​I attended a membership meeting of Indivisible Sequim this afternoon. I wanted to make a pitch for votes to reelect Wendy Rae Johnson who is seeking a second three-year term as a Commissioner for the Clallam Conservation District (CCD). 

The human cost of illegal deportations and violent attacks by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is being felt in many communities across the country, and will also likely wind up sinking the U.S. economy. The following stories, captured by The Freedom Writers Collaborative, clearly underscore the human suffering being perpetrated by this regime’s illegal Immigration Wars. One thing that all eight stories make abundantly clear – no one is immune from the lawlessness of ICE and DHS, including our own communities here in Clallam County.

​What happened to Renee Nicole Good on January 7 is scary, because it is what Rapid Response trains us to do. Don't get out of your car, don't open your door or let U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in, take videos, don't resist. This woman was doing all of that. She seemed to be trying to comply and leave the situation. So the question is, how do we respond then? What do we need to do to be as safe as possible when we bear witness? 

The laws are clear regarding unarmed civilians in a car, moving or not, but in this climate, the rule of law is not being upheld. So, how can we retain the right to resist peacefully and the right to safely live our lives? Every day, Trump creates a new diversion, whether it is murder on the seas or murder in your neighborhood. It is out of control; he is out of control. What are the rules, and how can we safely protest, in a car or not?

This Administration seems to be sending a message: If you obstruct ICE, even peaceably, you can be shot. It is intimidation at its max. Sadly, we are not safe in this USA; this is not what any of us voted for. The video of Renee Nicole Good’s murder speaks volumes. That woman could be any one of us; however, we cannot sit idle. Don't just ask, "what can we do?" Get out and do it, get involved, participate, use your outside voice, and learn to do it safely. Your freedom is at risk.

[EDITOR’S NOTE: Using fear to discourage dissent is a common tactic used by authorities, organizations, and political actors to suppress opposition and enforce conformity. This strategy can lead to widespread self-censorship and hinder critical thinking and innovation. Most disastrously, it can lead to inaction. With immigration, there are a lot of ways to get involved. It’s important to know how our community is being affected and how important it is to document what's happening. Below, the chair of the Immigration Action Group shares several action items you can use to safely fight back.]

​The Democratic Party has long considered itself a ‘big tent’ party with a wide range of ideological viewpoints, ranging from progressive to center-right positions. But the labels for the different viewpoints also act as triggers for some people, causing them to react negatively, often without understanding what those terms represent. What is your reaction when someone says they are liberal? Or progressive? Or socialist? What if they say they are a ‘social democrat’?