The Three Lessons of Minneapolis
What happened in the city is important, and won’t be forgotten.
The events in Minneapolis, especially the horrifying killing of two Americans, reconfirmed one awful thing and taught us two encouraging things.
What was reconfirmed was the sheer malevolence and cruelty of the Trump administration. It encouraged federal agents to act lawlessly and in ways that led to an innocent woman, Renee Good, being shot, including in the head at point-blank range, and an innocent man, Alex Pretti, being shot 10 times within five seconds, according to forensic experts. Pretti was on his knees, restrained, posing no apparent threat, when he was riddled with bullets.
What makes things even worse is that after the innocent were gunned down, administration officials hit the airwaves to slander the dead, accusing them of acts of “domestic terrorism” and, in Pretti’s case, of being a “would-be assassin,” in the words of the president’s most influential aide, Stephen Miller.
These grotesque lies brought additional, immense pain to grieving families and friends. The Pretti family called the government’s lies “sickening” and “reprehensible.” And those lies forced people who loved Pretti to tell about the man they knew—a “kindhearted soul,” in the words of his parents; a beloved mentor and a calm presence; caring toward young friends and colleagues; diligent and respectful; a great listener who had an easy smile.
