this post was submitted on 12 Jan 2026
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Two days after an ICE agent shot and killed Renée Good in Minneapolis, Rep. Roger Williams issued an ultimatum to the Trump administration’s critics in Minnesota and beyond.

“People need to quit demonstrating, quit yelling at law enforcement, challenging law enforcement, and begin to get civil,” the Texas Republican told NewsNation. “And until we do that, I guess we’re going to have it this way. And the people that are staying in their homes or doing the right thing need to be protected.”

That’s a pretty clear encapsulation of MAGA-world’s views on dissent these days. You aren’t supposed to protest. You aren’t supposed to “yell at” or “challenge” the militarized federal agents occupying your city. And anyone who wants to be “protected” should probably just stay “in their homes.” Williams isn’t some fringe backbencher; he’s a seven-term congressman who chairs the House Small Business Committee. He is announcing de facto government policy.

For nearly a year, President Donald Trump and his allies have been engaged in an escalating assault on the First Amendment. The administration has systematically targeted or threatened many of Trump’s most prominent critics: massive law firms, Jimmy Kimmel, even, at one point, Elon Musk. But it’s worth keeping in mind that some of the earliest victims of the president’s second-term war on speech were far less powerful.

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[–] Formfiller@lemmy.world 5 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago)

Why? Because the constitution is not the law of the land anymore? I guess it really hasn’t been ever since the patriot act

[–] Flocklesscrow@lemmy.zip 18 points 9 hours ago

Texas Republican says, "please...just let them tread all over you."

All hat, no cattle.

[–] Sunflier@lemmy.world 18 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

Demonstrating/Protesting is the peaceful compromise to the violent alternative. You want to force us to stop protesting? Okay.

[–] FordBeeblebrox@lemmy.world 12 points 14 hours ago

I’m a white dude who admittedly has t been very vocal.

Time to do some singing exercises and warm up the old pipes.

“People need to quit demonstrating, quit yelling at law enforcement, challenging law enforcement, and begin to get civil,” the Texas Republican told NewsNation. "And until we do that, I guess we’re going to have it this way. And the people that are staying in their homes or doing the right thing need to be protected.”

Motherfucker is your ass really trying to give people a stay at home order?

[–] boogiebored@lemmy.world 19 points 17 hours ago

I agree, let’s escalate!

[–] Zombiepirate@lemmy.world 222 points 1 day ago (7 children)

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Get fucked Roger.

[–] CombatWombatEsq@lemmy.world 43 points 1 day ago (1 children)

“Well, you see, the first amendment prevents congress from passing laws, but under the unitary executive principle, the president doesn’t need authority via congress to suppress free speech” — Stephen Miller, probably.

[–] anomnom@sh.itjust.works 11 points 16 hours ago

Clarence Thomas definitely.

[–] fort_burp@feddit.nl 15 points 1 day ago

petition the Government

If money is speech then bricks can be petitions.

[–] Bob_Robertson_IX@discuss.tchncs.de 26 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Congress shall make no law...

Or else, what?

And I'm sure they will argue that since it says 'shall' and not 'must' then it's just a suggestion.

[–] darkdemize@sh.itjust.works 17 points 1 day ago (1 children)

In government parlance, "will", "shall", and "must" are all mandatory actions. In other words, Congress is explicitly forbidden from making a law that limits freedom of speech.

However, it doesn't seem this administration puts much stock in following the law.

[–] Signtist@bookwyr.me 2 points 9 hours ago

With regards to the people at the top of the government, the laws they're meant to abide by only apply to the extent that the individuals themselves care about them.

To the people occupying those positions right now, those laws are nothing more than words on a paper they're never going to read, and as a result, that's all the power they have right now.

There's no point in reciting laws to people who don't know them, don't care about them, and won't be held accountable for breaking them.

[–] Chronographs@lemmy.zip 22 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Or else the law is challenged and the supreme court strikes it down. Except we all know how that will go

[–] drzoidberg@lemmy.world 34 points 1 day ago (5 children)

We could exercise our 2nd amendment right and start killing Nazis again.

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[–] ChunkMcHorkle@lemmy.world 19 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 20 hours ago)

“People need to quit demonstrating, quit yelling at law enforcement, challenging law enforcement, and begin to get civil,” the Texas Republican told NewsNation.

Protests getting you down, lil' Rog? Going on too long? Getting too loud? Drawing attention you find irritating? Pulling in fence-sitters who don't want to get murdered by no-name thugs with guns and badges? People who actually know and love the Constitution and don't like you shitting on it? Neighbors using your repression to build strong communities for themselves and loudly bringing attention to your murderous ethos to spite you? Protesters not giving into your incitements to riot? Taking too long for an excuse to declare martial law? Don't want to lose your fascist party's power in the midterms?

Glad to hear it! Thanks for letting us know how frightened you are that we might actually get the word to people you want to keep safely in your bubble until you're ready to strip them of everything they hold dear, too, and keep you from building a totalitarian state from the ruins of the democracy you're trying to destroy.

In fact, THANK YOU, lil' Rog. For validating the protests with your public acknowledgement without even the slightest idea that "sit down and shut up" is a nonsensical response for anyone interested in knowing WHY people are not doing just that. You personally may still have a grade school mindset, but many of us who have to work for a living are well capable of looking past the superficial, and find you nothing more than a scared, inconvenienced liar desperate to retain power.

“And until we do that, I guess we’re going to have it this way.”

I goddamn well hope so, you pedophile defending piece of shit. That and more.

