Voices from veterans and military families matter here… especially when they’re warning about lines being crossed at home.
I DID see Malcolm’s Invasion Greenland, Part II…and you’re right…the pattern he’s describing abroad….echoes uncomfortably close to what we’re seeing domestically!
“The United States has struggled to define what domestic terrorism is, says Professor Banks, who studies national security law. Now, this debate has been turned on its head under President Donald Trump, he says: “To respond negatively to Trump administration programs, policies, or decisions is to engage in terrorist behavior. And that, of course, is Alice in Wonderland.”
Our First Amendment Rights are guaranteed, Freedom of expression and a different opinion.
Re: “require any state/local officer participating in federal ops to use body-worn cameras”
How is this enforced?
How is union involvement handled? If non-compliance occurs, what happens when the union says, and they will, insufficient training on the use of cameras was the cause?
What are the penalties for cameras not being available, not being worn, not being turned on or malfunction?
What if ICE “accidentally” causes the cameras to fall off the local police officer’s uniform?
Mary, exactly the right questions. “Require body-cams” is meaningless unless you bake in an enforcement spine.
How it’s enforced (3 layers):
Policy + discipline: activation is a duty. Failure = documented violation with a penalty ladder. Many departments already discipline for non-activation.
State rules + audits: require logging...compliance audits...and mandatory reporting any time footage is missing. (MN already has a statutory body-cam framework you can tighten.)
Court consequences: if footage should exist and doesn’t...you push adverse inference / evidentiary consequences absent verified malfunction.
That’s where it stops being optional. (Don't worry, that likely reads like the same gibberish it looked like to me until I learned what the hell it meant a couple years ago. Fortunately, we live in a world where you can google those terms, and quickly understand what it all means.)
Unions + “insufficient training”:
Preempt it with documented training...annual refreshers...signed acknowledgements...and pre-shift function checks. Then “not trained” dies on the paperwork. Bargain impacts...but lock the requirement.
Not issued/not available: management failure → inventory/maintenance fixes...spares... charging discipline.
If ICE “knocks it off”:
Treat as evidence interference: mandatory reporting...separate incident record... supervisor response, and preserve all other footage (partner cams...squad cams...fixed cams). Redundancy is the antidote.
Now...you don’t personally “enforce” body-cam rules. You create consequences for the people who CAN.
Here’s how a regular citizen applies this in real life:
1) Make missing video a problem...every time
When an incident happens, don’t argue the politics first. Ask one question on repeat:
“What video exists, and when will it be released?”
If they won’t answer, that’s the story. Keep repeating it publicly and to officials.
2) Request the footage (and the logs)
File a public records request with the city/county for:
*body-cam footage
*dash-cam footage
*dispatch/audio/radio traffic
*body-cam activation logs / docking logs (this is how you catch “malfunctions” that aren’t real)
You don’t need to be a lawyer. You just need to be persistent.
3) Demand a written policy + the penalty
Ask your police chief/city council member:
“When are officers required to turn cameras on?”
“What happens if they don’t?”
“How many violations happened last year and what discipline was issued?”
If they can’t answer, they’re not serious.
4) Pressure the people who control the rules (local, not DC)
This is city council / mayor / county board territory.
Tell them plainly:
“Pass a policy that says: no camera = consequence.”
“Make it automatic: missing footage triggers an investigation.”
“Publish compliance stats every quarter.”
5) If you see “camera fell off,” demand redundancy
You’re not arguing the excuse. You’re saying:
“Then require multiple recording sources.”
Partner officer cam + dash cam + fixed cams. One camera is easy to ‘lose.’ Multiple is harder.
6) Support the lawsuits (because courts force the truth)
If a family is suing, that’s where depositions and evidence fights happen.
A citizen can:
*donate to legal fund if legit
*amplify counsel’s evidence requests
*show up at hearings
*keep attention on evidence + sworn testimony, not vibes
7) One sentence that changes everything
When officials say “we investigated ourselves,” your response is:
“Show the footage. Show the logs. Put it under oath.”
A HUGE thank you for such a detailed reply. It’s excellent.
On another note, a friend lent me a book which I am now reading. The author is Thomas F. Brier Jr and the title of the book is “While Reason Slept”. It was published in 2018, thus prior to COVID, prior to now. I am 1/3 through and I love this book and highly recommend it.
