an out that she hadn't kept up with the news. However, we both know she's a bald-faced liar. The violence has worsened since the feds left, anyone with a radio or TV knows that.

[AUFAN78 4,156]

http://hopelesslypartisan.com/more-peaceful-protests-in-portland/

[ArgoEagle 2,050]

Protesters possess the following traits: They are annoying, they take up valuable space that could be used for something constructive, they add no social value to our country, and they use protesting as an excuse not to work and therefore actually contribute to the economy. And those are their good points.

[ArgoEagle 2,050]

And predictably "ichy" has given a thumbs down to my post. Now I won't be able to sleep tonight. At least it wasn't a face palm. Thanks ichy.

[homersapien 12,230]

17 minutes ago, ArgoEagle said:

Protesters possess the following traits: They are annoying, they take up valuable space that could be used for something constructive, they add no social value to our country, and they use protesting as an excuse not to work and therefore actually contribute to the economy. And those are their good points.

This country would never have come into being without protests.  "Ever heard of the Boston Tea Party"?  Protesting injustice is as American as you can get. 

Geeez, read a little history.    

[homersapien 12,230]

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/10/elections-republicans-black-lives-matterbacklash-389906

Facing bleak November, Republicans look to stoke BLM backlash

"Facing possible electoral calamity, Republicans are now turning to a familiar playbook: stoking fear by trying to redefine the Black Lives Matter movement as a radical leftist mob looking to sabotage the white, suburban lifestyle.".......

 

 

[jj3jordan 2,171]

3 hours ago, homersapien said:

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/10/elections-republicans-black-lives-matterbacklash-389906

Facing bleak November, Republicans look to stoke BLM backlash

"Facing possible electoral calamity, Republicans are now turning to a familiar playbook: stoking fear by trying to redefine the Black Lives Matter movement as a radical leftist mob looking to sabotage the white, suburban lifestyle.".......

 

 

They don't need redefinition. Just go to their website and read for yourself what they stand for.

[AuburnNTexas 7,317]

6 hours ago, ArgoEagle said:

Protesters possess the following traits: They are annoying, they take up valuable space that could be used for something constructive, they add no social value to our country, and they use protesting as an excuse not to work and therefore actually contribute to the economy. And those are their good points.

As any who follow me know. I am very conservative and am more Pro-police then anti-police. That said this statement is wrong. Protesting is what this country is founded on and it very acceptable.  I know there have been many peaceful protests in Portland and other places.

My problem is not with protesting but with violent protesting with no purpose.

It is sad on Fox news if you look at Portland you only see the late night early morning minority of protesters who are very violent. On MSNBC and CNN you would think there was never any violent protests. There are many peaceful protesters in Portland and there have been an awful lot of violent protests in Portland it is sad to get any semblance of balanced journalism you have to watch the different Cable and mainstream media outlets and make a guess as to who is telling the truth.

The lady in this story maybe telling the truth she was just there at the fence and was shot and did nothing wrong but we know that at the same time others were throwing frozen water bottles, bricks, fireworks at the agents and many agents were hurt. I don't know the lady and so have no reason to believe she knowingly lied but I have seen enough to know even though she may have been innocent there is a good possibilty she was there when others were not and that is why she was hit.

[ArgoEagle 2,050]

18 minutes ago, AuburnNTexas said:

As any who follow me know. I am very conservative and am more Pro-police then anti-police. That said this statement is wrong. Protesting is what this country is founded on and it very acceptable.  I know there have been many peaceful protests in Portland and other places.

My problem is not with protesting but with violent protesting with no purpose.

It is sad on Fox news if you look at Portland you only see the late night early morning minority of protesters who are very violent. On MSNBC and CNN you would think there was never any violent protests. There are many peaceful protesters in Portland and there have been an awful lot of violent protests in Portland it is sad to get any semblance of balanced journalism you have to watch the different Cable and mainstream media outlets and make a guess as to who is telling the truth.

The lady in this story maybe telling the truth she was just there at the fence and was shot and did nothing wrong but we know that at the same time others were throwing frozen water bottles, bricks, fireworks at the agents and many agents were hurt. I don't know the lady and so have no reason to believe she knowingly lied but I have seen enough to know even though she may have been innocent there is a good possibilty she was there when others were not and that is why she was hit.

