You might think it is meaningless. For me, that's pure #hope, the demonstration that the human spirit cannot be crushed and always moves towards #creativity and #community.

#drummers against #ICE in #Minneapolis , by minus 25⁰c.

Via Jillian Ray (Music).

#minnesota #music #protest

RE: https://mastodon.social/@randahl/115948916082441270

I want to pitch in on what @randahl said in the attached post.

During my youth I was raised on a diet of U.S. culture: the Ponderosa Ranch felt as familiar as the bridge of the USS Enterprise.The good night to John boy was often also the signal for me that I had to go to bed now. From the moment I earned my own money, I started spending as many vacations in the United States as my budget allowed.

Most of the books I have read and I am reading have been written by U.S. authors. Most of the movies and TV series I see were made by Hollywood companies. A significant part of my verbal and written output is in a language different from my mother tongue.

Today I would say that my command of the English language, my knowledge of U.S. history and culture easily surpasses that of the current commander in chief.

But other than with Randahl, the cracks in the relationship started to show much earlier. When I came to the U.S. in October 2001, it felt like a different country. I no longer felt welcome and therefore no longer came visiting.

A friend of mine, who was working in the U.S. at that time and who was on his way to earning a U.S. citizenship was told by a border agent: "Shut up little shit, I can do with you whatever I want." His sin was to point out the regulations my friend knew much better than that agent. He terminated his job at the next occasion.

There were many such moments and every time, another fatigue fracture in my relationship to the United States appeared.

Trump is for me just the nail in the coffin. It is very big and tough nail, because he was elected a second time. Everyone knew what kind of man they elected. And they chose to do so nonetheless. I cannot and will not forget that.

I see the protests, I hear the voices of dissent but I also see the big passive masses, that accept what is happening. It is the same kind of silence my ancestors emitted when Hitler started his run.

Yes, I still have a lot of friends and other people in the U.S. I feel attached to and care a lot about. But for the country as a hole, I no longer give a damn fuck.

In my job "Pacta sunt servanda" is a very important phrase. I cannot do my work without trust.

I am convinced that the current U.S. will not abide any contract, any agreement, any promise if the big orange baby doesn't see a personal advantage in it. And I cannot have a relationship with someone I do not respect and trust.

It's as simple as that.