Dr. Yohuru Williams, distinguished university chair and professor of history, spoke to WCCO Radio host Vineeta Sawkar about recent events in the Twin Cities. They discuss historical comparisons to the actions of ICE agents in Minneapolis and to the community response.
From the segment:
Vineeta Sawkar: We hear how we’re living through history. But how can we compare it to history?
Dr. Yohuru Williams: People do really desire these historic comparisons. It helps people grapple with and understand the times we live in. One comparison that has been most common in recent days is this comparison to Nazi Germany, comparing the ICE presence in Minnesota to what people experienced in Germany with the brown shirts and the violence experienced by people who were deemed to be unacceptable to the National Socialist government.
One aspect of this is the violation of the rule of law. This use of paramilitary force to enforce an unpopular directive by the regime. You have a lot of people who look at the presence of ICE in Minnesota and ask the question about what constitutional authority they have to be here. Why are ICE agents allowed to violate the U.S. Constitution. What rights do American citizens have. When you witness, as we did last week, the killing of an American citizen, no matter how one views those circumstances, the reaction of the government to deem that person who was killed as anti-government is troubling. And very much in the vein of what we saw with the rise of the National Socialists in Germany.
Sawkar: When we look at MLK Day coming up, I feel like this focus is going to become bigger as we look at comparisons. How do you approach this day coming up in light of everything that’s happening?
Williams: It’s a great question. Really, MLK Day should cause us all to reflect on what it took in that moment to bring about change in the United States. That was really speaking truth to power and challenging unpopular laws that violated the principles of the U.S Constitution and caused violence and harm to American citizens. The most powerful thing people can reflect on this MLK Day is this idea that Dr. King shared that it was important for every American to recognize the responsibility to be invested and helping our democracy elevate. That means speaking out and at times putting one’s self in jeopardy, like Renee Good did.
