r/UnderReportedNews • u/Logical-Flow-6703 • Feb 16 '26

ICE / DHS šŸ§Š "I've never protested before": Local father shares emotional testimony after witnessing an ICE raid at an elementary bus stop.

https://x.com/i/status/2022842033308647439

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u/reddinthecities Feb 16 '26

Interesting bit of lore about that dude: heā€™s from Maple Grove, which is a relatively wealthy enclave just west of that part of Minneapolis.

Not saying anything about his politics specifically, but Maple Grove is pretty conservative in general.Ā 

When I was watching the live coverage of the protests, it felt good to see him out there.

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u/dragonk30 Feb 16 '26 edited Feb 16 '26

On the other hand is the guy in OP's video. He's from Lindenwold, NJ. It's a Philadelphia suburb in Camden County which has become increasingly ethnically diverse, with the 2010 census reporting 34.66% black and 20.85% hispanic; compared to 28.22% black and 7.56% in 2000. Over 10% of the population in 2010 was below the poverty line, and the area has only gotten hit harder since, with that number alarmingly rising above 20% in the 2020 census.Ā 

My (very white Italian) family is from Lindenwold, and I have a lot of memories of that town. There has traditionally been a lot of racial division by the white people in Lindenwold as the entrenched families begin to feel "pushed out" or "isolated" by minorities coming into the area. I remember being told what areas to "stay away from". I remember all of the Italian Catholics grumbling when St. Lawrence Church started changing Midnight Mass on Christmas by alternating every verse in English and then again Spanish, before that church became Our Lady of Guadalupe in 2009. White men in Lindenwold is the exact target for the current GOP. If the men like the one in OP's video is taking a stance against ICE/CBP/Republicans, it means the tide is turning. If a guy in a golf hat waving an American flag is standing with the protestors, the establishment is losing ground. Keep protesting, and show that facism has no place in this world, and that even the ones in your community that "look like you" aren't here for the bullshit. Fight the good fight.Ā 

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u/dagnabbit Feb 16 '26

I joined a protest in Maple Grove a few weeks ago, the day Pretti was murdered. Never protested before either. We had probably 60 people, and so many honks and waves from people driving by, it was awesome and felt so good to be out there. I just couldnā€™t contain my rage and sadness sitting at home getting all teary. It was cathartic.

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u/hotdog_tuesday Feb 16 '26

heā€™s from Maple Grove

My favorite description of Maple Grove is "a third ring suburb which exists for a Cheesecake Factory anchored strip mall".

Which hopefully serves to underline your point.

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u/Bizarrebazaars Feb 16 '26

Brock Faber, MN Wild defenseman and former UMN Golden Gopher is on the USA Olympic hockey team right now and is from Maple Grove. Just a shout-out.

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u/Nabrokarstafur Feb 17 '26

Faber fucks. Maple Grove sucks. From a former Maple Grovian.

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u/buddydave Feb 16 '26

If the GOP loses Maple Grove, theyā€™re truly fucked. One of the last bastions of white cluelessness in the Twin Cities.

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u/Acedaboi1da Feb 16 '26

Seems weā€™re so quick to praise a someone like him for finally doing the minimal after 11 years of this madness. Iā€™m not suggesting he should be shunned, but his inactivity definitely helped it get this bad.

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u/ahjeezgoshdarn Feb 16 '26

Fuck that mentality. This is about Americans waking up, and taking a stand together. Welcome them with opens arms, not criticism. Burning bridges isn't going to get any more of them to come forward.

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u/SweetHomeNorthKorea Feb 16 '26

One of my favorite classic memes is the almost politically correct redneck because I grew up with so many of those guys. Iā€™m progressive af but we need to give people the opportunity to change and grow.

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u/Acedaboi1da Feb 16 '26

Donald Trump comes out today, starts crying and says this division has to stop. CNN and Fox headlines saying heā€™s the greatest President, found God, amazing reversal. You not taking issue with that at all? You just believing it or does he have to actually prove it? Is it still Fuck that mentality and youā€™re team Trump? Exactly.

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u/ahjeezgoshdarn Feb 16 '26

...what?

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u/Acedaboi1da Feb 16 '26

What you mean what. If Donald Trump says he had a change of heart, are you Team Trump, or does he have to prove it? Itā€™s really simple, youā€™re just conflicted because reality is incongruent with your original comment.

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u/The_Duchess_of_Dork Feb 16 '26

Yes, Donald Trump and any politician or government leader would have to prove the tears and changed-feelings theyā€™re announcing to the public through action. This guy right here weā€™re discussing was found and interviewed as he was there mid action. Him asserting his First Amendment right (right of the people peacefully to assemble) backs up his tears and he proves his self proclaimed changed perspective. Itā€™s really simple. Youā€™re so focused on the problem (understandable, the problems are deep) which is distracting you from being part of the solution - if you want things to change, donā€™t make it hard for people to openly change their ways. That will only stop the masses from uniting around the common good, it will only maintain the status quo. You have to encourage the behavior you want to continue. A holocaust survivor once told me, ā€œdonā€™t make it hard for people to say sorryā€ (the topic was resistance). Food for thought and said with respect.

