What a January it has been. The horrors just keep coming.
First on the list, January 3: Venezuela, with the removal of President Maduro and President Trump’s vow to “run” the country. Is Venezuela going to be another Iraq with guns, bombs, and death? Stay tuned. It’s early days.
Second on the list, January 6: Trump’s saber-rattling over Greenland and his hi-hoing it off to Davos, Switzerland, to the World Economic Forum, where he was rightly chastised by Canada’s Prime Minister, Mark Carney. For the time being, Trump seems to have backed off from his plans to take over Greenland. Again, it’s early days. Stay tuned.
Then, closer to home and just as terrible: the sending of ICE agents and Border Patrol to round up “the worst of the worst” in various cities that voted against Trump. Minneapolis has been hit particularly hard, but in Maine, Portland and Lewiston have also been targeted.
On January 7, in Minneapolis, Renée Good was murdered by an ICE agent. She was shot point-blank in the head as she slowly—very slowly—tried to maneuver her car around ICE agents blocking the way. The administration pegged her as a domestic terrorist, stating that Good was trying to run over the agents. But thanks to the brave folks who filmed the murder, we know better. I have watched the videos many times, and it was clear that Good was trying to drive away. Her last words: “That’s fine, dude. I’m not mad at you.”
Finally, on January 24, a time of cold, snow, and ice for much of the United States, Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse, was murdered by federal agents in Minneapolis. As Pretti was filming the agents, they tackled him, threw him to the sidewalk, pepper-sprayed him, beat him, and then shot him ten times in five seconds. Yes, Pretti was legally carrying a gun. No, he did not draw it on the agents as the Trump administration initially claimed. I’ve seen the videos of the brutal attack and murder of Pretti. The administration was lying, just as they lied about Good’s death.
For the whole weekend, as the snow fell, I felt sick to my stomach about the way things are going in this country.
Yet, there are glimmers of hope. The brave folks of Minneopolis continue to film and protest. Minnesota’s National Guard, unmasked, has been handing out hot chocolate to protestors.
According to Maine Public, in Westbrook, Maine, “community members form a human wall to keep local workers safe from ICE.”
I long to be out there on the front line with the protesters, but my limited mobility keeps me inside. However, as my blogging friend Quercus reminded me, “Play to your strengths, Laurie—keep writing and talking, send kindness into the world, and let young people do the running.”
Thank you for the push, Quercus. That’s exactly what I am going to do, which means I’ll be carrying on with Notes from the Hinterland.
It’s amazing how things can from December to January.
Notes From the Hinterland 
Yes! Truth!! Your excellent writing skills are needed by the resistance.
And you can write and call your “concerned” congresspeople nonstop. Jared Golden, Susan Collins 😡😡😡
Many thanks! I have been writing to Golden and Collins. No response from Golden and a pathetic one filled with excuses from Collins. Oh, I hope she is voted right out of office!
Hopefully you hear back from Golden. Apparently Tom Suozzi (D, NY) actually apologized for his recent vote to support DHS. Keep bugging him!
https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/01/26/congress/tom-suozzi-dhs-funding-vote-00746598
I wake up in the morning and hesitate in looking at the news to see what was happening while we were sleeping. The world has become so uncertain.
I can certainly see why! What a horror it must be from a far to watch the U.S. implode. Let me tell you, it’s a horror close-up, too.
Yes, Laurie, please do keep writing. You’re a voice I can trust.
Thank you so very much for the kind words. Although I view things from a liberal perspective, I have a keen respect for facts, and am constantly fact-checking what I write, using trusted sources.
I have no words except to say thank you for writing about this sad and dreadful month.
Thanks for the kind words. What a time this is for our country!
I worry about your forthcoming midterm elections. I read that the administration is trying to get its hand on every electoral roll in the country. That sounds extremely ominous.
They are going to cheat. Plain and simple.
Can’t disagree, but nevertheless I hope we prevail.
I believe we will. I have to.
It looks very like that.
Absolutely! But I am hoping the swell of protest will continue to gain momentum and skunk the vile plans.
Protest, loud and clear! 👍🏼
You bet!
Enough is enough.Do they really think people don’t see with their own eyes?
I think they believe that they can bullshit their way through anything. But with all the cellphone filmings, the truth cannot be denied. Thank goodness for technology! I know we like to bad mouth it, and sometimes for good reason, but without the visual evidence courageously filmed by protestors, there would be no chinks in this administrations armor.
Quercus made a very good point about people playing to their strengths.
I really don’t know how Trump is getting away with all this BS. surely there must be laws to protect people from these armed, murdering thugs. I have read many people are cancelling holidays to the US because of the indiscriminate killings
There are laws, but he ignores them, and the Republicans, a majority in both the House and Senate, don’t stand up to him. Instead, they grovel at his feet. But midterms are coming in November, and Democrats have a good chance of taking the House. The Senate is dicier.
