Can you imagine living in a “Democracy” where armed masked men are kidnapping people off the streets every single day?
Can you imagine living in a “Democracy” where armed masked men are kidnapping people off the streets every single day?
Apparently, yesterday in Santa Ana, they kidnapped and beat the shit out of a man who has 3 sons in the US Marine Corps. FAFO. The "FO" part of this one could get interesting.
At least it wasn’t their momma! DD
That could never happen here. We have the Constitution, and separation of powers.
So do we. At least we did….
Don't have to. It's there on display for us all to see.
To me, there’s no clearer signal that the USA is *formerly a democracy*. It has ceased to be a democracy. The coup d’etat has happened, it’s just that the political system is yet to catch up or catch on.
Don’t have to imagine, look out your front door
It’s taking more and more imagination lately
Maybe its time to heed Taylor and begin our own Vigilante Shit
America stopped being a representative Democracy years ago.
I don’t recognize our country anymore
To be fair... MAGA Fascist Christianity Insanity voted for this...
Don’t have to imagine anymore.
Horrible and scary times.
No imagination required
Shameful 👎🤬😢😢
We live there now -
Only in the Democratic Republic of Amerikkka
For real. Can you imagine the headlines if Canada did this?
We’re no longer living in a democracy, sadly. This is Trump’s America and we must take it back.
When did we?
It still is a democratic republic. It just happens to be the beginning of the Second American Revolution against tyranny.
Hope so.
Someone should deploy the National Guard to protect us.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
And yet we’re supposed to be really afraid of terrorist cells…… who’s the real terrorist here is my question?
Living it here in Los Angeles.
It's easier to imagine nowadays.
Nope
My America is colorful, multi-lingual, and gay!
Can't imagine it. Yet here we are.
Shocking no one has opened fire at these people
It's A.I. garbage.
No. America isn't a democracy anymore. Either you have a democracy OR the government has masked men kidnapping people in the streets.
Tbh the USA was anything but a democracy long before Trump. Just being more or less restrictive/oppressive, depending on the circumstances like gender, color and place of birth. And a political system which was and is basically the two sides of the same coin.
Now we won’t know if they are ice or terrorists. Hell of a job, Brownie.
Unfortunately, yes I can.
No, are you sure we aren’t living in pre war II Germany?
Democrats need to be raising hell nonstop over this!!!
Over this thing that white people have been doing to Black and indigenous people since they first set foot on this continent?
If people don’t say it’s wrong, it won’t be seen as wrong. If people aren’t allowed to say this is what happened in the past but it can’t keep going, it will continue. By no means can we ignore or forget the past but we have to learn from it which is what the white supremest don’t want us to do
Sounds like one of those shit-hole countries.
Germany in the 30’s and 40’s.
Dystopian. The old USA is gone, maybe forever.
.. start following them, see where their taking them.. we need the police force to back the people. If not STOP THEIR PAY CHECKS !!! 😊
in the history of the world, that has never been a democratically run country. authoritarian, fascist, dictatorship all come to mind.
youtu.be/pSANTRnEBgg?...
Yes.
We are. We don’t have to imagine it.
You ain't bin a deemock-chrissy for a might while pilgrim.
…and only the god damned public are trying to stop them and are being brutalized.
Thankfully I live in a country where the government adheres to the Constitution of Canada which protects my rights and freedoms rather than a country where the government regularly ignores or abuses those rights and freedoms as defined by the US Constitution.
Protect it. What is happening in USA and elsewhere can happen in Canada.
Jim, I can’t tell you how blessed I feel to be in Canada at the moment. 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
You made the right choice in your last election. 🙌🏽
Yes I'm sad my g-g grandparents immigrated here from Canada! Kind of a silly statement, of course, but you get the idea, I'm sure. Just last night thinking of how Canada has not had the horrible historical times we've had. Know you've had some but not close to what we've done. Stay vigilant.
Borrowing a bit from Dickens I think of my country: it was the one of the best of countries and it was one of the worst of countries.
A few when some of our best is apparent: Revolutionary War, Framing of the Constitution, Abraham Lincoln's leadership in the Civil War, WW2, Civil Rights Movement. Maybe if more Americans would also think on these, they would get in touch with and be mindful of "the better angels of our nature."
Yes.
We are living in that day. Many ICE and federal agents are bragging about their efforts, and how they can just brutalize whoever they arrest. The GOP won't be in Charge forever. Each agent suspected of abusing the law. MUST BE PUNISHED!!