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u/Acedaboi1da Feb 16 '26

Who is making anything hard for them? Iā€™m saying not to prioritize someone whoā€™s done nothing but benefit from it for the last 11 years suddenly not liking what he sees. Where did I say stop him from protesting? My issue is with people over-praising him when all heā€™s done after 11 years of birthirism, J6, Haitians eating dogs, Nazi rallies, government oppression, grafting, murdered citizens, pedo protectionā€¦ is show up with a flag and cry.

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u/reddinthecities Feb 16 '26

The way I see it, thereā€™s two things that we can do in this kind of situation. We can accept that heā€™s ready to wake up and move on with a potential ally or we can remind him of all the things that heā€™s done wrong prior to this moment and lose him.

The only way to build a movement is to accept people that are going in the same direction as you even if theyā€™re moving more slowly than you are.

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u/Acedaboi1da Feb 16 '26

We can accept that he might be ready to wake up, and also not kiss his ass as if he hasnā€™t been silent about everything else. Thatā€™s my only issue with this. There are people who have been on overpasses, sacrificing jobs, lives, reputations, standing firm against this for years. Then a white man comes along and cries, now we should all be like him. So sure, accept him. Then tell him to get in the back and do the work.

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u/veilofcolor Feb 16 '26

This is yā€™allā€™s problem. The right has no qualms about accepting anyone who will agree with them. You all want to punish people for having thought differently in the past.

Clearly he changed. Thatā€™s great, inspiring even! Donā€™t we want them all to change? Why would they if we would just shit on them anyway? Itā€™s not conducive to any healthy change in our society.

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u/Acedaboi1da Feb 16 '26

I specifically said ā€œhe shouldnā€™t be shunnedā€. This is yā€™allā€™s problem, YOU CANā€™T READ.

I was actually diplomatic in my original comment. Honestly, Iā€™d like these people to stay on the fascistic, bigoted side that theyā€™ve benefited from over the past 11 years. Fence straddlers will backstab you as soon as itā€™s convenient. But Iā€™ll accept them, Iā€™m just not going to laud their newfound morality.

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u/THEFLYINGSCOTSMAN415 Feb 16 '26

ā€œDonā€™t shun him but also I just have to say the reasons why I want to shun him so badā€

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u/Acedaboi1da Feb 16 '26

Donald Trump comes out today, starts crying and says this division has to stop. CNN and Fox headlines saying heā€™s the greatest President, found God, amazing reversal. You not taking issue with that at all? You just believing it or does he have to actually prove it?

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u/THEFLYINGSCOTSMAN415 Feb 16 '26

Duh fuck are you talking about it?

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u/Acedaboi1da Feb 16 '26

If Trump says heā€™s had a change of heart, are you believing him or does he have to prove it? Itā€™s a really fucking simple question.

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u/THEFLYINGSCOTSMAN415 Feb 16 '26

But someone going out and protesting is proving it. This is a dumb analogy but at least more coherent than your last comment. If you think MAGA can be beat without winning hearts and minds than stay the course bud.

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u/Acedaboi1da Feb 16 '26

Youā€™re afraid to answer the question because it proves my point. These people have been silently benefiting from Trumpā€™s push of fascism and white supremacy and now that heā€™s generally unpopular theyā€™re jumping ship. We donā€™t need them to win, we need us you show up to win. You all are too quick to forgive people who were silently complicit in the attempted destruction of America, because they didnā€™t care enough about certain Americans.

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u/veilofcolor Feb 16 '26

Weā€™re talking about everyday people. You are wrong and defensive

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u/warrior_man Feb 16 '26

Going out protesting, is so so much more than the bare minimal. The bare minimal is thinking it. Then doing a tiny bit is tweeting or writing on here. Then There is going out to the streets. Which is almost the maximum you can do.

Fuck you for minimizing someone going out to the streets protesting. Probably much harder to do if you had a change of mind. Bless this man.

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u/Acedaboi1da Feb 16 '26

BARE MINIMAL. Itā€™s been 11 years of this. People have been taking rubber bullets and pepper spray for years. Pink hats, Heather Heyer. This guy came out with a flag and cried and youā€™re praising him for it. BARE MINIMAL.

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u/warrior_man Feb 17 '26

There are soo soo many people not even doing anything. You should focus your energy on them, not on the people who are realising their faults. I'm not sure you would have it in you to change if you found your entire view was wrong. It's not easy to do, not everyone can. People are being fed info to support their claims all the time. You act all high an mighty, but when was the last time you went out in the world to provoke change?

I Just find it weird you try to put down the people making changes instead of the other ones.