Canceling holidays to the U.S. is an excellent idea. I would not advise anyone to vacation here. Yes, there is some danger, but mostly because of the turn this country has taken. Why support tyranny? And if it’s one thing that Trump understands, it’s money.
Fingers crossed the Democrats do well in the midterms
It is important to play to your strengths Laurie and I’m glad you continue to write here. Amongst the chaos there is kindness, defiance and great spirit too and we are all rooting for you ❤️🙏 xxx
Thanks so much! Yes, so true about the great spirit of the folks in Minnesota and Maine. Inspiring in the face of the true danger and tyranny.
Glad to wake up on an Australian morning to read this. Am glad you are still speaking up – not just to share the happenings with your own countrymen and women but to tell us around the world – from the viewpoint of an ‘ordinary’ American citizen – how it really is. The whole world is praying for you . . .
Thanks so much, Eha! We certainly need all the prayers we can get. Feels as though we are on the knife’s edge.
Yes, play to your strengths.
Thanks so much! Will do.
Jonathon Pye sums it up perfectly
Thanks for sharing! He sure puts it succinctly. And accurately. Do what to add that we don’t have any guns, and we don’t find gun violence normal. But too many do.
Hi Laurie, as ‘outsiders’ in countries where citzens don’t carry guns S NORM we have a different perspective.
I particularly liked “capricious toad in the Oval Office.”
perfect
Your writing is powerful! Thank you for sharing it!
Many thanks for the kind words!
I hear you. My stomach hurts. I have to remind myself to stop clenching my teeth. And I finally, finally, called my congressional representatives. One of them leaves his voicemail full. For over a year now.
Holy cats! A voicemail full for over year. I guess that says a lot about that representative.
It does! There’s more, but isn’t there always?
Apparently red knit hats are what protesters are wearing now (as they did in Norway to protest Hitler, according to my informative friend). So I’m going to be knitting red hats when she brings me the yarn. I also regularly harass my congresspeople. We all have to do whatever we can, big or small.
Yay for those red hats! Knit away. I, too, harass my congresspeople.
Laurie, I’m thrilled to see you back in this space. We need your voice of understanding and reason. I’ve felt sick as well, unable to put the horrors out of my mind. I have two friends in Minnesota, struggling to understand these horrors. It’s devastating.
Thanks so much! Best, best to your friends in Minnesota. Even though Maine and Minnesota are 1100 miles apart, I feel such a kinship for that state.
I understand, Laurie. It’s hard opening my eyes each day.
Thank you, Laurie. I watch these events unfold with growing horror and so appreciate reading your point of view. You express yourself so well.
Many thanks! What a horror it is to live in the United States during this time.
Glad to see you are blogging again, such a good opportunity to comment.
It is hard to believe that some of the events happening in the USA are real.
I have always believed in the power of the written word, especially when you are able to give real life descriptions and events, happening in your country…so thank you for doing this for those of us, far away and in dread of the future.
I hope life calms down for so many many people, the children, the parents, the grandparents, the friends and families….most people just want a calm safe home.
Best wishes to you Laurie and to your family.
Thanks so very much! At times, I feel as though I am in the middle of a dystopian movie. But it’s heartening how folks in both Maine and Minnesota are stepping forth to protest and to donate time and money to those targeted by ICE.
There’s lots of bad news coming out of the US right now, so it’s good to have something to celebrate. Your decision to continue blogging definitely falls into that category: you are an incisive, powerful writer with a clear commitment to the standards of common decency and the welfare of others. I’m delighted that you will continue to share your insights with me and other like-minded bloggers.
Many, many thanks! In the scheme of things, my voice is small, but if enough small voices make themselves heard, then maybe decency will make a comeback.
Good to see you back Laurie. You’ve already added more to the debate than most of the reports we see over here. This isn’t going to be solved by politicians, as the opposition seems to have no leaders – it’s going to be solved by people like you bombarding the problem with common sense until decency becomes normal again.
Thanks so much, Quercus! May decency soon become normal again.
I hope so. I have more confidence now you are back.
More power to common people.
Amen! And common folks in both Maine and Minnesota are stepping up with courage and persistence.
Thank you so much for this sane analysis, Laurie, especially the word “Murdered”
You’re most welcome. Both Renee and Alex were murdered. Important to call it what it was.
If they had been trained, got warrants from a reputable judge and did their targeted pickups like normal police officers, knowing how to deescalate, we wouldn’t be in this sick place. Not that I agree people should be picked up at all unless there’s a real warrant for a real crime, something beside being here illegally.
What we have instead are thugs who can’t wait for a fight. These people are thrilled to be able to ride over people, have probably been bullies all their lives. Then we were stupid to give them guns, masks and some off the wall authority.