Speaking of ICE hell, have you heard about the latest House Dems legislative hell? Unfortunately, believing the evidence of our eyes and ears now seems to require our admission, finally, that Democrats cannot be depended upon in this crisis. At any level, I fear. No, we're on our own. They COULD find their teeth. But they won't.
I blasted my OR representative (Bonamici) in a strongly worded email and on Instagram. Dems have forsaken us to openly collude with Trump's GOP to sell out women's rights. They've also got blood on their hands for their complicity in the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians and are now even voting to deny their statehood. It's the lure of that good AIPAC money that they can't resist, apparently.
And we still can't get ACA credits restored. What is actually happening right now? This is grim.
Angie...I’m with you. You’re describing what it feels like when the people who claim to be the firewall keep leaving the door propped OPEN.
Here’s what’s happening, in plain English:
1) The bill you’re reacting to is real...and it’s UGLY.
H.R. 7006 passed the House, and Qasim’s breakdown captures why people are furious:
it’s framed like routine appropriations...BUT...it carries policy payloads...including abortion funding restrictions...expedited military financing for Israel...and language restricting U.S. funds from supporting a Palestinian state.
Whether people voted “yes” because they’re cowards...compromised... captured...or “it was must-pass”… the outcome is the same: Democrats HELPED ADVANCE the package, and I will personally be lighting their asses up on social media.
2) ACA credits: you’re not imagining it...hey expired
The expanded ACA subsidies ended January 1, 2026. That’s why people are seeing higher premiums and why....this feels like freefall.
There is active negotiating (and House action reported in some coverage), but the lived reality is: the HELP ENDED...and families are paying the bill right now.
3) Your instinct is correct: stop begging the people who don’t need you
Schumer isn’t your leverage point. Your leverage point is exactly where you aimed it: your House member...because House votes are where this stuff becomes real-world harm.
And...here’s the adult, democratic posture you’re already taking (even through anger): AUDITOR mode. Not vibes. Not loyalty. OUTCOMES.
4) What you do next (clean, effective, hard to ignore)
You already blasted Bonamici. Good!! Now...make it IMPOSSIBLE for them to “reply with feelings”:
Demand a written response answering only these:
*Did you vote yes on H.R. 7006? If yes, which provisions did you try to remove?
*Will you publicly commit to opposing abortion-funding restrictions in future appropriations?
*Will you support restoring ACA subsidy relief immediately (and what vehicle will you vote for)?
If they dodge...that’s your answer.
You said “we’re on our own.” I’ll sharpen it: we’re on our own UNTIL we make them AFRAID of disappointing us. That’s how pressure works.
And...yes; holdfast. Not because it’s easy. Because it’s the job!
Great post, Jack. I need to say this before anything else: I will never ask Sen. Schumer for anything ever, ever, ever again.
That having been said, it has been nine days since the murder of Renee Nicole Good. Did the ICE criminal who murdered her surrender his weapon? Have the Feds already confiscated the video cameras on the homes and businesses in the neighborhood? Does the Good family have the best attorneys ever born?
Sorry. I'm so angry I can't even be coherent. I'll share and restack. Thanks, Jack, for your post.
Jan, you're not incoherent...you're having a normal reaction to something enraging.
Regarding Schumer...yep...that cat is a waste of breath. I'm not ever certain he's a democrat. Seriously. He's a combination of hot air and BS...all bottled up like perfume.
(Ask me what I REALLY think of him;)
Now...on the facts:
Did the agent surrender his weapon? I haven’t seen any public...confirmable reporting that answers this directly.
In many shootings the weapon is collected for testing,...but “usually” isn’t proof...if they won’t say it plainly...that’s a red flag.
Did feds confiscate neighborhood video? I haven’t seen confirmed reporting that they seized specific private cameras.
What IS reported: Minnesota’s BCA said it was blocked from access to evidence and withdrew...which strongly suggests the feds are controlling the evidence flow.
Does the family have top-tier counsel? Yes...reporting says the Good family hired Romanucci & Blandin (the firm that represented George Floyd’s family in the civil case).
Two clean demands that turn anger into leverage:
What video exists...who has custody...and what’s the release timeline?
Has the weapon been collected for testing...yes or no...and by whom?
