Comment by swsieber

9 days ago

> the idea of deporting people who have no legal status in this country is immediately branded Nazi

It's not just that idea though. Plenty of presidents have done that without pushback. It's that idea combined with:

* Rhetoric dehumanizing the immigrants

* Raiding churches, courts, jobs, etc

* Revoking legal status of immigrants

* Reducing training time for new hires

* Detaining U.S. citizens and threatening them

* Saying it'll help the U.S. citizens, when data shows it doesn't

I can agree with (1) and (5).

(2) -- why can't you raid a church? A church is not a special place. America is not a theocracy which gives sacrosanct respect to some portions of land.

(3) The US has every right to revoke legal status with no other reason than it doesn't make sense for the United States. We can talk about how it's done, but that's rarely the issue at hand in these debates.

(4) Not sure what this means

(6) Politicians say incorrect things all the time to appeal to their base.

I think a more comprehensive and simpler explanation is that the people protesting just hate this administration. They don't go about making lists like this and then think they need to go protest. They just see a guy they despise and start protesting. Hate is really powerful.

  • Hate is powerful, and I think that's part of what drives protests into riot. And some people to protests honestly. But I think the root of it is anger at the situation, not just the leader. And it doesn't negate the reasonableness of the concerns and worries people have.

    I know one of the lead protest organizers where I live. They have a long list of things. Things they feel are bad and want reversed. And having known them for a long time, I can say they are internally consistent, and would be out there protesting if it was a Democratic president doing this, or more likeable person doing this. It's less about the hate, and more about concern for the direction things are going, and blatant disregard for the law.