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Another U.S. citizen was allegedly killed by an immigration agent in Minnesota, raising tensions between state and federal government.
The relevant actions of federal agencies have attracted severe criticism not only from former Democratic Presidents Obama and Clinton, but also from powerful supporters in the United States.gun lobby, National Rifle Association (National Rifle Association).
If you think it’s unusual that the people mentioned in the previous sentence seem to be on the same side on this issue, you’re right. But these are no ordinary times in America.
Video footage taken at the scene reportedly shows U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ice) detained people they suspected of being illegal immigrants in Minnesota — arresting 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti.
The video reportedly shows them pushing him to the ground, beating him, removing a pistol from a holster he was wearing, and shooting him ten times.
Since his killing, a lot of attention has been focused on his gun. Carrying a handgun, either openly or holstered, is legal in Minnesota, and Preeti had a firearms license. So he has every right to carry it. There is no indication in the video that he was trying to draw or use it when he was captured by ICE agents.
Of course, in the United States, the right to keep and bear arms— second amendment — to a lot of people, especially conservatives, this is a big deal.
So when various numbers appear in trump card The regime said CBP agents were justified in shooting Pretty because he was carrying a holstered weapon, and they have sparked outrage from gun rights activists. It’s worth noting that many of these people typically agree with the White House on just about everything.
First up was FBI Director Kash Patel, who told Fox News, “You can’t carry a firearm with multiple magazines to any protest you want.”
The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus and Gun Owners of America group responded that this is simply false — you are legally entitled to carry a gun to a protest.
A Trump-appointed district attorney then stepped in, arguing: “If you approach law enforcement with a gun, there’s a good chance they’ll shoot you, and that’s legally justified.”
This drew condemnation from the National Rifle Association. The National Rifle Association is one of the most prolific and important right-wing groups in the United States and a big donor to the Trump campaign. The NRA responded: “Such sentiment… is dangerous and wrong. Responsible public voices should await a full investigation rather than generalizing and demonizing law-abiding citizens.”
The problem for the Trump regime is that Preity did not use his gun irresponsibly, judging by the overwhelming video evidence. He didn’t wave it, he didn’t threaten anyone, in fact he didn’t even touch it. He did not approach federal agents—they seemed to be swarming him. Before he was killed, one of them disarmed the weapon from his holster.
Second Amendment vs. Tyranny of Government
The reason this strikes such a raw nerve, even for many people who normally support the Trump agenda, is that it cuts to the heart of what the Second Amendment is all about. From the right’s perspective, the entire legitimacy of the amendment was that it allowed the populace to arm themselves to protect themselves against a tyrannical government.
That means Pretty is doing exactly what Second Amendment advocates say they need guns for. While some gun rights advocates may be willing to remain silent while federal agents trample the rights of immigrants and brown-skinned citizens, Pretty’s murder is a bridge too far.
That’s not to say the gun lobby is attacking Trump administrative —At least not yet. But it’s worth noting that the wrath of ICE (and related Customs and Border Protection) has become so hard to ignore that they are increasingly attracting opposition not only from groups on the left, but also from groups on the traditional right.
About the author
Andrew Gawthorpe is Lecturer in History and International Studies at Leiden University. This article is reproduced from dialogue Licensed under Creative Commons. read Original article.
The National Rifle Association has no plans to flip the switch and start raising money for the next Democratic presidential candidate. But its willingness to publicly denounce the regime is unusual, to say the least. That has increased pressure on Trump to change course and damaged the credibility of key figures in the regime among conservatives.
The whole incident also revealed some more worrying facts – more and more people on the left and right in the United States are carrying weapons. The idea of armed self-defense has been quietly gaining ground in left-wing circles for about a decade.
Gun clubs are popping up, catering to LGBTQ+ people, black people, white people liberal – Anyone who fears they may one day be violently targeted by Trump-ified federal authorities or right-wing militias. Nearly one-third of people who call themselves liberals now live in a household with gun owners.
While it’s hard to find fault with their fear, it’s another reason why American knife politics is so scary. In a country where hatred and fear drive so many people to arm themselves, what happens when things fall apart?
Let’s hope Alex Pretty’s death reminds us of the importance of taking a step back from the edge of the cliff, rather than pushing the country closer to it.
A version of this article also appears in the author’s Substack series, America Explained.