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Reposted by Thomas Leeper

Andy Craig @andycraig.bsky.social · 13h

Never before in American history has one state's military force been deployed in another state over its objection.

I say never because the Civil War involved states whose governments legally ceased to exist, their offices vacated by constructive resignation, with no legitimate governors to object.

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Thomas Leeper @thosjleeper.bsky.social · 1d

Sale and possession of guns and most dangerous knives are heavily restricted. It's hard to kill people with limited access to weapons.

In fact there's a single, still-missing gun that has been used in multiple unrelated shootings because guns are so hard to come by: www.bbc.co.uk/news/resourc...

Gun No 6: The untold story of Britain's deadliest illegal firearm

www.bbc.co.uk

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Thomas Leeper @thosjleeper.bsky.social · 2d

To be fair, in Minnesota it's always jorts season.

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Thomas Leeper @thosjleeper.bsky.social · 4d

It used to be the INS. 2003 was just a rebrand, really.

Thomas Leeper @thosjleeper.bsky.social · 4d

Does the federal government need capacity to enforce immigration laws? Obviously.

Does the federal government need police to investigate and address serious crimes? Yes, that's why we have the FBI.

Does the government need masked henchmen who rough people up with impunity? No, of course not.

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Thomas Leeper @thosjleeper.bsky.social · 4d

Democrats need to commit to removing the police powers from ICE. It should be reimagined as an agency where its employees wear suits and badges and have to treat people with dignity and respect. And its entire current workforce should be fired, if only for symbolic reasons.

Eric Reinhart @eric-reinhart.com · 4d

ICE just blatantly violated the law and arrested sitting Chicago Alderperson Jessie Fuentes while seeking to illegally arrest a patient in a hospital. Fuck these fascists.

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Thomas Leeper @thosjleeper.bsky.social · 5d

That's about the same as 3 Lake of the Isles mansions but for 300x as much land area.

Thomas Leeper @thosjleeper.bsky.social · 5d

TIL the Minikahda Club pays basically no property taxes.

gis.hennepin.us/Property?C=4...

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Thomas Leeper @thosjleeper.bsky.social · 5d

One wonders where the alleged 'small government' conservatives and libertarians are at this moment.

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 6d

Surreal moment for America. Needless to say, if the normal police ever pulled something like this — pulling every single person out of an apartment building and handcuffing them to run warrant checks — they would be sued into oblivion.

Yet ICE is going to get away with it entirely.

"It was scary, because I had never had a gun in my face," Fisher said. "They asked my name and my date of birth and asked me, did I have any warrants? And I told them, 'No, 'Ididn't."
Fisher said she was handcuffed before being released around 3 a.m., and she was told that if anyone had any kind of warrant out for them, even if it was unrelated to immigration, they would not be released.

Thomas Leeper @thosjleeper.bsky.social · 7d

I'm pretty sure - not 100% but let's say 99% sure - that the purpose of having 11 carrier strike groups, etc. is in fact to specifically not kill or break anything at all the overwhelming majority of the time.

Laura Bassett @lebassett.bsky.social · 7d

“You kill people and break things for a living” is one of the most insane sentences I’ve ever heard

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 8d

Hegseth: "A few months ago I was at the White House when President Trump announced his liberation day for America's trade policy. It was a landmark day. Well, today is another liberation day. The liberation of America's warriors ... you kill people and break things for a living."

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Thomas Leeper @thosjleeper.bsky.social · 7d

By minor infractions, he means war crimes.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 8d

Hegseth: "You should not pay for an earnest mistake for your entire career. That's why today, at my direction, we're making changes to the retention of adverse information on personnel records."

Reposted by Thomas Leeper

jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 7d

the president of the united states wants to use the american military to kill american citizens on american soil. that's the whole story!

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Thomas Leeper @thosjleeper.bsky.social · 7d

On the spectrum from "incoherent national embarrassment" to "Stalinist purge" I really should have expected this to land firmly at the former.

