Alexandre Auguste Ledru-Rollin was a lawyer and politician in France in the mid-19th Century. He was an early leader of the French Revolution of 1848, but he later led a “protest” against the Revolutionary government, one that others called an “insurrection”. He was exiled. But what he is famous for is this phrase, the stereotype of a politician :
“There go the people. I must follow them, for I am their leader.”
On Video
“Fern” is the first snowstorm of 2026. It dropped more than a foot of snow on Pataskala, and from Saturday night through Monday morning, most folks were stuck at home. Along with the snow, the temperature dropped through the floor. As I write this essay, it’s eight degrees outside, with a windchill of minus fifteen. Tonight it will be “real temperature” minus four. So like most folks, we were in the house, mostly watching TV (and taking care of the dogs – the little one does not like snow above her head!!!).
Jenn and I watched as the very real tragedy in Minneapolis unfolded. It was well documented by phone videos, the essence of protest against ICE. Americans who oppose ICE can’t stop their actions in the streets. All they can do is document, on video, for the world to see.
That documentation is a powerful thing. Why do most Americans know the name of an obscure place in Selma, Alabama, the Edmund Pettis Bridge? Because the police brutality in March of 1965 there was documented on film, and quickly shown to the American people. It interrupted ABC’s “Sunday Night Movie”, ironically, Judgment at Nuremburg. “Bloody Sunday” became a turning point in the Civil Rights movement, and helped pass the Voting Rights Act.
We all saw what happened. And no matter what “interpretation” others tried to force on us, we all believed our “lying” eyes. Alex Pretti did not have a gun in hand, he had a phone. Alex Pretti was on the ground, face down, with ICE agents on each limb, when his gun was found. And he was shot in the back, first once, then nine more times. We watched an execution on the street of Minneapolis, just as we watched a police officer choke the life from George Floyd five years ago, not too far away.
Politics
The “politics” started from the moment the videos went public. Secretary Noem declaimed Pretti as a “domestic terrorist”, and created a whole false narrative about an attempt to create “mass ICE casualties”. Greg Bovino, the “on site” ICE commander, lectured America about “good and bad choices”. He claimed Pretti “made a choice”, and got the consequences. It echoed Defense Secretary Hegseth’s favorite phrase, “FAFO” (F##k around and Find Out).
And many Republican politicians, including Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, hid behind the results of some future investigation. That’s despite ICE itself was running that investigation, not Minnesota authorities or even his own FBI. But it all rang false, compared to the multiple views of the actual event. Americans kept watching it, over and over, as the snow piled up and the temperatures fell. And what we saw wasn’t anything like what they were saying.
Circles
And there was a second issue. If we drew a “vin diagram” of American politics, many of those dedicated to Second Amendment protections would fall in the same “circle” as those who support the actions of the current Administration. But here was an American citizen, clearly shot because he legally was carrying a gun. He didn’t “brandish” it, he didn’t reach for it, the ICE agents wrestling with him didn’t even notice it until Pretti was already face down on the ground. But ten shots were still fired at him at point-blank range.
And that “contradiction” has required politicians to change their tune, even those in the White House. Not only do Americans believe their “lying eyes”, but we know the gun wasn’t the issue, even those who circle the President.
Surprise, ten Republican US Senators are questioning ICE actions in Minnesota. Surprise, Bovino, the “poster boy” of the Trump/Stephen Miller migrant roundup, is headed back to his post in El Centro, California, and soon to retire. And surprise, President Trump had a “good conversation” with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. It sounds like things will change in Minneapolis, and the ICE “flood” will end.
Republicans are realizing that “their people” can’t support what happened in Minneapolis. Even a Republican running for Governor in Minnesota dropped out of the race. Sure, he couldn’t accept the “spin”. But he also saw the political reality: a Republican can’t win in Minnesota right now. Minnesotans believe their “lying eyes”.
“There go the voters, I must follow them, because I am their leader.”
Howard – there’s been national discussion about what happened in Minneapolis for days. There’s been lots of arguing about whether the victim “should” have had a gun, and whether he violated Federal law (obstruction). But really, no one is denying the videos anymore. It’s not what “I think I saw”, it’s what everyone, even Trump, even Republican Senators, even ICE officials, agree happened. So here’s a little “gaslighting” for you: even if Pretti, carrying a legal firearm, obstructed Federal law enforcement; the gun was no longer in his possession when the shots were fired. The Federal “agents” had it. Is obstructing a Federal investigation (which I don’t think he did) now a capital crime punishable by instant death??