IMO If you’re in public recording from a safe distance, fine. If you are closing distance, refusing to move back, stepping into agents, blocking , surrounding, etc. you are not observing , you are interfering and you are going to get treated like a threat. The conceal carry angle is the dumbest part of the debate . A permit does not give you authority. I am very much pro 2A. It doesn’t give you a hall pass to “help” by inserting yourself into a legal federal chaotic enforcement operation . Federal agents will not play intent games. They will treat “I’m helping “ as noise if your body is in the wrong place , you are closing distance and your hands are doing the wrong thing.
Mr. Pretti made horribly foolish decisions that day. I would NEVER encourage anyone I love to take part in this nonsense. IMO
Let us look at it from a totally different, practical standpoint. Not political one because when home, we are regular creatures. A human life can't be measured in money, but the cost of a life lost to the community, can.
So... none of us is getting younger, and everyone depends on hospitals, doctors, nurses, and there is a huge lack of trained nurses in the country, we all know it.
So not to make it about Minnesota, I googled how much it costs to train an ICU nurse in the state of Washington.
"Training an ICU nurse in Washington state generally costs hospitals between $60,000 and over $100,000 per nurse in the first year due to extensive orientation, mentorship, and salary expenses, according to Beckers Hospital Review and similar industry estimates. While specific, targeted ICU residency or fellowship programs, like those at University of Washington, can range from $12,913 to over $13,000+ per quarter in tuition fees, the overall cost includes months of salary, education for certifications (ACLS, PALS, CCRN), and supervised clinical hours.
Key Costs Involved:
Hospital Training & Orientation: For a new graduate, 6 months of specialized orientation with a preceptor can cost roughly $30,000 in salary alone.
Specialized Education: Training for certifications such as ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) and CCRN adds several thousand dollars.
Total Investment: The total investment, including salary, benefits, and training, can exceed $80,000 to $100,000 per nurse, a significant investment to prevent the $56,000+ cost of nurse turnover.
Program Fees: University of Washington offers accelerated BSN programs at $\approx$$13k/quarter, while specialized ICU training roles, like those at DaVita or University of Washington, are often paid positions (roughly $44–$80+ per hour). "
So, it is very expensive, plus all pre-nurse training. And nurses are paid scholarships as they are needed.
And Pretti was an experienced nurse who worked in VA since 2016...
So...who is more valuable to you in your personal, future life, a trained nurse or an ICE agent? Just like this?
To tilt it even more, who will be more necessary to an ICE agent in his future life, a qualified nurse, or once-member of his ice team?
What is the human cost of Pretti's death, to the society, to me, to you, to everyone?