Oh, Jess, I don’t need to imagine it.
As long as he is potus...this will never be a democracy.His whole administration promotes hate and bigotry. THEY EMULATE HIM.
Filipinos don't have to imagine it. Rodrigo Duterte perpetrated it already. Salvadorans don't have to imagine it. Bukele already is creating the same kind of "law and order" that Duterte did, by imprisoning thousands of political enemies and calling them all drug addicts and criminals. Familar?
Yes! We are living it everyday!
Can you imagine living in a country that grants the right to bear arms as an inalienable right and still having masked men kidnapping people off the streets every single day?
#thatsucks!
That doesn't happen in an actual democracy. It does happen in the Fascist states of America. They stopped being an actual democracy, the second they allowed Trumplethinskin to run while under investigations & after being convicted of a plethora of felonies. Sane countries don't let criminals run.
This has been happening since at least 1619. This is not new and white people acting shocked is actually insulting.
When did we let a convicted felon run for president prior to 2024?
Doesn’t really require imagination for us in California. That is happening here.
Anonymous, armed, masked men…
Putin rose to power when his Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) agents planted bombs in apartment buildings to manufacture a crisis. Everything Trump is doing is from Putin's playbook.
Hope you understand that if that occurs, it won’t be an “Iranian terrorist cell” who’s responsible.
In the formation of the British constabulary, this was the issue. If the police are not uniformed, how do you know who is a cop and who isn't. That is where Bobbies come from, named ofter Prime Minister Robert Peel.
Let's hope they head to San Antonio International Airport's ST Engineering’s hangar. Where a certain $400million dollar Qatari 747-8 jet resides.
I can't believe this is America 😞
Indeed, Disgusting.
Exactly.
Of course, we all knew that.
I first read that as “Wither” and yeah, that’s happening too.
The problem is the people in power waiting for it to tick to the hour before actually doing something.
Every single day is a new nightmare!
Can you imagine living in the most heavily armed population in the history of the earth and allowing people to be kidnapped?
Can you imagine living in a country where most ppl still believe that they live in a democracy rather than a republic of oligarchs?
@warren.senate.gov @klobuchar.senate.gov @whipkclark.bsky.social @hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social @schumer.senate.gov
Never in my lifetime did I think this would be my beloved USA 🇺🇸
It’s no longer a democracy when armed mask men show up.
... with no repercussions and minimal coverage?🤨
We do
Then it's not a democracy.
No, I couldn't. Why, if I had the money and the will and health, I would literally be moving south of our border. Mexico has become a safe haven for ex-pats from here! There are entire english communities there, mostly retirees! Now, that would be ironic.
Sure, then they take you to the soccer stadium and you are never heard from again. Oh wait, that was Argentina.
Chile
Right.
Fuck ICE.
Unfortunately I don’t have to imagine.
We don’t have to imagine because it’s happening.
Why would we need imagination?
No.
In my nightmares.
In every Black person’s reality for the past 400 years.
And not to mention destroying anything they want, robbing , raping . Ooops , of course the leader is a rapist . So they just follow their leader!!!
Which one? George Washington or Thomas Jefferson?
I'm angry because, apparently this 'great' country, put nothing in place to stop treasonous administrations. We have a regime that's gone rogue and our hands are tied. They can do anything they want, to whoever they want. We watch it every day, and we talk and post about how horrible it is every day
All the checks and balances have failed us as the Republicans have gotten in line with a dictator.
I don’t have to … We are living it
It happened all the time in the supposed "democracies" in the South/Central American banana republics. That's where maga has brought us. Their only regret is that they themselves are not as immune from the consequences as they thought they were.
No, I'm sorry I can't and hope I never experience it.
Only when it’s Democracy in name.
Yes, it proves to me that we have lost our democracy.
And we can’t find an answer even though just last year we were free? Wow! No more peaceful enjoyment of our Home! Democracy was pretty friggin fragile, or was that us?
America's new normal.
We’re living it right now! And, the courts don’t seem to be in any hurry to restrain it. Very.Bad.
Yes. It's where we live now.
Not my America. Everyone in the US deserves due process. Everyone!
And, cops can murder you. And, a stubbed toe can leave u bankrupt. And, criminals allowed to be president. And, presidents are less accountable than kings. And, every aspect of your life has been handed to the rich....etc.
No need to imagine, it’s real. 49% of the voters decided this fatality of a government.
