Brandon Friedman
@brandonfriedman.bsky.social
51K followers 590 following 4.8K posts
Founder, Rakkasan Tea Company • Dallas Police Oversight Board • Former Obama guy • Once a soldier Dallas, Texas rakkasantea.com @rakkasantea.bsky.social
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Reposted by Brandon Friedman
jamestalarico.bsky.social
The most dangerous form of government is theocracy. 

Because the only thing worse than a tyrant is a tyrant who thinks they're on a mission from God.
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
theswprincess.bsky.social
CBP agents knocked on an El Paso home at 7:15 a.m.

The owner asked to secure his Rottweiler, Chop, in the bathroom.

While he got his ID, agents opened the door and shot Chop.

The family tried to save him as he bled out on the kitchen floor.
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
kissphoria.bsky.social
I have rounded up everything going on re: rainbow crosswalks in Texas. Galveston became the first city to remove theirs this week. Houston and Austin say they'll get rid of theirs, and San Antonio and Dallas are holding firm: www.chron.com/culture/arti...
These Texas cities are getting rid of rainbow crosswalks
"If this really was about traffic safety, there would be data."
www.chron.com
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
nslayton.bsky.social
The Texas Military Department confirmed to @taskandpurpose.com it had replaced some of the 200 National Guard troops sent to Chicago for not being "in compliance" with validation standards. This came after photos of heavyset NG members were widely mocked. taskandpurpose.com/news/texas-n...
Some Texas National Guard troops replaced in Illinois after failing to meet standards
An unspecified amount of Texas National Guard troops were replaced in Chicago, shortly after photos of their appearance were mocked.
taskandpurpose.com
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
grahamformaine.bsky.social
We have armed secret police kidnapping people off the street based on the color of their skin.

When we win: we will haul them before a Senate committee. The masks will come off. There will be consequences.
brandonfriedman.bsky.social
This is great. Normally, with U.S. press, when a Republican lies, they go, "well, we'll have to leave it there because I want to move on."

In this case, however, Vance lies and Stephanopoulos is immediately, "into the trebuchet, my dude."
atrupar.com
STEPHANOPOULOS: I didn't insinuate anything. I asked you whether Tom Homan accepted $50k as was heard on an audio tape recorded by the FBI in September 2024. You did not answer the question. Thank you for your time.

VANCE: No, George, I sai--

STEPHANOPOULOS: We'll be right back
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
rincewind.run
if we'd treated their obvious baldfaced lies and deflections more like this over the past eight years maybe we wouldn't be in this situation

shocking how easy it is when you actually see it done
atrupar.com
STEPHANOPOULOS: I didn't insinuate anything. I asked you whether Tom Homan accepted $50k as was heard on an audio tape recorded by the FBI in September 2024. You did not answer the question. Thank you for your time.

VANCE: No, George, I sai--

STEPHANOPOULOS: We'll be right back
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
dieworkwear.bsky.social
About a month ago, the Trump administration got rid of the de minimis exemption, whereby packages valued under $800 could slide in without import duties. Now there's a backlog as the government can't process all of this paperwork, leading to UPS just destroying packages
Business Insider headline reads: UPS is telling customers that their packages coming to the US are marked for destruction.
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
alandettlaff.com
Yesterday I was told that the class I’m scheduled to teach this month, Confronting Oppression & Injustice, is no longer part of our curriculum. This is a required class yet there was no discussion, no faculty vote, just an email saying the class no longer exists. This is what it’s like in Texas now.
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
cmgiulini.bsky.social
After spending 43 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, evidence hidden by the prosecution reversed his conviction. Rather than finally enjoying freedom, ICE abducted him for deportation

Depraved.

www.miamiherald.com/news/local/i...
He was wrongfully imprisoned for 43 years. Moments after being released, ICE took him
Subramanyam “Subu” Vedam now faces deportation.
www.miamiherald.com
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
navmecheng.bsky.social
> It is 2025 BC. I am a soldier from one of the outlying provinces called to defend the pyramid in Memphis

> It is 2025 AD. I am a soldier from one of the outlying provinces called to defend the pyramid in Memphis
Soldiers at the Bass Pro Shops pyramid in Memphis, TN.
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
glgehman.bsky.social
All you peacenik liberals wringing hands over what to do: Yes, of course, vote. It's your primary responsibility as a citizen.

