Berrien County Protests & Media Silence

Photos ran on the front page of the H-P in June after the "NO KINGS" national event on Saturday June 14th. Since June, there have been numerous large and small protests on the Corner of Main & Park in St. Joseph, and throughout SW Michigan. However, there has been no local coverage.

Our group protests every Tuesday and Saturday, in addition to gathering for large national protests. As a matter of fact, Louise Wrege, HP Staff Writer, attended one of our protests prior to the 2020 election, and wrote about what she observed.

There were 3,500 people in St Joseph on Sat Oct 18th, and no local coverage. There were 82 people on the 5th anniversary of the J6 insurrection on Tuesday 1/6/26. No coverage. Not newsworthy? The next day, Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, whose last words were, “That’s fine dude, I’m not mad at you,” just before the masked ICE agent, Jonathon Ross, fired three shots in her face killing her. A doctor on the scene, attempted to provide medical care, and was denied access to her. Her death sparked outrage and collective grief and horror, prompting candlelight vigils and protests across the country, including one on the bluff on Friday night. However, there was no local coverage. Not newsworthy?

Millions of Americans are outraged and frankly terrified by our rapid slide toward fascism. The Supreme Court has failed us, Congress has failed us, Law firms have failed us, and legacy media have failed us.

While Timothy Snyder, author of “On Tyranny,” and Rachel Maddow of MSNBC both emphasize the role of civic engagement, democracy, and critical thinking in the fight against autocracy, it is Erica Chenoweth, a political scientist, who showed that nonviolent resistance movements with just 3.5% of the population actively participating have historically succeeded in toppling authoritarian regimes.

3.5% of the population of the US is 12 million people. The “NO Kings” protests have already brought more than 7 million

Americans out to peacefully march and protest.

Prior to any investigation, Kristi Noem and Donald Trump both immediately lied about the horrific shooting, claiming Renee Good was a “domestic terrorist,” and that the ICE agent who murdered her acted in “self-defense.”

Truth matters, but just like the Insurrection of January 6, 2021, when Donald Trump and his sycophants claimed J6 was “a day of love,” they are maligning the character of Renee Nicole Good and anyone who stands on a corner to say, “Not on my watch.” Join us, won’t you?

Deborah Carter

Saint Joseph, MI