Since his first term in office, President Donald Trump has been itching to invoke the federal Insurrection Act that would allow him to impose martial law and deploy the military against American citizens. Because he has wanted this for so long, the would-be king in the White House must be frustrated and infuriated by the costumed protesters challenging immigration enforcement agents in Portland.
On totally phony pretexts, Trump has sent National Guardsmen into Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Chicago, very likely hoping to provoke violence that would give him the excuse to declare that an insurrection is underway. So far, protests have been almost entirely peaceful. And, in Portland, the next city on the list to be invaded by federal troops, the local anarchists have stayed quiet while dozens of protesters have donned funny animal costumes, joined a marching band dressed as bananas and stripped off their clothes to ride their bicycles, all aiming to face down and shame the masked and armed agents at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility.
There have been a few arrests, including a clarinet player in the band, but almost all the violence has been perpetrated by the overzealous feds. Portland’s fanciful approach to dissent has helped give lie to the administration’s absurd and deeply cynical assertion that the Rose City and the other cities on Trump’s target list are seething with mayhem, communism and crime and must, therefore, be subject to military intervention.
It is Trump’s violent immigration goons who need to be reined in, not the peaceful citizens of America’s great cities. It would be a marvelous thing if right-wing authoritarianism can be neutered by a few hundred naked bikers and a cadre of folks dressed like cartoon characters.
See more of David Horsey’s cartoons at: st.news/davidhorsey
View other syndicated cartoonists at: st.news/cartoons
Editor’s note: Seattle Times Opinion no longer appends comment threads on David Horsey’s cartoons. Too many comments violated our community policies and reviewing the dozens that were flagged as inappropriate required too much of our limited staff time. You can comment via a Letter to the Editor. Please email us at letters@seattletimes.com and include your full name, address and telephone number for verification only. Letters are limited to 200 words.
