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I don’t expect to write another blog post like this. If you’re a longtime reader of this blog, you know that I focus on writing and positivity. But this is related to my writing, and anyway, I couldn’t sleep last night.
I saw this video of ICE agents shooting pepper balls at the head of Reverend David Black, who was peacefully praying at their facility in Broadview, Illinois, a half hour from my house. ICE agents then sprayed him in the face with pepper spray at close range. The Presbyterian pastor said later of the pepper spray, “I was drenched from the crown of my head to the socks in my shoes.”
Peaceful protest is one of our fundamental civil rights. By law, protesters are allowed to stand on sidewalks as long as they aren’t preventing others from passing by.
A DHS official has claimed that the protesters were blocking a vehicle from leaving the facility. Because I have peacefully protested at this facility and have seen vehicles leave it, I believe this is a lie. Behind the protesters on the sidewalk, on the right side of the video, is one of the two gates that open when vehicles come out.
Do you see a vehicle there? No. And the gate is closed. Look at how much space there is between the gate and the protesters, and believe your own eyes. There is plenty of room to open that gate.
People of faith or conscience have good reason to protest ICE.
They have taken a Bible away from a man in a detention center and mocked him for it.
They have deported a four-year-child with aggressive kidney cancer who needed regular treatments—a child who was a U.S. citizen—to Honduras.
They have taken a seven-year-old girl from the Bronx and locked her up in a detention center in Texas.
And in our own city last week, ICE agents attacked an apartment building in the middle of the night, tearing many residents out of their beds—including children, some not fully dressed. They held them at gunpoint, tied them up with zip ties, and detained them in vans for hours. They arrested thirty-seven people, but many of the people they tied up and detained without warning were natural-born U.S. citizens.
I don’t believe that many Americans, even those who support strict immigration laws, would support children being terrorized in these ways.
If you read my last novel, you know that I love Chicago.
It has award-winning architecture, world-class museums, a lake that looks like an ocean (with gorgeous beaches), unique culture…and the Cubs!
Chicago has a plethora of certified “green” or sustainable buildings. We’ve done such a good job of cleaning up our river that it’s safe to swim in! Over thirty species of fish live there. (This picture is of the Chicago Riverwalk.)
It truly is a beautiful city.
My editor at Penguin Random House called Her Knight at the Musuem “a love letter to Chicago,” and it’s true. My heroine, Emily Porter, lives in the neighborhood of Edgewater and works at the Art Institute of Chicago.
My next book, Her Time Traveling Duke, features Emily’s best friend Rose Novak, who lives in the primarily Latino neighborhood of Pilsen. Rose’s Czech grandmother grew up in the same neighborhood. Rose can speak a little Spanish with her neighbors, though not as much as she’d like.
A Booklist reviewer wrote that the book
“celebrates many of the things that make Chicago so special.”
You can see how this is a very personal issue for me, and one that is inextricably intertwined with my writing.
I am well aware that the media and social media algorithms have given many people a warped idea of Chicago.
Social media algorithms promote content that makes people feel angry and afraid, because that keeps people glued to your screens.
(If you’re a writer and you wonder why nobody seems to see your posts about your books…or you’re just wondering why your friends didn’t comment on your child’s graduation photo…this is why. Facebook and Instagram are showing people upsetting things instead.)
Yet according to FBI crime reports,
Chicago is not even close to being one of the nation’s most dangerous cities.
In fact, here in Chicago,
violent crime is at its lowest point in the past sixty years.
These statistics make the idea of sending National Guard troops into the beautiful city of Chicago absolutely baffling.
The conservative governor of Oklahoma, Kevin Stitt, has spoken out against this plan. A spokesperson for the governor said, “When it’s governors working together, it’s a very different story, but this whole situation where one state’s governor is sending their national Guard troops over the objections of another state’s governor, that sets a very dangerous precedent.”
The governor of Oklahoma pointed out, “Oklahomans would lose their minds if Pritzker in Illinois sent troops down to Oklahoma during the Biden administration.”
