It's time to protest

however we can, while we still can

Did you hear Michel Martin’s interview this week with Troy Edgar, deputy director of the Department of Homeland Security? Martin questioned Edgar about the arrest and detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a recent graduate of Columbia University and lead negotiator between university officials and pro-Palestinian protestors. Khalil, a legal permanent resident and green card holder, has not been charged with a crime, but has been separated from his eight-months pregnant wife, a dentist and American citizen. He did not cover his face at protests because, as he said, “What am I doing wrong that I need to cover my face for?”

The interview shook me, not because Edgar couldn’t answer Martin’s questions but because he didn’t seem to believe he needed to. Here’s an excerpt:

Martin: A White House official told the Free Press that there's no allegation that he broke any laws. So, again, I have to ask, what specifically constitutes terrorist activity that he was supporting? What exactly do you say he did?

Edgar: Well, like I said, when you apply for a visa, you go through the process to be able to say that you're here on a student visa, that doesn't afford you all the rights of coming in and basically going through this process, agitating and supporting Hamas. So, at this point, yeah, the Secretary of State and the State Department maintains the right to revoke the visa, and that's what they've done.

Martin: How did he support Hamas? Exactly what did he do?

Edgar: Well, I think you can see it on TV, right? This is somebody that we've invited and allowed the student to come into the country, and he's put himself in the middle of the process of basically pro-Palestinian activity. And at this point, like I said, the Secretary of State can review his visa process at any point and revoke it.

Martin: He's a permanent resident. He's not a visa holder. He's a legal permanent resident. He has the green card, at least he did, until it's alleged that it was revoked.

If the allegation is that Mr. Khalil organized protests and made speeches after which other people engaged in prohibited activity, or, say, violent activity. Well, Mr. Trump gave a political speech on January 6, 2021, after which some individuals engaged in violent and illegal acts. How is this any different?

Edgar: President Trump's a citizen and the president of the United States. This is a person that came in under a visa. And again, the secretary of state at any point can take a look and evaluate that visa and decide if they want to revoke it.

Martin: He's a legal permanent resident. I have to keep insisting on that. He is a legal permanent resident.

So what is the standard? Is any criticism of the Israeli government a deportable offense?

Edgar: Like I said, I think that at this point when he entered into the country on a student visa, at any point we can go through and evaluate what his status is.

Martin: Is any criticism of the United States government a deportable offense?

Edgar: Like I said, if you go through the process and you're a student and you're here on a visa and you go through it, at any point …

Martin: Is any criticism of the government a deportable offense?

Edgar: Let me put it this way, Michel, imagine if he came in and filled out the form and said, 'I want a student visa.' They asked him, 'What are you going to do here?' And he says, 'I'm going to go and protest.' We would have never let him into the country.

Martin: Is protesting a deportable offense?

Edgar: You're focused on protests. I'm focused on the visa process. He went through a legal process ...

Martin: Are you saying he lied on his application? He's a lawful permanent resident, married to an American citizen.

Edgar: I think if he would have declared he's a terrorist, we would have never let him in.

Martin: And what did he engage in that constitutes terrorist activity?

Edgar: I mean, Michel, have you watched it on TV? It's pretty clear.

Michel: No, it isn't. Well, explain it to those of us who have not or perhaps others have not. What exactly did you do?

Edgar: Well, I think it's clear or we wouldn't be talking about it. I mean, the reality is that if you watch and see what he's done on the university …

Martin: Do you not know? Are you telling us that you're not aware?

Edgar: I find it interesting that you're not aware.

NPR is often in the background of my morning breakfast-making, kid-hustling, getting-ready-for-work-and-school life. I get frustrated with it sometimes, its middle-of-the-road, let’s-interview-some-old-Republicans-at-a-diner quality. But I stopped in my tracks to talk to the girls about this interview what it meant. A Trump official expecting “You saw it on TV” (or social media, or wherever) to be enough to say, this person should be arrested and detained and potentially deported. A Trump official refusing to confirm or affirm our First Amendment rights.

I’ve had mixed feelings about the “where is the resistance” scolds coming from the op-ed world since Trump’s election. On the one hand, it feels wrong to go about life as if nothing has changed when in fact everything has changed. On the other hand, have these people tasted tear gas? Have they really thought about an administration with unchecked power to arrest, punish, and potentially maim or kill protesters? I have been very hesitant about taking my kids, in particular, to any protests since the 2020 Black Lives Matter protest in Graham where Bea and I, and some two hundred other people, faced awful police violence. And because my kids totally depend on me, I’m also hesitant to go myself.

But we have to find a way to gather our power, to let our neighbors know that we are not okay with having our constitutional rights stripped away from us. We’re not okay with living in a Russian-style disinformation state.

On Friday afternoon, Bea and I joined the protests against DOGE outside of the Tesla dealership on Glenwood Road in Raleigh. There were about 150 people there, lining both sides of the road with signs and flags and banners. The signs said “No one elected Musk” and “Musk is a rat.” Bea’s sign said “Fire Elon/ Stop DOGE.” The flags were American and Ukrainian. The banners said “Protect Social Security and Medicaid.” The Tesla dealership behind us was quiet—Tesla sales are down 34% in North Carolina—but the drivers who passed us, heading home from work, honked and cheered as they drove by. School bus drivers honked. Tractor trailer drivers pulled their air horns. Drivers of hard-used cars and fancy cars and even Teslas gave supportive thumbs-ups and waves.

Bea tried to estimate how many people were supportive, versus neutral or negative. “Sixty percent supportive?” she guessed. There were very few negative reactions.

This protest was peaceful, safe, and permitted. There was parking on the side streets, bottled water, signs to share. There’s probably one where you live too. Next week’s protest is also on Friday, from 4-6. Sign up here if you can!

It’s not always possible to protest in person. But you can join us by downloading fivecalls.org and calling your congressperson. You can ask to join a March recess town hall from your house representative or senator to hear how your concerns are being addressed (or not).

You can also talk to your neighbors about the important stuff, which is this stuff. I am a little late with this FTT because this morning I went for my usual Sunday three-mile run and it turned into a six-plus-mile run when I saw my neighbor Eamon. We ran togther, talking about our concerns about our country. We also talked about solar power, EVs, and the citizen architects of Rural Studio. About halfway through our run it started raining, but the rain felt good, and we kept running.

In other news:

Bea has won a prestigious Carson College Scholarship. We are so proud of her, especially because this award recognizes both academic success and community service. In her application essay, Bea wrote about speaking up for teacher raises last spring at our county commissioner meetings.

Bea also participated in the regional spelling bee last weekend, where she was a top ten speller. These kids were such good spellers that they left the “words of the champions” and had to spell words they didn’t even study! Bea’s last successful word was “fructiferous.”

This year, CCAE is asking the school board and commissioners to strengthen Chatham County Schools by increasing pay for special education teachers, instructional assistants/bus drivers, and creating incentives for bilingual staff. You can sign the petition here.

Harriet and her girl scout troop went last Saturday to the Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge, just around the corner from us, where they learned about cows, sheep, ducks, geese, chickens, and goats (did you know that sheep can recognize fifty different faces?). Harriet earned a “care about animals” badge.

Last month Richard had a Universal crossword syndicated in a bunch of newspapers! You might have seen it, or solved it, but here it is: “Hour Long.”

I look forward to asking Democratic Congresswoman Valerie Foushee about Mahmoud Khalil and our right to protest when she visits my workplace this week. Will report back.

Have you been to any protests lately? Would you like to join us in Raleigh this coming Friday?

Lots of love from us.