Happy Friday, Friends!
If you have seen the 2024 movie Civil War, you probably remember the feeling of watching it. That gnawing dread that it wasn't just a movie, but a premonition. The film depicted a fractured America where the Western Forces marched on D.C., and journalists were the only ones left documenting the collapse of reality. Back then, it felt like dystopian fiction. Today, in January 2026, it feels like we are living through the prequel.
We aren't seeing airstrikes on the capital yet, but the themes are identical. We are seeing federal agents acting as a rogue faction, local police turning against them, and a government demanding we reject the evidence of our own eyes. The defining image of that movie was Americans looking at other Americans through the scope of a rifle. This week, from Minneapolis to Portland, that fiction became our reality.
But in that movie, the heroes weren't the soldiers; they were the witnesses. They were the ones who refused to look away. That is our role right now. We have to document the madness, organize the facts, and refuse to let the fog of war hide the truth. Here is what the script looks like today.
Civil War in Minneapolis: The fracturing of the state predicted in the film is happening in real time. For the first time, local Minneapolis police were seen standing shoulder to shoulder with activists to block federal agents hiding in a hotel. The lines have been drawn: Minnesota is effectively telling the administration's foot soldiers that they are an occupying force and are not welcome.
Orwellian Gaslighting: In a move straight out of 1984, the administration is telling us to ignore the footage of the Renee Good shooting. As the quote goes, The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. We are being asked to believe an official lie over the video evidence of a state sanctioned murder.
The ICE Standard Hypocrisy: We are highlighting a dangerous double standard. The administration claims the agent had to shoot Renee Good because she was in a car and he felt threatened. Yet, protesters are currently blocking ICE vans with their bodies. By the ICE Standard, do those protesters now have the right to open fire on the drivers? Of course not. Standing your ground is apparently a right reserved only for those wearing a federal badge.
Defacing the Dead: Tensions escalated further as Noem's foot soldiers were caught defacing the memorial for Renee Good and shoving peaceful citizens guarding it. It is disgusting Gestapo behavior from an agency that seems intent on erasing the memory of its victim.
Becca Good Speaks: In the middle of this war zone, Renee Good's widow, Becca, issued a statement that shames the violence of the state. She revealed that Renee leaves behind three children, including a six year old who has now lost both parents. Instead of calling for revenge, she wrote: The people who did this had fear and anger in their hearts, and we need to show them a better way.
Vance Attacks: While Becca offered grace, JD Vance went on the attack. He sunk to a new low, calling Renee radicalized and claiming she went looking to kill agents. It is a disgusting attempt to smear a dead mother to cover up a murder.
Ventura Enters the Chat: Former Governor and Navy SEAL Jesse Ventura didn't mince words regarding the President's toughness, calling Trump a draft dodging coward who did what all rich white boys did when it was time to serve.
Epstein Files Mutiny: The conflict isn't just in the streets; it is in the government. Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie have formed a bipartisan alliance to strip the DOJ of the Epstein files. In a letter to Judge Engelmayer, they argued the DOJ cannot be trusted after failing to comply with the Transparency Act and protecting politically exposed persons. They are demanding a Special Master take control.
Let Them Eat Steak: RFK Jr. is officially bringing back the food pyramid, but he has flipped it upside down. The new USDA graphic prioritizes Protein, Dairy & Healthy Fats as the largest portion, while relegating Whole Grains to the tiny tip usually reserved for candy. It is being criticized as economic warfare disguised as health, as it pushes an expensive diet that millions of struggling families cannot afford.
Portland Shoot and Scoot: In a horrifying escalation, federal agents shot a married couple outside a hospital in Portland and then fled the scene without rendering aid, forcing the victims to drive themselves to get help.
The $200 Billion Housing Buy: President Trump has ordered a unilateral government purchase of $200 billion in mortgage bonds to lower interest rates before the midterms, a move critics call a campaign bribe funded by taxpayers.
In the movie Civil War, the ending is brutal and sudden. But we aren't at the ending yet. We are in the middle of the second act, where everything feels chaotic and the bad guys seem to have all the ammo. But looking at the images from this week Reps. Khanna and Massie uniting, Minneapolis police protecting protesters, Becca Good choosing love over hate I see a different ending being written.
We are seeing people wake up. We are seeing the factions that the government tries to create dissolve in the face of shared reality. That is what they are afraid of. They want us fighting each other so we don't look at them.
So, turn off the news for a bit this weekend. Go be human. Connect with your neighbors. Because if Civil War taught us anything, it is that when the system collapses, all we have is each other. Let's make sure that bond is strong enough to survive whatever scene comes next.
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