Calls For Blood Were the Least of Issues on Monday

On Monday, Cam covered a report from Axios about how Democratic lawmakers are apparently getting more than a little alarmed by their own supporters. They want blood, as it was reported. That wasn’t hyperbole on Cam’s part, either, but “blood” is the actual term Axios used, that the anonymous lawmaker used.

Now, Cam already covered that. I’m not going to rehash it here. It’s clear that some people want things to get sporty. Then again, after two attempted assassinations of Donald Trump during the campaign, I kind of already knew that.

But let’s not take that Axios report in a vacuum. That’s because that was the least insane thing we saw on Monday.

Let’s start with The Atlantic.

They ran a piece demanding that ICE agents remove the masks.

Now, I get why people are less than thrilled by masked law enforcement officers swooping in and arresting people who are often not seen again. It’s not a comforting image. The problem, though, is that the reason they’re never seen again is that they’re deported because they’re illegal immigrants. They’re not “disappeared,” they’re just sent home.

And the ICE agents have their faces covered because of people wanting blood.

Just hours after that piece at The Atlantic was published, we had an attack at an ICE detention facility that left a police officer dead.

The shooting of a Texas police officer near a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility and the firing of shots at federal officers over the weekend was a “planned ambush” on the building, resulting in 11 people being charged, authorities said Monday. 

An Alvarado, Texas, police officer was shot Friday night near the Prairieland Detention Facility, authorities said.

“This was an egregious attack on federal and local law enforcement officers and it is part of an increasing trend of violence against them,” said Nancy Larson, acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.

Authorities said 10 to 12 people in black military-style clothing began shooting fireworks at the facility, Fox Dallas reported. One or two others broke off from the group and began to damage vehicles and spray graffiti. Officials said the graffiti read “ICE pig,” “traitor” and profanity.

Officials believe the activity was meant to draw ICE detention officers out of the building. Ten people were arrested and charged with three counts of attempted murder of a federal officer.

Now, let’s note that this wasn’t some lone psycho like we saw happen during Trump’s first term in office. This was a squad-sized element seeking to kill federal agents and, presumably, gain access to a federal facility so they could effect the release of people currently incarcerated by the United States government.

That’s someone willing to shed someone’s blood.

Now, if they’re willing to do this, why would anyone believe they wouldn’t attack ICE agents and their families?

Perhaps a better question is, if they’re willing to do this to federal agents and police officers who were on the clock, what would they do to someone like you or me?

Folks, I have no doubt that those lawmakers were told that their people want blood, that they’re willing to see violence to get what they want. I have no doubt of that whatsoever. It looks like some are done telling their lawmakers about what they want and are willing to seek action instead.

This might just be a one-off. I hope it is, because I’m not someone who wants to see a civil war erupt in my lifetime. A decade or two back, I could at least say, “Better in my time than my children’s,” but now is my children’s time, so I really don’t want this kind of thing happening.

I’m just worried that we won’t get a vote, especially after both Texas and the attacks on police officers during the LA riots.