Well, I said a while back. I live in Walker County AL. We have an awesome Christian Sheriff. But make no mistake about it, he is a go getter when it comes to putting criminals away. A couple of weeks after the protests started, we were informed protestors were headed to Jasper. Our Sheriff beefed up security to insure that the Jasper Protest did not get out of hand. He also welcomed the protestors and even fed them (how about that?) Yes there are peaceful protests that exist If, if, if they are properly handled by law enforcement.  My point is: After a peaceful protest is conducted it"s then time to move on past it. When people camp out in an area and have protest after protest, then they are overstepping their bounds. That's when they morph from peaceful to riots.

Make your point, get out, and go back to your normal life. I would not mind it so much then.

[aubiefifty 18,231]

On 8/7/2020 at 9:22 PM, jj3jordan said:

Stay home.

it is one of her rights to protest. hey maybe we should take away one of your rights like owning a gun? see how that works? trumpers are cultists anyway.

[jj3jordan 2,171]

1 hour ago, aubiefifty said:

it is one of her rights to protest. hey maybe we should take away one of your rights like owning a gun? see how that works? trumpers are cultists anyway.

You clearly don’t know what a cultist is.  And I didn’t say she shouldn’t be able to protest.  I am suggesting that if these protests affect her in this manner then perhaps she would have a more enjoyable life if she stays home.

[AUFAN78 4,156]

1 hour ago, jj3jordan said:

You clearly don’t know what a cultist is.

To be fair to fidy, he isn't alone with that ridiculousness on this forum. The ignorance is baffling. 

[aubiefifty 18,231]

10 hours ago, jj3jordan said:

You clearly don’t know what a cultist is.  And I didn’t say she shouldn’t be able to protest.  I am suggesting that if these protests affect her in this manner then perhaps she would have a more enjoyable life if she stays home.

you people give trump a pass on everything. everything. you do not hold him accountable for sh*t. you people even make up excuses for him. most of you refused to admit trump made fun of a handicapped guy on natty television and then turn around and call him gods chosen one. there is more but it is early and i need more coffee.

[GiveEmElle 1,559]

We’ve already arrived at the exact place in time Germany was in years ago under the Nazi regime. People in our country, our state, and even our message board have defended atrocities so antithetical to democracy since Trump’s reign began. They’ve defended firing  on immigrants. They’ve defended caging immigrant children. And now they are gleefully thrilled about attacks on American citizens. And make no mistake, if the time comes that this administration starts putting people to death in mass numbers, they’ll cheer that too. We have witnessed a devolving of humanity within our country. It’s heartbreaking. 

[AuburnNTexas 7,317]

4 hours ago, GiveEmElle said:

We’ve already arrived at the exact place in time Germany was in years ago under the Nazi regime. People in our country, our state, and even our message board have defended atrocities so antithetical to democracy since Trump’s reign began. They’ve defended firing  on immigrants. They’ve defended caging immigrant children. And now they are gleefully thrilled about attacks on American citizens. And make no mistake, if the time comes that this administration starts putting people to death in mass numbers, they’ll cheer that too. We have witnessed a devolving of humanity within our country. It’s heartbreaking. 

I can't and won't defend some of the things Trump has done. That said lets keep the facts straight the pictures of the caged immigrant children actually occurred during the Obama/Biden administration. That does not excuse the caging of children but it places the blame on the Obams/Biden administration for starting it. It also begs the question that when happening under Obama/Biden it was not an issue only when it happened under Trump. When Trump has attacked a female veteran who lost her legs in combat because she disagreed with him that is outside of the pale. You are right there are Trump supporters who think he walks on water and forgives him for everything as ones on the left willing to forgive Joe Biden. Joe Biden is the one who pushed the prison sentences that hurt the minority community it is Trump who with people on both sides of the aisle changed that. It is Trump who pushed for Tax Free zones in distressed areas of the country and until the pandemic had best employment numbers in minority communities.  When Trump does something I disagree with I say it. When he does something I approve of like the change in prison sentencing I say that also. 

On CNN and MSNBC people are attacked for wondering about Biden's mental facilities after numerous gaffe's yet those same people almost as soon as Trump was elected did the same thing. On Fox news you would think we only have violent protests pushed by Marxist groups and CNN and MSNBC you would think we only have peaceful protests and the CHOP zone in Seattle was an idyllic setting.  The reality is both sides are lying to us and dividing us. 

We are no place near Nazi Germany the fact that though biased (with some biased to the left and some biased to the right) we have a free press. In Nazi Germany do you think CNN and MSNBC would still be on the air.  Your statement about reaching the same place as Nazi Germany almost removes the desire to have a conversation where we talk out honest disagreements. That said we do need honest conversation. The Majority of people on the left and the right want what is best for the country our problem is we have allowed the fringe elements on both sides alienate us.

