Another ICE execution

American law enforcement agents from ICE shot and killed another person in Minneapolis. Alex Pretti was a law abiding citizen, carrying a gun and permitted by law. ICE commander Gregory Bovino, who is deemed by many to look somewhat Nazi, said that carrying a gun into the protest constitutes sufficient reason to be deemed a threat (even with the gun removed) and killed. What about the second amendment? The law that allows us to carry guns? To protect ourselves and others in dangerous situations?

Alex Pretti was a lawful gun owner, licensed to carry his gun. He was attending a protest which had the potential to turn dangerous. In such situations, the use of his gun may be called for, legally, such as in self defense. That’s what guns are for, after all. If we are not allowed to carry them in a dangerous situation, where are they supposed to be used?

Now, this was a riot, where people were generally not obeying ICE orders. In situations where control is limited, shooting becomes more likely. The same is true in war. We shoot at soldiers of the opposing army that we can’t control and who don’t obey our orders. Once under control, as prisoners of war, they have human rights and cannot be killed.

The situation with Alex Pretti was that he was not under arrest, no attempt at arrest was made and there was no obvious motion to resist arrest. Thus, his killing amounts to the summary execution of a prisoner. This is very bad for the image of ICE.

Why is this happening now? I argue the events in Minneapolis are not without a link to the release of the Epstein files. The whole administration is under stress, divided and benefits from anything to take the media away from Epstein. The invasion of Venezuela serves the same purpose.

Trump’s lecture at Davos was a disaster that suggests significant cognitive decline. This is fairly normal, given Trump’s age, but most people this age don’t have to serve as presidents under a terribly hostile political climate and facing the stress of ongoing lawsuits and Epstein files. It is not difficult to conjecture that Trump’s medical problems will soon lead to the end of his presidency and life.

The release of Epstein files may also be somewhat linked to Trump’s biological decline. Those files should have been released long ago, but a younger, more intellectually able Trump was able to prevent their release. As Trump loses faculties, he lets things go. He let the Epstein files go. He gave a bad talk at Davos (he still dared to speak freely, without any obvious script. That’s a nice touch of honesty, that Trump has often been guilty of. )

The Epstein Emails are now available with the full google search interface and lots of picture. Yet, there is nothing is the press about them. It also means more unexpected political events like random shootings and more wars are more likely to happen in the near future — i.e. between now and the end of the Trump presidency.