Stitt’s words made me feel a little better, at least. As someone who lives here, it was chilling to see Donald Trump’s post about declaring war on Chicago.
I grew up in Illinois. I am a law-abiding, patriotic citizen who has been working and paying taxes for forty years. This city is filled with people just like me. How can the president of the United States see me and the other Americans who live here as enemies? As people he must wage war against?
I’m not sure how to conclude this post. I’m going to try to focus on what I can do to help others. I have set a goal of doing one random act of kindness or positive, peaceful political action every week.
Beyond that, I will stay informed without getting overwhelmed. While my actions have at least a small hope of being helpful, my miserable doomscrolling would help no one (besides billionaires, of course.)
I’m hoping for a time of less division in this country. I don’t have to agree with people on everything to like them or respect them…as long as we agree on basic decency.
Thank you for reading this post.
Even if we disagree on some things, I hope we can do so respectfully (and before you comment to disagree, make sure you are familiar with the blog’s Terms and Conditions.)
I appreciate you, and I hope you have a very good weekend.
Stay strong Chicago! Love Los Angeles🫶
Thank you, Cindy! Sending love back to L.A.! 🫶
🧡 from Melissa in LA, too.
💙💙💙 Thank you, Melissa! Right back at you!
I’ve been thinking of you whenever I see Chicago in the news (or on social media). Know that many more people than the algorithms would lead you to believe are in your corner.
Oh, thank you, Isla. I truly appreciate that!
Bryn, thank you for this heartfelt post.
I was particularly hurt for the children and for the individual mocked for having the Bible.
No matter how people feel about the immigration laws and/or the execution of immigration laws, we cannot lose our souls of humanity. Blogs and conversations with a focus on that, like yours, are how we will see progress.
Sending you hugs and also heading over to order your “love letter to Chicago”. My mom’s hometown, it sure is a beautiful city, I agree.
Thank you for reading, and for your kind words, Philana! Yes, those things especially hurt my heart. I truly appreciate the support!
I’m a born and bred Chicagoan and also appalled at the attacks on our beautiful city and it’s people. It’s unwarranted and illegal. Thank you for your post. Getting the truth out is so important.
Thank you for reading. It is so good to hear from other Chicagoans! It is appalling, and I have to believe that this will not continue. I am certainly going to continue protesting in peaceful ways.
I hope you have a good weekend! I am loving the fact that fall is finally here!
It is absolutely heartbreaking what is happening, and I am horrified that this is happening in this country—that anyone, regardless of political beliefs, thinks this is okay. It is hard not to feel despondent over the daily divisive tactics, and the verbal and physical assaults. I applaud you for speaking up. There must be a wave of voices that say, “This is NOT acceptable!” And on a personal note, I must add that it makes me sad to think of you, with all the beautiful photos you’ve taken in the city you love…you must feel quite shattered. This Vermonter stands with you!
Hi, Carole! It truly is horrifying. There’s politics, and then there’s basic decency. Thank you for understanding my feelings oh, so well.
I hope you are enjoying Vermont. I bet it’s stunning this time of year (or about to be!) I hope you have a good weekend.
You and everyone else in Chicago are in my prayers. My sister lived in the Lincoln Park district for 20 years, and I visited her there many times. We walked everywhere. I love Chicago. My first completed short story (still being edited) is set in Chicago among the parks and high-rises along Lake Shore Drive and the Chicago River. What’s happening there and elsewhere is horrifying. Stay strong, Bryn, and don’t give up. We’re Americans, we love this city and this country, and we’ll get through this if we stick together. <3
Karen, thank you so much for your prayers. I love the Lincoln Park area. And the parks and high-rises along Lake Shore Drive and the river are such a great backdrop for a short story! Your supportive words mean so much. I agree—we’ll get through this if we stick together. Have a good weekend!
Hi Bryn, even though I’m Canadian and live in the far north next to Alaska, we are impacted by the doings of your president. It’s difficult to fathom the fear and disruption to ordinary lives, the taking of children, and every other outrage that was practiced in Nazi Germany, being perpetrated on cities like Portland and Chicago. Why? There is no basis other than a likely deranged person wishing for ultimate power over the masses as if he were some kind of god.