Very Good actionable advice— for Dems in State and Federal Congress. They probably aren’t on this site. Send the expected actionable to them, please. Everyone( since 47 came in ) sooooo worried, it will start riots— they are coming, by their design, creating the chaos and the need to riot. Stand up government. Citizens are doing your job. 🙈
Beverly, you’re right about the dynamic...and I’d reframe it: don’t lead with riot predictions. Lead with order + law + competence. We’re not asking for chaos. We’re demanding government do its job.
And...YES, Beverly...most electeds aren’t on Substack. So...the “actionable” has to be something you can paste into an email/call/town hall:
Send this to any Dem:
Put it in writing: publish a 1-page “Accountability Plan” in 7 days: what you’ll do this month...what authority you’re using...and what measurable outcome you expect.
Make missing evidence painful: preservation requirements...automatic independent review...public reporting when footage is missing...real consequences.
Use state power when DC is blocked: coordinate with governors/AGs for state investigations...civil enforcement...administrative penalties.
Receipts, not vibes: no “monitoring.”
Post the letters...complaints...filings...timelines.
Say the job out loud: enforce law...protect rights...stop abuse of power...or admit you won’t so voters can replace you.
And, Beverly, last...but certainly not least...make this the top line for every message: “We’re not asking you to inflame anything. We’re asking you to restore order by enforcing the law.”
Wow! Electrifying post 🔥 Jack, thank you and reposting. Here’s what our military and veterans have to say about Ice raids.
https://apple.news/A46VfH1HkQse1L0I-U0JTmQ
Pls read Malcolm Nance latest post today. “Invasion Greenland Part II. Maybe you already have.
Thank you, Joan. I appreciate that deeply.
Voices from veterans and military families matter here… especially when they’re warning about lines being crossed at home.
I DID see Malcolm’s Invasion Greenland, Part II…and you’re right…the pattern he’s describing abroad….echoes uncomfortably close to what we’re seeing domestically!
It’s more important than ever to #HoldFast.🔥
-Jack
In this article discussing w/different views https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2026/0114/terrorism-ice-protests-trump-noem
“The United States has struggled to define what domestic terrorism is, says Professor Banks, who studies national security law. Now, this debate has been turned on its head under President Donald Trump, he says: “To respond negatively to Trump administration programs, policies, or decisions is to engage in terrorist behavior. And that, of course, is Alice in Wonderland.”
Our First Amendment Rights are guaranteed, Freedom of expression and a different opinion.
Breaking News
https://apple.news/AHoiDoPnIQ6igEJzUIWG0mg
OMG! More later.
Good grief! 🤦🏼♀️
Well, of course they are!
Malcolm Nance knows his ish!
Brilliant!! Now to get the Dems unified (?!) behind such an endeavor!!
YES...Kristin, you are thinking EXACTLY how I hoped this article would inspire you to!
-Jack
Good post, Jack.
Re: “require any state/local officer participating in federal ops to use body-worn cameras”
How is this enforced?
How is union involvement handled? If non-compliance occurs, what happens when the union says, and they will, insufficient training on the use of cameras was the cause?
What are the penalties for cameras not being available, not being worn, not being turned on or malfunction?
What if ICE “accidentally” causes the cameras to fall off the local police officer’s uniform?
Mary, exactly the right questions. “Require body-cams” is meaningless unless you bake in an enforcement spine.
How it’s enforced (3 layers):
Policy + discipline: activation is a duty. Failure = documented violation with a penalty ladder. Many departments already discipline for non-activation.
State rules + audits: require logging...compliance audits...and mandatory reporting any time footage is missing. (MN already has a statutory body-cam framework you can tighten.)
Court consequences: if footage should exist and doesn’t...you push adverse inference / evidentiary consequences absent verified malfunction.
That’s where it stops being optional. (Don't worry, that likely reads like the same gibberish it looked like to me until I learned what the hell it meant a couple years ago. Fortunately, we live in a world where you can google those terms, and quickly understand what it all means.)
Unions + “insufficient training”:
Preempt it with documented training...annual refreshers...signed acknowledgements...and pre-shift function checks. Then “not trained” dies on the paperwork. Bargain impacts...but lock the requirement.
Penalties (separate buckets):
Willful noncompliance: discipline escalates; credibility hit; court consequences.
