Over the weekend, border patrol + immigration enforcement officers in Minneapolis executed Alex Pretti, a 37-year ICU nurse with the VA. Alex was on the scene of a protest, helping to wave through vehicles and document what was going on. Officers showed up and shoved another woman, prompting Alex to step in to help. Officers then began assaulting Alex, pepper spraying him in the face and then beating him with fists, feet, and pistols after he hit the ground.
After about 10 or so seconds of this beating, you can hear an officer yell “gun!’ which prompts another officer to unholster his weapon and fire 10+ shots into Alex, killing him instantly.
Alex was carrying a weapon, as is his right as an American citizen under the second amendment. And just a few hours after the execution, the leaders of this administration were already labeling Alex a “domestic terrorist” and saying he was there to “assassinate law enforcement.” In the multiple videos showing multiple angles of this execution, you can see an agent unholster Alex’s gun and run away with it BEFORE they open fire on him.
Videos confirm that Alex never once touched his weapon, that he only ever had one open hand and a phone in his other hand. They executed him anyways. They’re lying about it now.
If you’re reading this feeling sick to your stomach and you also happen to live in Indianapolis, I have some bad news: our statehouse is currently moving legislation that will allow bp and immigration enforcement to operate the same way they are in Minneapolis:
* legalized racial profiling
* local law enforcement required to cooperate + enforce
* indefinite detainment
There have already been a number of reports of cold winds rolling through downtown restaurants + the far east side, as well as agents and officers beginning to convene in Bloomington.
These bigoted, racist tactics are meant to create fear in Black and Brown folks. Public executions like Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti are meant to create fear in while folks. Because fear is a useful tool when trying to control.
Which means that, even tho we have every right and reason to be afraid, right now is the time to push through the fear and be about your business anyways. And by “your business” I mean being on the side of humanity.
Call your elected officials.Create a plan with your friends and neighbors.Track and educate yourself on your local politics.Follow folks who have been doing the work on the ground.Write a letter.Build a whistle kit.Be ready to offer your assistance.
and last but not least, understand this: by engaging in this work, you are risking your life. There are no two ways around it. The only way is through.
And Black and Brown folks have been putting their lives on the line for their rights in this country — shit in this fucking WORLD — for the last, well, forever. They continue to do so today; look no further than Minneapolis to see it in action in real time, right now.
Now is the time.
🎙️ Today’s Conversation
It’s a real privilege to be able to do this work. Like sitting down with people who help to shape the places I know and love. People like Jenn Schimmelpfennig, founder of Pivot, champion of branding and the impact it can create, someone who honors the past by being ahead of her time (it runs in the family).
In this conversation, Jenn and I about ethical decision-making in business, why branding is never neutral, and how shaping culture can be a form of civic engagement. We also talk about legacy and what it means to intentionally invest in people and place over profit alone.
🪴 Mentioned in this Episode
* Pivot Brands
* Pivot’s Work
* South Korean adoption, Korea’s economy, and the 1988 Olympics
* Indy Welcomes All
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit patrickintheworld.substack.com
