The recruitment ad

Great television ad. Slick. Aimed at the perfect audience – young men watching football. The ad was not for college recruitment. It was not for the Peace Corps. Nor for any higher education, or any other opportunity of self-improvement and personal growth. Unless you think wearing flak jackets and gaiter scarves with munitions like grenades and flash guns and a package of black zip ties in you pocket will mark you as a success. And you will feel good about how you have chosen to live a life that is fulfilling and worthy.

Come join ICE was the message. The stated mission of ICE is: “To conduct criminal investigations, enforce immigration laws, preserve national security and protect public safety.”

ICE was created in 2002, following the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center. What started with the good intent of keeping America safe has lost its way.

The numbers of men needed for ICE has increased because ICE is being deployed to major cities – LA, Portland, Chicago, and others -  to round up people, supposedly gang members, murderers, rapists and any brown person who might be picking crops or crossing the street. Maybe little children who got their wrists zip tied are terrorists in disguise. Everyone knows children look menacing.

People are thrown down on the ground, kicked and manhandled in ways that surely are not legal and certainly not ethical. This falls under the “shoot first and ask questions later” mentality.

ICE is looking for men with military experience; bonuses are offered. Proud Boys and One Percenters are former military are the perfect candidates, they fit the profile. Many would love any government sanctioned permission to beat up on and terrorize anybody of color. They know any wrongdoing will be pardoned. That’s how we roll these days.

It occurs to me that we are living “competing narratives.” There are some who see and believe cities are overrun by illegal thugs. They read and hear that cities are burning and people are running around causing trouble on every corner. There are plenty of media sources and elected officials promoting, supporting, and justifying this narrative. Utah’s Governor praised the administration for these vigorous  immigration tactics.

This is the language of the alternative narrative: The economy has tanked because of the Democrats who have become enemy number ONE. Everyone, every system, every university, all the arts and museums are skewed to promote women, blacks and gays.

And climate change is pure fiction.

The competing narrative says just the opposite. Mayors of the major cities say their police community could use a little bolstering, but there are no huge risings up or burning downs that need ICE or the National Guard. Little is burning except backyard grills.

Regarding museums and universities… history is always written from the perspective of the winner. A hegemony of white men in America has been very slow in its recognition of achievements by black people and women. Greater recognition for women and people of color is seen by many to be an attempt to tell the whole story, warts and all.

People can deny climate change all they want. Drill. Mine. Keep the fossils coming. The water will keep rising and the hurricanes will keep blowing in greater numbers. Fires and air pollution will take a toll. At some point we will be unable to rescue ourselves. Climate change will happen, whether you believe it or not.

Costs will keep rising. Health care will be more costly. I and others will speak out against some of the ills of what is happening that risks making our country an entirely different place. 

I am not the enemy. I speak from a different narrative and value. I want the best for our country. I want every citizen to thrive and be fed and to be taken care of. People need shelter.

People do not need to be afraid that when they step out of their houses, a masked man dressed in black military garb will grab them, zip tie them and throw them into the back of an unmarked black sedan and sweep them away to who knows where.

The recruitment ad will likely get the result it seeks. Who is paying for these ICE ads? You and I are as citizens. Wasn’t this administration supposed to curb wasteful spending?

I will work to make a case from my side of the “competing narrative.” Democracy must survive. Goodness, justice and mercy must survive. Evil will be thwarted and kindness restored. Love must win. This is the peaceable kingdom of God’s vision.

Lib Campbell is a retired Methodist pastor, retreat leader, columnist and host of the blogsite www.avirtualchurch.com. She can be contacted at libcam05@gmail.com