Claimed malfunction: immediate report + supervisor verification + device logs pulled; repeat “malfunctions” trigger integrity review.
Not issued/not available: management failure → inventory/maintenance fixes...spares... charging discipline.
If ICE “knocks it off”:
Treat as evidence interference: mandatory reporting...separate incident record... supervisor response, and preserve all other footage (partner cams...squad cams...fixed cams). Redundancy is the antidote.
Now...you don’t personally “enforce” body-cam rules. You create consequences for the people who CAN.
Here’s how a regular citizen applies this in real life:
1) Make missing video a problem...every time
When an incident happens, don’t argue the politics first. Ask one question on repeat:
“What video exists, and when will it be released?”
If they won’t answer, that’s the story. Keep repeating it publicly and to officials.
2) Request the footage (and the logs)
File a public records request with the city/county for:
*body-cam footage
*dash-cam footage
*dispatch/audio/radio traffic
*body-cam activation logs / docking logs (this is how you catch “malfunctions” that aren’t real)
You don’t need to be a lawyer. You just need to be persistent.
3) Demand a written policy + the penalty
Ask your police chief/city council member:
“When are officers required to turn cameras on?”
“What happens if they don’t?”
“How many violations happened last year and what discipline was issued?”
If they can’t answer, they’re not serious.
4) Pressure the people who control the rules (local, not DC)
This is city council / mayor / county board territory.
Tell them plainly:
“Pass a policy that says: no camera = consequence.”
“Make it automatic: missing footage triggers an investigation.”
“Publish compliance stats every quarter.”
5) If you see “camera fell off,” demand redundancy
You’re not arguing the excuse. You’re saying:
“Then require multiple recording sources.”
Partner officer cam + dash cam + fixed cams. One camera is easy to ‘lose.’ Multiple is harder.
6) Support the lawsuits (because courts force the truth)
If a family is suing, that’s where depositions and evidence fights happen.
A citizen can:
*donate to legal fund if legit
*amplify counsel’s evidence requests
*show up at hearings
*keep attention on evidence + sworn testimony, not vibes
7) One sentence that changes everything
When officials say “we investigated ourselves,” your response is:
“Show the footage. Show the logs. Put it under oath.”
-Jack
A HUGE thank you for such a detailed reply. It’s excellent.
On another note, a friend lent me a book which I am now reading. The author is Thomas F. Brier Jr and the title of the book is “While Reason Slept”. It was published in 2018, thus prior to COVID, prior to now. I am 1/3 through and I love this book and highly recommend it.
You're welcome, Mary E!
And...thanks for the book suggestion. I will certainly put it on my list. Much appreciated.
-Jack
Speaking of ICE hell, have you heard about the latest House Dems legislative hell? Unfortunately, believing the evidence of our eyes and ears now seems to require our admission, finally, that Democrats cannot be depended upon in this crisis. At any level, I fear. No, we're on our own. They COULD find their teeth. But they won't.
I blasted my OR representative (Bonamici) in a strongly worded email and on Instagram. Dems have forsaken us to openly collude with Trump's GOP to sell out women's rights. They've also got blood on their hands for their complicity in the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians and are now even voting to deny their statehood. It's the lure of that good AIPAC money that they can't resist, apparently.
And we still can't get ACA credits restored. What is actually happening right now? This is grim.
https://open.substack.com/pub/qasimrashid/p/153-democrats-vote-yes-to-pass-hr
Cue one of your rallying posts, please, Jack. I was disheartened before I read this but I'm still going to #holdfast.
Angie...I’m with you. You’re describing what it feels like when the people who claim to be the firewall keep leaving the door propped OPEN.
Here’s what’s happening, in plain English:
1) The bill you’re reacting to is real...and it’s UGLY.
H.R. 7006 passed the House, and Qasim’s breakdown captures why people are furious:
it’s framed like routine appropriations...BUT...it carries policy payloads...including abortion funding restrictions...expedited military financing for Israel...and language restricting U.S. funds from supporting a Palestinian state.
Whether people voted “yes” because they’re cowards...compromised... captured...or “it was must-pass”… the outcome is the same: Democrats HELPED ADVANCE the package, and I will personally be lighting their asses up on social media.
