I have just received this petition from Courage California.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

It's for Governor Newsom, asking him to refuse to let tRump's minions into our state as they have in Portland. I'm pretty sure anyone can sign it. I hope you all do!

From: Molly Watson, Courage California <[e-mail]>

Militarized police forces with no identification are grabbing Black Lives Matter protestors off the streets of Portland, Oregon, and shoving them into unmarked vans -- and California could see the same shortly.(1)

It's a terrifying civil rights abuse straight out of Orwell's 1984 or Soviet Russia, and it’s not just in Portland. Donald Trump is sending Department of Homeland Security (DHS) police to Chicago this week, and he said Oakland is next.(2)

We need Governor Gavin Newsom to send a strong, immediate message to Trump that he will not allow his state’s residents to be abused by unauthorized police. Will you sign our petition to call on Gov. Newsom to help in this fight for our basic civil rights?

Click here to sign our petition demanding that Gov. Newsom turn away Trump's secret police, and share with your friends.

It's unfathomable that we have people in military riot gear with no request or authorization from the local government, or warrants of any kind, who are patrolling America's streets with assault rifles and abusing innocent citizens -- but that is exactly where we are.

Portland's Black Live Matter protests were largely peaceful events until these forces arrived, deteriorating the situation into violent panic. There are reports of protestors having their bones broken, being shoved into vans to be mercilessly beaten, and having their lives threatened.(3)

Worse, the governor of Oregon has asked DHS to withdraw its out-of-control police—and DHS has refused.(4)

It's federal authoritarianism, plain and simple.

Sign our petition right away!

Now Trump has his eyes set on other sites of successful Black Lives Matter protests where change is taking place -- New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Oakland, among others. Just this week, Bay Area workers walked off the job in a Strike for Black Lives to fight for better working conditions.(5)

Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf said she does not want Trump's troops in her city, and that it is just more of his racism at work, saying, "We are not experiencing any civil unrest right now. But I can think of nothing more likely to incite it than the presence of Trump-ordered military troops.&quot 6)

We need Gov. Newsom to use every resource at his disposal to keep these abusive secret police out of Oakland. If Gov. Newsom is able to stop this abuse of power, other governors will be able to follow suit, and we can shut down these secret police entirely.

Click here to sign our petition demanding that Gov. Newsom turn away Trump’s secret police, and share with your friends.

Yours in the fight for our democracy,

Molly, along with Angela, Annie, Brian, Caitlin, Deepthi, Gabby, Irene, Jay, Jen, Lindsay, Raquel, and Scottie (the Courage team)


Footnotes:
1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/07/20/christopher-david-portland-protest-video/
2. https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/07/20/trump-threatens-to-send-more-troops-to-democrat-cities/
3. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/07/20/christopher-david-portland-protest-video/
4. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2020/07/20/dhs-refuses-to-remove-trump-ordered-federal-officers-from-oregon-after-tear-gas-filled-weekend/#6ed0f6f67df1
5. https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/07/20/bay-area-workers-to-join-nationwide-strike-for-black-lives/
6. https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/07/20/trump-threatens-to-send-federal-police-to-oakland-mayor-rejects-offer/

[Laelth]

1. Governor Newsom can not do what this petition demands.

It’s merely harassment of the Governor—a Democrat. I can not, in good conscience, demand that the Governor of California do something that he lacks the power to do. Newsom can not prevent federal goons from protecting federal property. He can’t keep them out, so I am not going to ask him to do so.

-Laelth

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. What makes you think he can't do this?

[Laelth]

3. The feds have the right to protect federal property.

That’s their excuse for being in Portland. Newsom can’t deny the feds the right to protect federal property. In essence, that’s all there is to it. Newsom CAN NOT keep them out, and it’s unfair (to him) to demand that he do so.

-Laelth

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. OK. I get you. Except they weren't protecting it. That was their excuse. n/t

[Laelth]

5. No. They weren't. It was an excuse.

I still don’t want to ask Governor Newsom to do something beyond his power.

-Laelth

[Upthevibe]

6. CaliforniaPeggy...

I'll sign if you think it'll help. You've been one of the most respected and revered member of DU since day one. I became a member after the 2000 sElection. I started off as Lindsey, then Nirvana555, now I'm Upthevibe (LOL-I had to change names because my computers/devices would crash and I couldn't figure out how to restart without starting over w/a new name). I've never been one to create a lot of OP's but I'm on DU a LOT more than my count indicates.

If you find out that it won't help and it would be futile to sign these petitions, so be it. Having said that, we can "brainstorm" on what we CAN do (which at this time I have no idea what that might be).

I saw Governor Newsome when he was giving a COVID-19 report the other day and a question was asked about this. He was quite definitive that he DOES NOT want these people here...

In any case, let me know.....

[CaliforniaPeggy]

7. Thank you so much, my dear Upthevibe!

My feeling is that it can't hurt if you sign. So it's up to you: sign or don't.

I appreciate your thoughtful response.