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Thomas Leeper @thosjleeper.bsky.social · 8d

The 'snipe hunt' aesthetics of people dressing up very seriously and walking around somewhere they are convinced is incredibly dangerous while everyone around them is like 'look at these absolute dorks' is something we really need to spend more time talking about.

PEIPolitical 🇨🇦 @peipolitical.bsky.social · 8d

The absurdity in Chicago right now. #cdnpoli

Thomas Leeper @thosjleeper.bsky.social · 8d

Please raise the fines and lower the threshold for serious fines.

At the pilot intersection of Nicollet and 46th, the speed limit on Nicollet is 25mph. Someone could go 34 and not get a ticket at all; someone could go 44 and only get a warning.

Let's take pedestrian lives seriously.

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Thomas Leeper @thosjleeper.bsky.social · 9d

Everything is so stupid and awful.

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Thomas Leeper @thosjleeper.bsky.social · 11d

Well, it's not for nothing, Brendan. It serves the mission of hurting kids.

That seems to be the common thread among:

DOGE axing child aid abroad
Celebrating 19th century war criminals
Eroding vaccination
Ending pediatric cancer research
ICE deporting parents
Defunding medicaid and CHIP
...

Thomas Leeper @thosjleeper.bsky.social · 12d

In vaguely related biking commentary, I recently discovered from Google Maps that there is a minimally used rail tunnel under the Crosstown at Pleasant Ave that is >2 tracks wide but only supports a single track. This would be an awesome place for a future rail to trail project b/w Mpls & Richfield.

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Thomas Leeper @thosjleeper.bsky.social · 12d

The other really frustrating gap is how W 36th St has a separated two-way bike way that just dumps you at its western terminus into oncoming traffic in the unsignaled, zero-visibility right turn slip lane from northbound Richfield Rd.

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Thomas Leeper @thosjleeper.bsky.social · 12d

Minneapolis rightfully has a reputation for good biking infrastructure, but it also has weird holes in the network. The fact that you can't really cross Minnehaha Creek NE to SW in Lynnhurst except at 50th or by the lake is one example.

There are pedestrian bridges, but not really bike crossings.

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Thomas Leeper @thosjleeper.bsky.social · 12d

The principle at issue here isn't ICE per se, it's qualified immunity.

Should police - of any agency - be allowed to assault random people? The plainly obvious answer is no. Yet...

Brad Lander @bradlander.bsky.social · 12d

I was back at 26 Federal Plaza today, where an ICE agent violently threw this bereft woman to the ground in front of her kids. She had not touched him. She did not pose any threat. She had to be taken to the hospital. (🎥: Elias Eliahu)

Thomas Leeper @thosjleeper.bsky.social · 12d

The closest I have ever come to being hit by a car is when I was walking in a posted crosswalk at a 4-way stop, midday, not on my phone, looking both ways, and walking in front of a driver that slowed but then started toward me despite being directly in their line of sight inches from their car.

NPR @npr.org · 13d

In 2024, 7,100 pedestrians were killed on the road, and in recent years, more than 1,000 cyclists have been hit and killed annually. Safety experts explain how bikers and walkers can stay safe.

8 walking and biking safety tips that just might save your life

In 2024, 7,100 pedestrians were killed on the road, and in recent years, more than 1,000 cyclists have been hit and killed annually. Safety experts explain how bikers and walkers can stay safe.

n.pr

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Thomas Leeper @thosjleeper.bsky.social · 12d

That this story doesn't even mention:

1. Don't use your phone while driving
2. Stop your car at stop signs and crosswalks
3. Drive your car at or below the posted speed limit
4. Look for pedestrians and cyclists while driving

Completely distracts from the primary causes of pedestrian fatalities.

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Thomas Leeper @thosjleeper.bsky.social · 14d

I don't know who needs to hear this, but Terrazzo flooring is actually really nice.