We in Canada hear what is happening, watch it on television, and are impacted by every unlawful move being made by someone who has far overstepped his boundaries. Beyond the trade wars, of which Canada feels especially singled out as being “nasty”, there is the hidden worry of the rhetoric of the oft heard phrase, “the 51st state”. There is no doubt in most Canadians’ minds that your president will not be satisfied until he absorbs our country, if only to rape it of its resources. What is worrisome here is the fact of one premiere (Danielle Smith of Alberta) seeming to follow your president’s leadership like some college kid following a guru. She is disrupting our once easy co-existence, and taking notes from your president’s playbook.
I can only feel for what you are going through. No one, unless confronted with what is going on, can say for certain how they would react or what their true feelings would be. He is attacking all the blue states. ONLY the blue states. That in itself is very telling. I only wish that some of those red states would wake up to what is going on. We can only cross our fingers that when your mid-terms come up, your leader will fall very short and perhaps be kicked out of office, if that is at all possible. I truly believe the past election was rigged but that is only the opinion of one old Canadian lady. As we are beginning to say in Canada, “Elbows up!” (a reference to a famous hockey player’s worthy elbows during games) and I encourage you to do the same. Hang in there.
Sonia
Sonia, thank you so much for your thoughtful post! I truly appreciate getting your point of view as a Canadian.
I hope it is some consolation to know that I have neither seen nor heard any support among American citizens, regardless of where they are on the political spectrum, for the idea of invading Canada (it feels so crazy to even type that). I am going to volunteer as much as I can in the mid-terms, in nearby districts and states that could go either way.
I have to find out about the “Elbows up!” saying. I like that!
I appreciate you, Sonia. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Don’t you think you should concentrate on something more lucative than politics. I live in Chicago IL and politics killed my father even after he was made to retire early in 1976 with pass by surgery and they won’t even let him rest.
Hi, Lucie. Although I am not clear about how politics killed your father, losing a father is a terrible thing. I am very sorry for your loss. As far as your question of whether I should concentrate on “something more lucrative than politics,” I would say that my life has never been and will never be guided only by what is most lucrative. Speaking my mind and doing what I believe is right will always come first. I appreciate your engaging on this blog in a respectful way.
Hi Bryn,
I too live in this grand city. It’s sad, heartbreaking, and terrifying to see what’s unfolding around us.
Before diving deeply into my writing, I worked for United Airlines for over 31 years, and also ran my family’s nonprofit childcare center in a low-income community. Through both of those roles, I witnessed firsthand the hope and determination of immigrants who arrived here, excited about the possibilities that lay ahead.
At our center, I enrolled families who, though struggling financially, dreamed of better futures for their children. They entrusted us with their little ones, and we honored that trust. Every child was treated with dignity, and their education was never compromised because of their family’s income. Whether at the airport or at our center, many of the families I encountered came from deeply traumatized backgrounds—seeking safety, opportunity, and a fresh start.
It is mind-boggling to me that our government would choose to inflict additional trauma on families and children who have already endured so much. This isn’t happening to middle-income families—regardless of whether they’re Black, Brown, or white. It’s happening to our most vulnerable, and it’s inexcusable.
Hi J.R.! It’s good to hear from a fellow Chicagoan. Thank you for such a well-written and empathetic post. I am so glad that you gave those children a caring environment. It’s so terrible to think of families and children going through this when they have already suffered so much.
Bryn,
This was a very welcome, heartfelt post. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Chicago is a beautiful city!
Anne
Thank you, Anne! 🙂 I appreciate that!
Hugs! I’m praying every day that this all ends soon. I don’t even recognize the country I love anymore, and that scares me.
Hugs back! I feel the same way. I don’t even recognize it, and it really is scary.
My nephew lives in Chicago and I worry about him. From what I’ve seen, ICE doesn’t wait for facts before acting and terrorizing. It’s not right. This is the farthest thing from the American Dream that I’m sure many people came to this country hoping to find. It’s scary.
