America is built on personal freedom and responsibility. As citizens, we have the freedom to disagree but must limit that expression to maintain the rule of law. Demonstrations in support of one's position are encouraged, but there is a line that is not to be crossed. March to your heart's content. Wave your signs and shout out your discontent or support. Yet, there is no room for violence, and those guilty of that, no matter what the cause, should be held accountable. Hopefully, the majority of voters still support the need for America to remain a civil society.
The democrats railed against the GOP's "insurrection" of January 6. Their leaders campaigned on it and used it to fill their campaign coffers. They sold it as an organized insurrection, a pre-planned armed takeover, a coup. They even worked to incarcerate many of the participants. Trump was impeached for "calling" for it. To Democrats, they "had won" the 2020 election, and Republicans were to accept the results of a "free and fair" election.
Democrats never thought that Donald Trump would ever return to office. Now, the Left is trapped in pure, mindless, unreasoning hatred for Donald Trump and everything he does. Now that Trump has moved to dismantle many of their policy priorities and aggressively deliver on his own campaign promises, following the law and maintaining a civil society seems no longer convenient or appropriate.
We watch ICE agents repeatedly being attacked as they work to arrest and deport the worst of the illegal immigrants who were allowed to enter without vetting by the Biden Administration. State leaders, even city mayors, suddenly have the "right" to disobey federal laws and actions they do not like. Insurrection suddenly seems honorable.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz implored the Trump administration to "leave Minnesota alone." Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey notably told ICE to "get the f**k out of" his city in remarks he made on the day of Renee Nicole Good's shooting. The Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara instructed his residents to call 911 on ICE agents. Not to be outdone, Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal called ICE agents "fake law enforcement." Bilal, threatening to arrest ICE agents if they dared commit "crimes" in her city, warned, "You don't want this smoke, because we will bring it to you...The criminal in the White House will not be able to keep you from going to jail."
In Illinois and California, shots were fired at ICE agents carrying out operations, while ICE agents have reportedly been attacked by multiple assailants who used cars to ram vehicles in the Chicago area. With such irresponsible statements, it is no wonder vehicular attacks on ICE officers are up over 3,200 percent. Even when demonstrators are initially arrested, they are soon released with no consequences.
Doing everything to stop Trump is not new. Extreme elements of the Left attempted to assassinate Donald Trump while he was the Republican's leading candidate for his second term. They killed Charlie Kirk. These attacks weren't just aimed at one man—they were aimed at influencers and voters who support them. When politicians curse federal law enforcement officers and excuse violence, they cease to govern responsibly. They are revolting against the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
The Supremacy Clause in the U.S. Constitution (Article VI, Clause 2) clearly establishes that the Constitution, federal laws, and treaties made under its authority are the supreme law of the land, taking precedent over any conflicting state laws. In short, state officials refusing to comply with federal authority are choosing a true insurrection.
Before you blindly support the actions of the extreme Left, take a moment to think about what citizens have always been expected to do. We trained our children to respect and obey officers. We made it clear that if they were ever stopped, they were to keep their hands on the steering wheel and follow the officer's directions. We let him know that bad things could happen when you don't obey an officer. In Minnesota, something obviously unfortunate happened after refusing to comply with the requests of ICE officers on the scene.
There are plenty of bad results to go around. Renee lost her life. The officer is left to deal with the heavy weight of his actions. And citizens are left wondering whether America we van ever reaffirm its commitment to civil society and the rule of law.
Are Democrats committed to keeping illegal immigrants in their states to secure future votes? Are they using this tragic event to distract from the glaring daycare and welfare fraud rampant in many states? Do they think this issue could help secure midterm victories? Whatever the motivation, the results are dangerous.
Republicans are often guilty of not focusing heavily on the midterm elections, but it's time for that to change. Conservatives cannot let Democrats take back the House, the Senate, or the presidency. It's time for conservatives to shout from the rooftops, "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to let them win." It's time to give Trump the majority he deserves to continue his work in making America great again.
Terry Paulson is a PhD psychologist, professional speaker, and author of "The Optimism Advantage" and his new political novel, "The Summit." Contact him at terry@terrypaulson.com.