2) ACA credits: you’re not imagining it...hey expired
The expanded ACA subsidies ended January 1, 2026. That’s why people are seeing higher premiums and why....this feels like freefall.
There is active negotiating (and House action reported in some coverage), but the lived reality is: the HELP ENDED...and families are paying the bill right now.
3) Your instinct is correct: stop begging the people who don’t need you
Schumer isn’t your leverage point. Your leverage point is exactly where you aimed it: your House member...because House votes are where this stuff becomes real-world harm.
And...here’s the adult, democratic posture you’re already taking (even through anger): AUDITOR mode. Not vibes. Not loyalty. OUTCOMES.
4) What you do next (clean, effective, hard to ignore)
You already blasted Bonamici. Good!! Now...make it IMPOSSIBLE for them to “reply with feelings”:
Demand a written response answering only these:
*Did you vote yes on H.R. 7006? If yes, which provisions did you try to remove?
*Will you publicly commit to opposing abortion-funding restrictions in future appropriations?
*Will you support restoring ACA subsidy relief immediately (and what vehicle will you vote for)?
If they dodge...that’s your answer.
You said “we’re on our own.” I’ll sharpen it: we’re on our own UNTIL we make them AFRAID of disappointing us. That’s how pressure works.
And...yes; holdfast. Not because it’s easy. Because it’s the job!
-JACK
Great post, Jack. I need to say this before anything else: I will never ask Sen. Schumer for anything ever, ever, ever again.
That having been said, it has been nine days since the murder of Renee Nicole Good. Did the ICE criminal who murdered her surrender his weapon? Have the Feds already confiscated the video cameras on the homes and businesses in the neighborhood? Does the Good family have the best attorneys ever born?
Sorry. I'm so angry I can't even be coherent. I'll share and restack. Thanks, Jack, for your post.
Jan, you're not incoherent...you're having a normal reaction to something enraging.
Regarding Schumer...yep...that cat is a waste of breath. I'm not ever certain he's a democrat. Seriously. He's a combination of hot air and BS...all bottled up like perfume.
(Ask me what I REALLY think of him;)
Now...on the facts:
Did the agent surrender his weapon? I haven’t seen any public...confirmable reporting that answers this directly.
In many shootings the weapon is collected for testing,...but “usually” isn’t proof...if they won’t say it plainly...that’s a red flag.
Did feds confiscate neighborhood video? I haven’t seen confirmed reporting that they seized specific private cameras.
What IS reported: Minnesota’s BCA said it was blocked from access to evidence and withdrew...which strongly suggests the feds are controlling the evidence flow.
Does the family have top-tier counsel? Yes...reporting says the Good family hired Romanucci & Blandin (the firm that represented George Floyd’s family in the civil case).
Two clean demands that turn anger into leverage:
What video exists...who has custody...and what’s the release timeline?
Has the weapon been collected for testing...yes or no...and by whom?
#HoldFast
-Jack
Very Good actionable advice— for Dems in State and Federal Congress. They probably aren’t on this site. Send the expected actionable to them, please. Everyone( since 47 came in ) sooooo worried, it will start riots— they are coming, by their design, creating the chaos and the need to riot. Stand up government. Citizens are doing your job. 🙈
Beverly, you’re right about the dynamic...and I’d reframe it: don’t lead with riot predictions. Lead with order + law + competence. We’re not asking for chaos. We’re demanding government do its job.
And...YES, Beverly...most electeds aren’t on Substack. So...the “actionable” has to be something you can paste into an email/call/town hall:
Send this to any Dem:
Put it in writing: publish a 1-page “Accountability Plan” in 7 days: what you’ll do this month...what authority you’re using...and what measurable outcome you expect.
Make missing evidence painful: preservation requirements...automatic independent review...public reporting when footage is missing...real consequences.
Use state power when DC is blocked: coordinate with governors/AGs for state investigations...civil enforcement...administrative penalties.
Receipts, not vibes: no “monitoring.”
Post the letters...complaints...filings...timelines.
Say the job out loud: enforce law...protect rights...stop abuse of power...or admit you won’t so voters can replace you.
And, Beverly, last...but certainly not least...make this the top line for every message: “We’re not asking you to inflame anything. We’re asking you to restore order by enforcing the law.”
-Jack
Noted. With gratitude.