Hi Susan! That’s exactly right—ICE “agents” have no training or boundaries, and they don’t care who they assault. They’re just thugs supported by the federal government. It truly is scary.
Thank you, Bryn, for writing this. And thank you for protesting in person. I wish I could join you.
Hugs.
Hi Adriana! Thank you for the supportive words! Yes, I’ll be protesting again, on the 18th for No Kings and likely at the ICE facility again before that.
I agree with your comment. It appears Trump’s bullies are at work harassing and bullying honest citizens of the United States. His desire to be a dictator is in operation. Everyone needs to pray that God would deal with these bullies and put them in jail. Trump has never been accountable and believes he is above the law to present an extremist agenda to our country which is a republic not a dictatorship.
Hi Brigitte! I absolutely agree. Stephen Miller didn’t mean to slip and say “plenary authority” in that one interview with CNN, but clearly that’s what they’re talking about behind closed doors. It’s the opposite of American values and democracy!
Bless you, Bryn. Bless you and yours – and your community. Hugs from across the pond.
Thank you, Lita! I appreciate that so much!
Thanks for always standing up for what is right, Bryn. We also love Chicago and try to get up there often to see our honorary children and grandkids, but this would have resonated with us no matter where people were bullying the underdogs.
Alarie, hi! Always good to have a great poet in the house 🙂 It really is so sad to see. Chicago is still very safe in general, but ICE is a scourge and they make things worse for everyone.
Hi Bryn, I used to live in Chicago and I fully agree it’s a wonderful city. My heart is with you. I now live in Los Angeles where we too have felt the abuses of the National Guard even against our Senator Padilla. Both Los Angeles and Chicago are wonderful cities to live in and neither deserve the actions of our president. It was heartbreaking to see the National Guard who came to help our communities after the most devastating fires in California join with ICE to turn against Angelenos while we were still recovering from those disasters. Like Chicago, violent crimes are at an all time low. The march to weaponize urban centers is clear. It’s clearly to intimidate and oppress democratic values our country has held. Democracy is under attack. Sadly, it is dying by a million little cuts (e.g. the elimination of States rights over federal, the 1st Amendent-freedom of speech and assembly, due process, separation of powers, etc.). unless the rest of the country wakes up soon and realizes what is happening, we will be no better than some of the countries we decry as authoritarian regimes. This a sad time for all who have strong democratic values and love what this country stood for until now. We no longer can hold our heads high as the beacon of democracy.
Hi Lynette! We lived in L.A. for a few years and seeing the abuses of the National Guard there has been awful. And just shameful! Yes, Los Angeles is a very safe city. I used to walk to work every day there, so I would know! I agree that all our freedoms are under attack. I hope a lot of people get out and protest PEACEFULLY on the 18th! Thank you for your thoughtful post!
Thanks for speaking out. If we loose our freedom of speech we loose everything. It is indeed a strange and sad WORLD we live in.
It truly is strange and sad, Paula! Thank you for your supportive words!
This breaks my heart for you, Bryn. Your books look amazing. Hope you can write more, despite what is going on politically. You’ve been an inspiration to me for ages. Thank you for that.
Thank you, Sunny! I truly appreciate the kind words. It means so much!
As an ex-pat Brit stuck in the US and unable to return home for a few reasons, I’m appalled and disturbed by what the current US administration is doing and claiming as justification. Every day there seems to be appalling attacks on human rights. Your beautiful and peaceful city, and others like Portland, are being unjustly targeted for what seems like political reasons. The numerous cases you highlight are not isolated but symptomatic of the underlying dismantling of your democracy. I fear the echoes of past & present authoritarian regimes, which as a European we have already seen too many of.
Unfortunately, being bedbound, I cannot go out and protest non-violently, for instance by joining a No Kings event on October 18th – https://www.nokings.org/?SQF_SOURCE=email-re-rsvp-no-kings-protest-oct-18. However, as a writer I can comment, share, and write, for the last three-and-a-half years about the invasion of democratic Ukraine by authoritarian Russia.
Keep telling everyone how beautiful Chicago is, Bryn.
