Minnesota National Guard Hand Out Donuts and Coffee to Anti-ICE Protesters

[malthaussen]

9. C-Rats and candy to the people of Vietnam?

Well, it's better than nothing. It does raise some interesting questions.

What happens when some ICE goon decides to jack up a Trooper? What if some kid tries to help a woman up off the sidewalk and some ICE thug puts a bullet in his brain? Now we've got hot Feds-on-State action, where the Guard are (presumably) not authorized to respond with force to protect their own (which is a heck of a position for a military unit to be in). Who gets thrown to the wolves? The Guard soldier for exceeding his mission parameters, or the ICE criminal for another murder under color of authority?

This is a performative mission. As such, it only works if the other side refrains from busting up your little playlet. And frankly, I don't expect any such restraint from ICE.

Yeah, the Guard are in the streets. That's nice. But without the power to do anything to stop ICE from terrorizing the people of Minnesota, they're just multiplying the vulnerability of the State.

-- Mal