I do. And I couldn't imagine it. But that's what we got.
It isn't a democracy if they can get away with this.
Biggley!
And holding them down and beating them senseless - lets not forget the ICE Brutality. One pardon and they think they own the world.
Don’t they? The president has their back. Who is stopping them?
Add unidentified and unmarked to that in a lot of cases. Fucking Nazi thugs
It's no longer being imagined; it's happening.
You don't have to imagine it!!! AmeriKKKa is now up there with the other great "Democracies" that include: Russia China North Korea Myanmar that abduct and torture their own citizens.
Don't forget Israel. They abduct people there too. Kids even.
Did you see this from the gestapo? Father of 3 marines, taken to the ground handcuffed and punched in the face.😡😡 www.tiktok.com/@corybooker/...
Armed masked men wearing Addidas and Vans…
Yes, I can.
No. This must stop...
It hasn’t stopped in centuries. Yall just started paying attention.
I would say that...
And the only reason it's not higher is because police started using 3rd degree torture techniques to prevent their jails from being burned down and raided. Appease the mobs by serving their justice in secret
No, but at least now I can just look outside and watch it happening
Not before this year I couldn’t…
Yeah, because I don't have to imagine it. It's happening. And I'm furious about it.
While being told to accept it because these kidnappers are ridding us of (checks notes) day laborers, ag workers and car wash employees.
Sadly, no imagination needed.
Horrible 🥺😭
I don’t have to imagine. We are living it now.
They can also be from an Iranian Terrorist Cell dressed up as ICE!! No one would know the difference!! Helmet, mask, military dress, and ordering everything else from Amazon Prime!!
It's not a real democracy anymore. Go and get your country and democracy back before it's too late!
Or don't. I am tired to give my endless attention to that degenerated intelligence.
No need to!
I didn’t think so but…..,,
These are illegal bounty hunters impersonating ICE agents and should be arrested by local and State cops.
They should be pew pewed by the people they are terrorizing.
Physically assaulting them as well, I saw the video last night of the man being accosted while working for a lawn service. It's only a matter of time before someone fights back.
Apparently we don’t have to imagine it. :(
Once called America, it’s New Russia.
Soooo, like Columbia or El Salvador? Or Russia? Or the former East Germany? Geez what have we become? Or were always this bad with a thin veneer of respectability?
These images should be shown all over the world and scare ever foreign person so much to never set foot in here.
It's not new. The act of taking people off the streets has been in America all along. What changed was that it used to be morally wrong, contrary to law, and always perpetrated by thugs. Now, it's endorsed by the elected government.
bsky.app/profile/deni...
This is where you are America. MAGA is pleased.
It’s not a Democracy. It’s a 9yr who is a Tyrant.The Republican Party right now is a clear and present danger! They our Domestic terrorist. I don’t know what else to call them. Everything they have done is weakening America. Now they put us into a world conflict. Iran will retaliate. People will die
Why imagine what is present for all to see?
We are not in a Democracy now. The only thing they react to is violence. Democrats are mostly non-violent, so we might be stuck.
I don’t believe America has really ever been a true Democracy. It was all smoke and mirrors. I will never give up on the pure of heart Americans but I definitely have zero respect for our government and those who created this!
Only happens in Trump’s America!
No, I cannot.
Yes. But that ISN’T a democracy‼️👊🏼👊🏼
No. What’s that like?
Like the past 400 years
Sorry, mine was sarcasm. I hate it here.
Arresting people who illegally entered the country ≠ kidnapping
🤣🤣🤣 try again
Nope. This is the most disgusting abuse of power we have been subjected to. Former J6 convicts, Proud Boys and other violent far right militia types are be appointed to serve as America’s Gestapo.
What blows my mind is just how many people are happy it is happening. Heartless hateful ghouls live amongst us.
Including the Christians.
I always thought it would be fiction.
In Bell and Paramount Ca. some had the brilliant idea to throw Glitter on the unmasked Agents to mark them. Stuff don't come off easily..........................
In addition to protest marches and rallies, we have many other options for peaceful resistance to the authoritarian regime. These two web sites outline many nonviolent strategies. You can choose the ones that work best for your community. beautifultrouble.org commonslibrary.org
Yes in 2015 I imagined the thug would do this.
I never imagined that could happen here & at 77 years of age, I'm living it. 😩
This will provide a perfect cover for complete chaos when they open fire on a crowd dressed in ICE uniforms. It will become open season on ICE and martial law and civil war in the US. Iranians are not stupid people. Count on it.
