The cliff of immorality by Sue Robin

A woman blinked and drove off the edge of Mulholland Drive on Thursday morning. Within minutes, the sirens blared across the canyon. The street was littered with fire trucks, an ambulance, police cars, and one fire vehicle with a large winch. The news copters flew overhead, but at a distance so the three fire copters could monitor and be on the ready.

EMTs were lowered to help stabilize her while others worked to hoist the car—no small task on a steep hillside—and after an hour, she was extricated from under the car and airlifted by helicopter to the hospital. She is in serious, but stable condition. They were there to rescue her, protect the community (a small spark on a dry hillside is not a good combo), and redirect traffic, which was backed up for a good distance with nowhere to go on a two-lane winding road. People were patient and watched the drama unfold. There were cheers and prayers as the copter lifted off.

That scenario represents part of what we citizens pay our taxes to ensure. Happy and grateful to do it for the most part. We did not pay the big bucks to see humans killed in cold blood on our streets. I started to write American citizens killed, but none of us wants to see anyone murdered, whether citizens or people here without documentation.

We, the people, are disgusted by the masked goons hired by the current regime supposedly to protect us from the “thousands of murderers, rapist and violent criminals” let into our country by the lax immigration rules of the past. To our dismay, thirty-two people died in 2025, with another eight dying in January of this year, either in the custody of or at the hands of ICE and DHS. That includes Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who died protesting the violent and illegal behavior of these goons.

The government hired the goons but did not hold them to the standards of years past. The training has been shortened for their job of picking up and deporting the “worst of the worst.” They do not go after only the worst of the worst, but wreak havoc on our streets. They pick up US citizens and thousands of people who may be undocumented but have no criminal record, many contributing to our communities through their work and taxes. The treatment is less than humane; in a word, it is appalling. They do not provide the required legal warrants. They do not use the least force necessary. They smash car windows, curse at the protestors, break down doors, drag people out of their homes and cars, and sometimes injure or kill them. We, the people, did not agree to this.

We, the people, have blinked and gone off the cliff of immorality. We must find a winch to bring humanity and kindness back to the top of the mountain so that we might rescue our democracy.  On March 28, the third NO KINGS protest will be held. The first protest brought two million people to the streets of cities across the USA, the second brought seven million. I attended the first with some trepidation, fearful of violence.  None occurred in my area. I was heartened by the camaraderie and kindness that abounded.

Though the fear remains with me, even more so with ICE’s recent actions, I will not sit at home. I know that it takes a lot of energy to raise a winch. I am going and hope you will, too. Let’s double that seven million!