The video is chilling. A 30-year old woman standing on the sidewalk is approached by a man dressed in dark clothing. He accosts her as five other men descend on her. They have no identifying clothing nor do they present badges or other ID. Some of them are even wearing masks to hide their identity. They vaguely claim to be the police. Without any explanation, they handcuff her and force her into an unmarked car. She is then driven away without the opportunity to contact anyone. (https://apnews.com/article/tufts-student-detained-massachusetts-immigration-6c3978da98a8d0f39ab311e092ffd892)
If you had seen this video a year ago or even six months ago, you might have thought this was taking place in some third-world country, perhaps Venezuela or Iran. Or you might have guessed it was in China or North Korea. Then you might have thought, “It can’t happen here.”
But it can happen here and, in fact, already has. This outrage against a Tufts University PhD student took place in broad daylight on the streets of Somerville, Massachusetts. The video conjures up images of totalitarian states where secret police abuse their country’s populace in order to spread fear throughout the nation.
If this video doesn’t absolutely terrify you, it should. Unfortunately, if it does terrify you, that is exactly the reaction that Trump and his minions want. The primary weapons of a cowardly bully are fear and intimidation. And Trump knows well how to wield those tools.
Our only choice is to stand together to right the wrongs being committed in our country. We must work to ensure that Trump and his enablers in the Republican party don’t destroy our Constitution and lead the U.S.A. down the path of dictatorship.