The Winning Hand is Ours to Play

So how many of you caught Jesse Ventura’s Conspiracy Theory last night? For those of us who have been living under the oppression of ICE, it was mostly what we already knew - immigration is the miner’s canary of freedom and justice - and it’s on its back with it’s feet in the air. If this immigration battle is lost, if we can not bring civil and human rights to this issue, we’re next. It’s not the immigrant’s necks that are on the line in the end - it’s our own. They at least have another country they can live in if all else fails - we don’t . . . well, not one where we wouldn’t be an immigrant. LOL Let’s face it, we have sat by while 19,000 immigrants have been held indefinitely in this country for no crime, my friend Audrius, being one of them, and we have not met that gross human rights violation with the outrage that it deserves. ICE is still doing this and there is still no challenge. If you were to listen to the media it’s a non-issue. As long as that continues the government will continue to make plans to do the same thing to the rest of us if we cause too much trouble. If we want to back that off, we need to start hollering now - loud and long and hard - about the civil and human rights abuses and atrocities being committed by ICE and condoned by our current administration. This is not about politics and any person who would reduce it to politics is no friend of freedom.

How many of of you caught your breath when Jesse Ventura landed at T Don Hutto, that wretched place that was a children’s prison such a short time ago? It’s about time someone asked if we lock children up in this country or if we ever have locked children up in this country. YES, Jesse . . . that would be a big YES! We have locked children up from infant on up and we have a number of people living and walking free in this country who are the kind of people who can make their living taking small children and locking them up. Personally, I’d call such a person a psychopath and would prefer that they not live in my neighborhood, but that’s just me. Those of you who are friends of mine on facebook have seen that picture I post from time to time of the little girl, maybe five or six years old, standing behind prison bars, her arms resting on the crossbar, a world weary look on her angelic face. When I first found out about T Don Hutto back in 2009 and told Audrius about it on a visit to the prison where he was being detained, when I told him about the picture of the little girl, he was shocked. This man has seen much warfare, been in and dealt with some horrific situations, but that idea of locking up little children was too much for him. He was very upset . . . so why aren’t we? Why are we so comfortable with the fact that we have walking amongst us, even governing us, people who are not troubled by locking up children? Terrible things are going on in this country right now . . . things I never dreamed I would see happening here.

My dad’s favorite saying was, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch,” and despite the horror of what we are witnessing, that applies here as well. Do realize that every win the government manages against Liberty and Justice for all is also a loss for them. The more they strip us of our liberties, the more they oppress and brutalize our rights, the more they must fear us. As they build these prisons and concentration camps they build their own prison for no oppressor is ever free. Even in Audrius’ case where it appears that every day behind bars is another day he has lost . . . it is also another day I have to investigate, to dig up information, to find out what is going on. It is another day that I am highly motivated to find the truth on his case. He’s been held in detention for nearly two years now. Do you have any idea how much that has made possible - how much I have found out? If you think about it, I really should dedicate my book to the deportation officer that has so blatantly helped the people who want Audrius deported to frame him and perhaps to the prosecutor, time will tell on that last. Even the appeal the prosecutor filed with the BIA . . . a huge disappointment, yes, but that brief contained a wealth of information. It pointed to indiscretions our government might possibly be involved in over in Eastern Europe - in areas I would never have thought to look. It let me know that she was in touch with the person who is attempting to get rid of Audrius. I discovered a great deal that I would never have known even existed otherwise, and the more I find, the more the very people who are causing all this have to worry about. For every act they commit against Audrius, there is a lessening of their own ability to sleep soundly at night secure in the knowledge that their actions will not be found out. I discovered enough that I now must keep documents I have with others . . . to be released in case something happens to me. That’s a pretty high price for someone to pay to deny one man his liberty. I wouldn’t want to pay it.

I have an advantage in this. My dad taught me well. There really is no such thing as a free lunch. For everything you gain you do pay some price - always be sure you are willing to pay that price before ordering. I have been doing that, it’s what keeps me from throwing everything I have up on the internet for all to see right now. The satisfaction would be immense, but the price for such satisfaction would be too high at this point. The price changes depending on the circumstances. I have calculated that out - what would be the benefit verses the cost of this action or that if Audrius stays, if he is deported, if he is killed. In this case I have to consider not just the price to me, but to Audrius - unless of course if he were killed - then it’s game-over and the price has been paid in advance for whatever I want to do with the data I have.

The government would like us to forget this. They would like us to think that they have nothing to loose - that we are the only ones who must pay for our lunch. It is a total illusion. If they had an ounce of sense they would understand this - the last thing they would want to do would be to win a game of oppression against the American people, but those who seek to oppress are never wise. If they were, they would not seek to oppress. So take heart. Yup, what Jesse showed us last night was some scary stuff and I believe it is a real threat, but that does not mean we do not hold any cards in this game. We actually hold a winning hand . . . if we don’t loose heart and fold. I was very encouraged by Jesse’s show. It told me our government is afraid of us - that means we are doing something right - and it convinced me to push even harder for a just and humane society that is again of, by and for the people.