Red's Wrap
Happiness. It's relative.
Conversation in the Courthouse Security Line
It was a long wait in the County Courthouse security line.
There were actually two lines that were supposed to merge but the security person kept waving people in one line forward and telling the people in the other line to keep waiting.
It seemed like a psychology class assignment to see how long it would take for the go-ahead line to feel entitled and the not-yet line to get angry. We avoided that by ducking under the rope that separated the two lines to go from the not moving line to the one with hope.
I was on my way to attend a press conference about ICE arresting two undocumented immigrants in the halls of the County Courthouse which has historically been a designated safe space under both Republican and Democratic administrations. It used to be (in what now really seems like the “olden days”) that ICE didn’t enter schools, churches, or government buildings.
After all, a woman could be seeking a restraining order against the man who beat her last weekend, or a family could be fighting an eviction, or someone might be doing their civic duty as a witness in a criminal case. News of an ICE arrest spreads fast and has a chilling effect on people’s willingness to be present in these public spaces. It’s not a good thing.
Behind me in the long line was a state legislator who I have seen a lot of the past few weeks. A very nice and conversational guy, he struck up a chat with a young man who moved back to make room for us when we slipped under the rope. He told him that we were there for a press conference about the two people getting snatched by ICE.
“Well, I support Trump,” the young guy started out, “I support getting the criminals out, but you can’t just grab people like that. There has to be a process. And families, well, that’s just not right.” I nodded at him.” “I really agree with you. There has to be a process.”
I felt solidarity in our citizenship right there in the security line. This is how we do things in our country, yours and mine. We agreed, me and the young guy who’s a Trump supporter.
I was kind of glad the line was so slow.
One Comment on “Conversation in the Courthouse Security Line”
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Snow Door | wisconsinacademy.org
Listen to Jan read her essay “Billy” presented on WUWM’s Lake Effect
Jan’s essay “At the Breakfast Bar” on WUWM Lake Effect
Jan’s essay “The Parish Hall,” on WUWM Lake Effect
“Fury Cannot Touch Me,” Modern Love, NYT, 9/29/11
It makes one pause and reflect that sensible people do exist on the opposite side. I think we need those reminders and we need to seek those people out. They seem to be a door nudging itself open for change.