Spoiler: that doesn't HAPPEN in a democracy.
No.
We are no longer a democracy
I don't have to imagine it..we are playing through the end of our democracy..
YOU ARE NOT LIVING IN A DEMOCRACY!!!! fuckn Americans …….
We don't need to imagine anymore.
Democracy aka kleptocratic dictatorship. Trump is already the de facto king.
We don’t have to imagine, we are there!
Yes, as it’s the reality we live in right now, today. A year ago? Not even a little bit.
No. I see these masked cosplay bounty hunters getting rolled up in broad daylight. They’re neither covert nor competent — just loud, armed, and on borrowed time.
Poster, commenter, or masked armed kidnapper?
Do you remember when that used to happen to Black people? Like ALL the time? Cuz of slavery? In the United States, a Democracy?
Right. It’s why we have the 14th amendment. It intended to empower formerly enslaved people with legal protections absent during slavery and in the prisoner capture system. This administration just undid hundreds of years of legal protection for minorities. “Make America *legally* racist again”
It's even worse, they legalized human trafficking of immigrants to slave labor camps in foreign countries - for profit.
They used to do that after the Civil War in the southern states as well. They called it "convict leasing".
Yes, exactly. It was so predictable, but horrifying nonetheless that it is happening. I personally believe Trump rigged the election. So I guess if there’s any consolation, I really don’t think Americans asked for this. And I don’t think they voted for it.
I'm not gonna dwell in what should have been, it makes this reality hurt worse.
We don't have to imagine anymore. We can now start to imagine what will be the next step.
Hitler rules again!
Funny, I was just thinking our reality is way scarier than any of the horror movies.
hE tElLs iT lIKe iT iS
I can’t even imagine living in a Democracy. That would be something.
What i can’t believe is that no one has shot any of them as with no badge and id they are unknown kidnappers! And should be met with the violence they would be met with if they were trying to kidnap you or your family members! No id means they need to be stopped by any means possible and necessary!
What part of the country fell and democracy died on 1/20/25 are people still missing?
Welcome to Ukraine 🇺🇦
This has shifted from a democracy in November 2024
😡😡😡
I'm in the UK so I can imagine what it's like for those of you who are actually living this nightmare! We may be having to react to Trump but we're still on your side. There's a lot of hope though. You've had to fight before and won. You will again. ✊
Thank you so much for this message of support for us as we live in this dystopian nightmare. Every day I wake up afraid to see the news and learn about the newest atrocities being committed by this regime.
Thank you for your support and words of encouragement. This is truly a nightmare. Hope I love long enough to see our ship righted.
“Live.” Ha, and love.
It is disgusting and illegal! Who will stand up to this inhumane treatment! We need to protest louder and effectively!!
Apparently it's what the majority voted for
Moronic post
Don't have to imagine cuz it's happening 😔
It’s a “Republic”. /s
Welcome to America. It has always been like this.
I can now.
Trump is a thug. Thug life appeals to him a lot.
That is no "Democracy".
No I can’t, ‘coz that ain’t a democracy.
Not a year ago but now it’s our reality
I have no doubt these masked "ice agents" are the pardoned "proud boys" from Jan. 6th insurrection attempt. Look at the clothing & equipment, it is commercial grade. there is no consistency. The plates on their cars are NOT Government plates, these aren't real law enforcement, these are cosplayers.
Cos players or not... they are still stealing human beings off the street with no cause other than the color of their skin. We have not come very far in 200 years.
For now they are. The reckoning will be brutal against Goebbels Miller & all those douche-bags pretending to be cops.
That's NOT a democracy. That's a number of countries, including Argentina ca. 1976-1983; El Salvador (never stopped since 1980 & including ones Trump is PAYING them to 'disappear'); even Syria (since 2011). And all too often, some are killed. Ladies and gentlemen, our new reality.
Nope. I just can't picture it. 🤷🏻♂️
fuckers!
No!
Not a democracy. This is 1930s Germany Nazi style. It's a dictatorship
It is a disgusting place to live.
US is no longer a democracy
It’s so surreal. Dystopian. Sad.
You mean America?
I swear she said she lives in MO but doesnt act like she lives in Mo
She must live in cotton candy clouds and rainbow unicorns MO.
Don't have imagine any longer.
No. That’s why I keep thinking I’ll wake up safely back in my bed in a democracy.
MAGA is turning the United States into Haiti on steroids.