But now more than ever, fulfill your second civic responsibility: Serve on juries. Never has it been more imperative to thwart rogue injustice.
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
ifycomedy.com
I think we really should stop using antifa and just fully say anti-fascist and get them saying they are against anti fascism. Using antifa is giving them some distance and I genuinely think some of their base don’t even know that’s what it stands for.
brandonfriedman.bsky.social
At some point, a Democrat, somewhere, is going to have to exert operational control over their own law enforcement officers and leverage them to protect their *own* residents instead of protecting federal agents
brandonfriedman.bsky.social
Up to this point, Governor Pritzker has said all the right things. If they're not backed up with action — specifically, control of your own law enforcement organization — then they were wasted breath.
noturtlesoup17.bsky.social
Illinois State Police issue a final warning to disperse from in front of the Broadview ICE facility, a full 20 minutes before the protest curfew time.
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
phillipanderson.bsky.social
There has to be a reckoning for this, for all of it. No more “look forward, not back” nonsense. Not this time. Those who ordered this evil shit, and those who carried those orders out *must* be held to account.
longtimehistory.bsky.social
ICE drag girl out of car & body slam her to ground—then pin her face down & kneel on her neck.

"I'm 15!" she cries out. "I'm not resisting!"

Agents have now asked multiple area housing associations to unlock main doors—so they can go door to door.

Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
willbunch.bsky.social
I saw myself as maybe all in for J.B. Pritzker

But I am losing faith, rapidly.

Police state fascism in America is bigger than Trump. It's backed by Democrats just like Republicans. And it's not going anywhere
unraveledpress.com
Note: it's not even curfew yet.

State police just started pushing people off the business park corner. Here in the road, a brave group of demonstrators are attempting to hold their line.
brandonfriedman.bsky.social
Another one
lagunabeachdems.bsky.social
Northwest Chicago Suburb: ICE Agents Rip 15-Year-Old Girl from Car, Slam Her to Ground She Screams “I’m 15!” as Man Kneels on Her Neck
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
longtimehistory.bsky.social
ICE secretly kidnap autistic boy during bathroom break—never notify parents.

Mother reported him missing a week ago—turns out ICE had him detained the whole time.

He was helping sell fruit and asked to go to the restroom—by the time she was done helping a customer he was gone.

Houston, Texas
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
schooley.bsky.social
I feel like there’s a lot of historical events that everyone used to wonder how people let them happen and now we’re finding out.
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
ryanmarino.bsky.social
“For more than 3 hours, officers can be seen walking past while he lay on the floor in his urine in obvious distress…noting he was foaming at the mouth & having seizure-like activity…mistaking his medical emergency for a drug overdose…”

Except a drug overdose is also a medical emergency...
phillewis.bsky.social
A lawsuit alleges a Black postal worker died after officers ignored clear signs he was suffering from a massive stroke, believing his medical emergency was drugs

The suit says guards left him helpless on a jail cell floor in his own urine for hours
KARE 11 Investigates: Postal worker died after police mistook stroke for drug impairment
Kingsley Bimpong was jailed instead of hospitalized; video shows guards ignored his suffering for hours.
www.kare11.com
brandonfriedman.bsky.social
Every time a person, organization or smug opinion writer advocates for caving to Trump, accommodating the White House or just staying quiet, I think of this
Pulp Fiction diner scene [America]
Robber pointing gun [Trump administration]
Jules: Me paying $27 for three avocados because workers have been brutally kidnapped and trafficked to Eswatini while imports are heavily tariffed
Diner manager [America’s comfortable: The wealthy, the legacy press and most elected officials]: "Stop causing problems! You'll get us all killed. Give 'em what you got and get 'em outta here!"