Human Rights, Rule of Law and the Consequences of Ignoring Them!

This blog post is dedicated to the current state of democracy in the United States as seen through the lens of human well-being. I am unable to remain silent while basic human, constitutional and civil rights are being blatantly disregarded. Well-being is very difficult to achieve when we are surrounded by an environment and culture that is at risk. Our forefathers warned us about the fragility of our government and we are now bearing witness.

For well-being to thrive and grow the environment which surrounds us must, at the bare minimum, be supportive. Toxic environments grow traumatic stress and when children are constantly exposed to this, their brain development is hindered.

Imagine the 5-year-old boy with his little rabbit hat standing at his doorway as a masked stranger demands him to get his father. Then he and his father are kidnapped and imprisoned. Then, of course, there are the murders.

Let’s take a look at a multitude of things currently shaking our country to it’s core. The table below identifies multiple traumatic stressors that have been filmed, reported, are the results of federal congressional actions and inaction, and affect human well-being:

Injustice & lack of due process	Home/car invasions without warrants	Violence including beatings and shooting to death in the streets
Constitutional law violations protecting free speech, peaceful assembly	Hate speech and racist activities	School closings to protect children from ICE unlawful entry
Blatant, unsubstantiated lies being told by ICE about the violence	Violations of human rights	Lack of access to healthcare, social support and food
Federal government demanding access to voting records.	Imprisonment and detention of American citizens.	Creating police states for extended periods in two American states

This list is not comprehensive; it is the tip of the iceberg. It is, however, illustrative of the state our country is in. America’s leadership is ignoring due process, and violating state, federal and constitutional laws. The most visible example of this corruption is ICE, (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) who do not follow their own laws as outlined in the Immigration and Nationality Act. Both they and those immigrating to the US are required to follow this law and the processes outlined for sane management of immigration issues. They also have been given carte blanche to commit unlawful acts including shooting bystanders to death with zero accountability.  

All of this is painful, traumatizing and definitely not conducive to a state of well-being. We recognize that we have always had issues in the United States. We have never truly embraced and atoned for these things, but we are aware of them and know we hold accountability. We have enslaved, raped and murdered indigenous peoples, stolen lands under banner of Manifest Destiny and appear to desire the continuation of these horrors. I think the ultimate crime and irony for me was witnessing the seizing and imprisoning of Native Americans and holding them in an ICE containment center. It is the height of ridiculousness. Who is more American than the natives? If we are not Native Americans, then we are the descendants of immigrants.  

Attempting to bury the very real sins of slavery, the oppression of people of color, LGBTQ and Trans rights violations and healthcare are current and shameful traumas we have inflicted these citizens who have the right to be who they are, love who they love and live in peace.

Now is also time to recognize that our entire environmental system of protection, public safety, and the way we govern is being systematically gutted. Project 25 and 26 are not divine intervention, they are our death warrants. Healthcare and societal supports are being decimated. Infrastructure needs are being ignored. We have betrayed our dearest and closest allies with demands to take over Greenland which could very well destroy NATO. This puts everyone in supreme danger and all of this, quite frankly, is insane.

I believe we have passed the tipping point if we do not stop the atrocities of ICE. We can no longer support freeloading billionaires or create gilded palaces while children are hungry and deprived of healthcare. We must support our communities and uplift our fellow humans or we are doomed.

ICE is the most visible example of this corrosion; the rest is harder to find, but layer by layer it is being exposed. ICE is currently also the most immediate and murderous threat behooving us to start there. We have to fight for the country we want to live in. If we don’t, it will be gone quickly, as civil society’s erosion has demonstrated this past year.

Untrained, masked, brutal ICE officers armed as if they were facing Armageddon have been shooting unarmed civilian citizens, brutalizing women, and caging children (substantiated in a countless number of videos) with no accountability or boundaries. This is evil, pure and simple. This is the modern day version of the Nazi brownshirts. ICE has committed open murder and   attempted to immediately conceal it preventing access to the crime scenes, meticulous removal of evidence by federal agents, the blocking of congressional oversight and brazenly attempting to gaslight the American people. I often feel as though we have entered a Hunger Games scenario.

Don’t believe me if you are feeling uneasy about my words. Fact check. Cross reference every single event and do not rely on political rhetoric for the references. Check everything, I encourage it. I do it consistently. Speak and share substantiated truths only. Look at all the videos you can find of these pivotal events from every possible perspective and angle.

Empower your wallet! Spend your hard earned dollars at places that do not support the current administration’s assault on human rights. If a business supports oppression and hatred, do not buy from that business. I know this is hard, but you can find the supporters on line and you can wean yourself off or even cut back. Every little bit of your spending speaks for you.

Take action by calling and writing congress. Hit the streets with a protest sign, but intelligently and peacefully. Know which direction to go for safe escape if trouble starts. Never go alone to a rally, protest, or community meeting you are safer with company. Do not incite the opposition, many are armed and angry, remember what they invested in and believe is falling apart.

Know your rights of self-expression, the ACLU has a great list that prepares you for social justice actions on their website: https://www.aclu.org/, as does the Southern Poverty Law Center at: https://splcenter.org/ and a host of others fighting for our rights and our country.

Do not spend all your waking hours doom scrolling. It too can evoke traumatic stress. Make time to use any or all of the holistic supports I have shared with you over the years. Read archived newsletters and blogs from A Sandy Place. They are full of guidance for well-being. Contact me if you are floundering at sandy@asandyplace.com.

Remember, positive committed action is healing. Not ugly, cruel or violent actions, but action that outlines your stand and supports human rights and well-being. Don’t resort to hate speech or hurtful language. You only damage yourself. You will not grow the peace you are seeking by engaging at the same level of negativity. It is tempting but ineffective and reduces the power of your message. I personally have found that a private rally of expletives or one done under my breath gives me some release, especially when aimed at news briefings that I know are contain falsehoods. Never would explode in public!

Sing songs in groups that support community. I saw the patriots in Minnesota singing the old protest songs we sang in the 60’s and 70’s and my heart melted as my conviction cemented. I was reduced to compassionate tears by “We Shall Overcome” and Dylan’s “The Times They are a Changing.” Buy clothing that represents your stand on our situation and don’t be afraid to wear it. There are many, many places to obtain t-shirts, sweatshirts, flags for protesting, and ironically, a lot is available on Amazon who supported this administration in the past (not sure about now).

Take your feelings, thoughts and requests to town halls, County Commissioner meetings, City Councils and State Legislatures. Use the public comment time to bring forward your concerns. Do so respecting the rules of the process, have a prepared statement, stay on topic and outline your concerns rationally. It goes farther than I thought it would.   

In Michigan, this is being done at County Commissioner meetings with the goal to stop ICE contracts with local law enforcement from being renewed or initiated. Now, even the state is working on passing legislation to prohibit contracts with ICE for our state and local public safety units. Write your state and federal congressmen and senators. I average between 5-10 petitions a day!

I say all these things not to scare you, but to encourage you. The fears of our forefathers have materialized. We must rise to our current call of duty. The only chance we have to save our beloved homeland is to do all that we can, with all that we have, for all those we can, for now and ongoing. We cannot walk this slippery slope nor allow corrupt leadership to mesmerize us with lies ever again.

If you leave my readership, I understand, this is a lot to hear and a lot to bear. I will truly miss you, and I will welcome you back if you should decide to return. Please know that my conscience would not let me spare you what I see as the truth, as integrity is the foundation of well-being.

Remember the Tao is both dark and light and that the sun continues to rise each day, even when we cannot see it.

Much love,

Sandra (Sandy) L. Place