Roland, thank you for your insightful post. I am sorry you are currently unable to return home! You are absolutely right—the cases I’m talking about are hardly isolated. I find it very frightening. We are going to be protesting on the 18th, for sure. I hope it is peaceful, and I hope there are huge numbers.
I am glad you are writing about Ukraine. That country and Russia’s evil invasion is never far from my mind.
It is some consolation to me that many of us feel the same way. Thank you again!
Dear Bryn, what a heartfelt post about Chicago. As an Australian I have been puzzled by the news leaking through of the National Guard being sent to various parts of America, trying to see through to some truth. Especially in the light of the world scene–peace in the Middle East yet war, on the home front. The soul of your country, indeed the soul of the world, needs healing. Much blessing Bryn. Remember the pen is mightier than the sword.
[Please delete my duplicated comments, Bryn. Apologies.]
Oh, no worries! I just deleted the duplicate! I’m the one who should apologize. I don’t know why comments are slow to load sometimes!
Thank you for writing this heartfelt blog Bryn. I’ve been reading your love letter to Chicago book and quietly falling in love with your beautiful city. I had tears streaming down my face as I read your post – we hear of the goings on in our media, but not this level of detail. My heart is breaking for America, and especially for my “other home state” Illinois, where I lived for a few months on a student exchange many, many years ago. Even though I am far away across the Pacific, I am sending you big hugs. With love from Sydney, Australia.
Rowena, thank you for your kind and caring post. It truly is upsetting and we see new, terrible things happening in our own community every day. All we can do is speak out, protest, and hope for better days. Thank you for the good wishes. I appreciate them—we all do!
They keep threatening to send to Baltimore, too. Stay strong.
Ugh! I hadn’t heard that about Baltimore. That’s horrible. Thank you! We all need to stay strong.
It hasn’t happened, so far. But, the threat to do so is still alive.
Bryn … Stay strong. I’m in Portland and it looks like we’re next on the list. If you saw the pictures of the Pajama and Pastry Party last Saturday or the Doggie Trot a few days ago you saw how much of a ‘war zone’ we are in. This all seems like a bad dream … Best wishes to all.
Hi Barbara! Yes, he’s got it in for the city of Portland, too, I know. I am going to look up the Pajama and Pastry Party and the Doggie Trot! It really is awful. I am sending good wishes to you all.
Bryn, your opinions on Chicago and what’s happening in our country are the same as mine. It is brave of you to speak out. But that’s what we have to do in order to keep our freedom. Keep writing and keep speaking out.
Hi Alice! It really does help to hear from other people who feel the same way! I do think it’s important for people to hear about the terrible things they are doing every day. Thank you so much for your note!
I receive your newsletter as a writer, and it’s been very helpful. Thank you! I live in New Zealand and I’ve been to Chicago once, more than 30 years ago. I remember the lake and the amazing classical concert we went to. And a pub in a friend’s safe neighbourhood – can’t remember its name. Many people around are following what is happening in the US. We are beyond horrified. You’re in our thoughts, and we’re sending you much love. From Karen in Auckland
Hi Karen! I am so glad that you have good memories of Chicago. I hope everyone around the world knows how horrified so many of us are here in the U.S. We truly appreciate the good wishes as we deal with this bleak chapter in U.S. history.
Bryn, I look on in horror at the lies being fed to the world by the Trump Administration and in disbelief that nothing seems to be able to stop the ongoing terrifying disruption of your lives. I follow writers, like you, who have posted the truth with remarkable courage and it breaks my heart to see what’s going on. I have never visited, but have former colleagues living in Chicago, as well as other cities in the US that have been affected. Our daughter-in-law is a US citizen and some of those former colleagues are also friends, so I have more than a passing interest in what’s at stake. Our thoughts are with you all. Sending love from Karen in France xx
Karen, thank you so much for your post. This is a very sad chapter in our nation’s history. I can only try to do what I can to speak out and protest, and encourage others to do the same. Thank you for sending good wishes!
I agree with your take on what is happening in Chicago. Thank you for standing up for what’s right.
Thank you so much. It’s good to hear from other people who feel the same way!