Who’s next?

That’s the natural question after a meaningful deescalation of the 2026 Invasion of Minnesota. Another natural question is, “Will the Minnesota resistance win the Nobel Peace Prize and/or the Time Magazine Person of the Year award?” But the issue of which populations will be in ICE’s crosshairs in the near term carries a bit more urgency.

As a Gen-X latchkey kid, I watched (way) more than my fair share of game shows as a kid. That included Hollywood Squares, where hours of consumption left me with a memory of only one specific question. The panelist was Loni Anderson. The question was:

“What are two things a woman should never do?”

Loni’s answer was:

“Laugh and point.”

In retrospect, it was probably Bruce Vilanche’s answer, but no matter.

Which is the roundabout way of saying, Oregon would be a good bet. Why? Because when Trump tried to propagandize about how Portland (among other cities) was a “war zone,” the residents there suited up (see above photo) and, well, laughed and pointed. It took the piss out of Trump’s PR charade with hurl-the-ketchup accuracy. Most basic decent emotions and motivations are beyond Trump’s grasp, but revenge is his default gear.

Beyond Oregon, one could make the case for Colorado. This is a good piece from The Colorado Sun by Taylor Dolven and Jennifer Brown about what has already transpired there, what resistance might look like, and so forth. This quote from a local resistance leader, with its mix of principle and practicality, jumped out at me toward the end.

“As a country we have to understand that there is no safety anymore,” he said. “Let’s be honest about that. We understand the risk we take by fighting in the public eye.”

He did offer some advice, however. “If you are going to protest, stay peaceful, stay vigilant. Cotton is not good if you are getting doused with pepper spray. Mask up. Protect your eyes.”

Beyond Oregon and Colorado
Truth is, this guessing game is moot, because ICE is so obscenely well funded that it doesn’t have to pick. The headlines about potential ICE concentration warehouses are proliferating across front pages (all the more reason to hate the press).

Wired has a good rundown on recent developments and the cities in play. It’s not a short list, and unlike Trump’s approach to disaster relief, it’s not restricted to red or blue states. They plan to give the impression that they’re everywhere. Kind of like the Man In Black, except completely opposite.

What I’d give to have Mr. Cash around these days to issue a statement or two.

Some states, but certainly not all, have legislatures scrambling to protect their residents from intentionally reckless ICE damage.

Some states, but certainly not all, may have hidden depths of attitude, training, and tradition among the citizenry that turn out to be surprisingly potent when the time comes.

Some states, but certainly not all, may have governors inclined to do the right thing where they can.

I didn’t see Minnesota leaping into the history books with its determination and sacrifice, and in these days, I am genuinely warmed by the thought that other states are ready to tap into their own mix of attributes to beat back the fascist/racist wave and its goon brigade.

On the other hand, Minnesota is safely blue. Colorado and Oregon are both purple to blue.

What about the red states with blue pockets? If you bought the traditional line over the decades, that rouge should translate to zeal for defending the Constitution and individual rights. Good, right?

But on the ground, historically this translates to more of an individual leave-me-alone type of mentality than a ensure-everyone’s-rights kind of outlook. At least among the white population, that is, which also happened to be the least likely to get unduly hassled by any law enforcement agency over the generations.

The South also has, by far, the most experience embracing a reality where not only has the government discriminated on an inhumane level as a matter of habit, but the dominant religion has worked to justify that discrimination among the critically passive and placid middle-of-the-road masses in service to the status quo.

Some things have changed there, and some things haven’t. The Richmond I left several months ago inspires much more confidence in me than it would’ve 40 years ago. I suspect it’s the same elsewhere in the South. Other cities, other regions are not burdened with that particular cultural residue — that ability to tolerate and rationalize cruelty on a mass scale.

Minneapolis’ recipe for the level of success it achieved may be its own, but there must be more than one recipe for an effective GTFO cocktail. Stirred with love and humor where possible, but strong enough to do the job. Maybe call it the Good Trouble.

The last word goes to one of Johnny Cash’s musical and spiritual descendants, who seems like he may not be done on the subject (in the media or in person) quite yet.