[homersapien 12,230]

1 hour ago, AuburnNTexas said:

I can't and won't defend some of the things Trump has done. That said lets keep the facts straight the pictures of the caged immigrant children actually occurred during the Obama/Biden administration. That does not excuse the caging of children but it places the blame on the Obams/Biden administration for starting it....

 

I think the "caging" aspect of this is way overblown, probably because of the photos showing chain link fencing. (And yes, those photos were taken during Obama's administration.)

IMO, as long as the accommodations are adequate, it doesn't really matter that construction of their quarters was made from chain link or something else.  I can also appreciate the fact they would need to be locked in, for simple security reasons.

To me the big difference was in policy.  The Obama policy was to secure (lock up) children who were either unaccompanied or brought in by someone other than their parents - perhaps a smuggler.  I think Obama also had provisions for releasing these children to the care of relatives in the U.S., or possibly foster homes.

https://www.businessinsider.com/migrant-children-in-cages-2014-photos-explained-2018-5

Trump expanded the policy to lock up every child whether or not they were traveling with relatives ("zero tolerance").  In other words he deliberately separated all children from their families and a huge amount of children were affected compared to Obama.  And he didn't allow for these children to be placed in any sort of foster care.

So, if what Obama did was wrong - and I don't think it was - Trump's policy was far, far worse. 

 

[GiveEmElle 1,559]

1 hour ago, AuburnNTexas said:

I can't and won't defend some of the things Trump has done. That said lets keep the facts straight the pictures of the caged immigrant children actually occurred during the Obama/Biden administration. That does not excuse the caging of children but it places the blame on the Obams/Biden administration for starting it. It also begs the question that when happening under Obama/Biden it was not an issue only when it happened under Trump. When Trump has attacked a female veteran who lost her legs in combat because she disagreed with him that is outside of the pale. You are right there are Trump supporters who think he walks on water and forgives him for everything as ones on the left willing to forgive Joe Biden. Joe Biden is the one who pushed the prison sentences that hurt the minority community it is Trump who with people on both sides of the aisle changed that. It is Trump who pushed for Tax Free zones in distressed areas of the country and until the pandemic had best employment numbers in minority communities.  When Trump does something I disagree with I say it. When he does something I approve of like the change in prison sentencing I say that also. 

On CNN and MSNBC people are attacked for wondering about Biden's mental facilities after numerous gaffe's yet those same people almost as soon as Trump was elected did the same thing. On Fox news you would think we only have violent protests pushed by Marxist groups and CNN and MSNBC you would think we only have peaceful protests and the CHOP zone in Seattle was an idyllic setting.  The reality is both sides are lying to us and dividing us. 

We are no place near Nazi Germany the fact that though biased (with some biased to the left and some biased to the right) we have a free press. In Nazi Germany do you think CNN and MSNBC would still be on the air.  Your statement about reaching the same place as Nazi Germany almost removes the desire to have a conversation where we talk out honest disagreements. That said we do need honest conversation. The Majority of people on the left and the right want what is best for the country our problem is we have allowed the fringe elements on both sides alienate us.

First, children were ABSOLUTELY NOT CAGED during the Obama administration. The fact that you typed out those words tells me you consume right wing media which falsely promoted that narrative. So your first paragraph is moot. 

Second, yes Biden has made gaffes. But that’s what they are, gaffes. A gaffe in an UNINTENTIONAL blunder. Trump is stupid. Saying that armies defended the airports during the Revolutionary War is ignorance, not a gaffe. Suggesting that disinfectant could be injected into the body is ignorance, not a gaffe. Trump has repeatedly displayed a dangerous lack of knowledge about geography, foreign policy, medicine, government, and basic speaking skills. Trump is so devoid of intelligence that he is literally bragging about passing a dementia test. He is stupid. And that’s dangerous. 
 

It’s true, we have a free press. But just like Hitler, Trump has declared the press “the enemy of the people” And it’s working. Even you seem to express a distrust of media. They aren’t infallible and they make mistakes, but they aren’t the enemy. 
LET ME MAKE THIS ABUNDANTLY CLEAR, I don’t care if you have or don’t have a desire to  “have a conversation where we talk about honest agreements.” We have children in cages, secret police on the streets of America kidnapping people with no probable cause, a dictator who is doing everything he can to attack the free press and cast doubt on American elections. Actual victims of the Nazi regime have said the same thing I’m saying. The fact that you choose to dismiss what I say, essentially proves my point. You’re already in the same place the Germans who supported the Nazi regime were in. You’re ok with it. You excuse it.