[–] EndlessNightmare@reddthat.com 33 points 23 hours ago (2 children)

We really should stop showing up. Stop showing up to work. Stop showing up to buy things. Stop showing up to sign up for the military. Stop reproducing.

[–] Puddinghelmet@lemmy.world 4 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago)

Join or create your work union and organize strikes in all workplaces. Bring the entire american economy to a standstill for a day to start with. Organize strike funds for those in need. Demand the dissolution of ICE and this government. They only care about money and the economy, so hit em where it hurts and spread the word, cause only together a strike works. Look at the nurses in New York City

[–] mechoman444@lemmy.world 8 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

I've been saying this for years. All we need to do is just stay at home for a few days. Really put the fear of God into these rich fucks.

Just the entire Eastern seaboard will do.

In just one day of sitting around not buying anything they'll lose countless billions.

And that's where you have to hit them, in the pocket. The one place they fear the most.

[–] Doubleohdonut@lemmy.ca 1 points 10 hours ago
[–] Mongostein@lemmy.ca 84 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

It’s bully tactics. Bullies push and push and push with plausible deniability, then when they get a reaction they play the victim.

It’s not just a kids’ problem. It happens all the time in adult life too. Someone can do the most rotten shit to you, but as long as they don’t swear, you’re the bad guy when you finally lose it on them.

Fuck these bullies. Grow the fuck up you pieces of shit.

[–] SippyCup@lemmy.ml 16 points 23 hours ago

This is actually a good sign. It's proof that the demonstration is working. The people that need to be are beginning to become exasperated with the situation.

Press on, press harder. They will do more violence before this is over, but they must be given no ground. No safe haven. They must never feel as though they've secured any small victory.

[–] _lilith@lemmy.world 2 points 17 hours ago

I'm not super happy with this but the only way I ever got bullies to stop was when I hurt them bad enough they didn't want it to happen again

[–] elvith@feddit.org 44 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition, to wit: There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect.

-Frank Wilhoit

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[–] frongt@lemmy.zip 86 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] Rentlar@lemmy.ca 74 points 1 day ago (1 children)

"[...]And the people that are staying in their homes or doing the right thing need to be protected.”

So about those people staying in their home, 'doing the right thing' getting illegally broken into by ICE without the appropriate warrant...

[–] Steve@startrek.website 20 points 1 day ago (1 children)

“People” means straight white people only

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[–] finallymadeanaccount@lemmy.world 11 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

Someone should go to one of these protests with a copy of the constitution - preferably in a scroll of some kind - so that when an ICE rapist comes up to them, said agent will tear it away in a fit of anger. Photographers need to be ready to see ICE shredding the constitution physically (to drive home the message they're doing it in general).

[–] Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works 14 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Lol they don't give a fuck about the constitution, this is now an era of might makes right to them and they will keep doing worse things until something stops them.

[–] finallymadeanaccount@lemmy.world 4 points 14 hours ago

I just meant how it would look on the news. Might spur a few more people sitting at home into action.

[–] DarkSideOfTheMoon@lemmy.world 51 points 1 day ago (5 children)

They are preparing their base to accept martial law. It’s amazing how the so called “don’t thread on me” became “please daddy, thread hard on me”

[–] zd9@lemmy.world 27 points 1 day ago

"I'll lick those boots clean so you can tread on me, as long as you tread harder on brown and queer people"

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[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 11 points 21 hours ago

MAGA Rep Roger Williams, TX, got it.

[–] MyDogLovesMe@lemmy.world 21 points 1 day ago

“Just submit to our will! Trust us.”

[–] GoofSchmoofer@lemmy.world 14 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

Or we could all just be a bunch of "tourist" visiting a city - just like all the "tourist" that "just visited" the capitol on January 6th 2021.

[–] man_wtfhappenedtoyou@lemmy.world 10 points 22 hours ago

I have seriously been thinking about taking all my PTO and getting a bus to just stand in front of the white house protesting. No plan, no organizing, just a hope that I could get people to join me. I'd probably lose my job though.

[–] paraphrand@lemmy.world 31 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Just stay in your homes, huh? I thought they hated that.

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[–] Rhaedas@fedia.io 31 points 1 day ago (2 children)

A smart man once said, "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me."

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[–] Prox@lemmy.world 38 points 1 day ago

The ~~beatings~~ murders will continue until morale improves.

[–] Gammelfisch@lemmy.world 11 points 23 hours ago

If the Americans had the same amount of holiday and paid vacation time as the 1st World European countries, there would be larger and more frequent protests. Especially now! Roger can F-OFF! ICE is not law enforcement, just a bunch of fucking uneducated thugs that would burn the US Constitution,

[–] lemmylommy@lemmy.world 22 points 1 day ago (4 children)

Any free speech absolutist who would like to weigh in?

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[–] ineedmorecoffee@lemmy.cafe 18 points 1 day ago (5 children)

Coincidentally, a lot of .world mods would like us to stop complaining about ICE.

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[–] zd9@lemmy.world 24 points 1 day ago (5 children)

Armed citizens need to protect themselves in groups. We need the equivalent of modern Black Panthers who open carry in large groups around police issues, just to provide the backstop of safety, should ICE wanna get froggy

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[–] winkly@lemmy.world 23 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Let’s call a general strike and stay home indefinitely…

[–] AnchoriteMagus@lemmy.world 11 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Next 50501 event is a national walk-out on Jan 20th.

We'll see you there, right?

[–] winkly@lemmy.world 2 points 4 hours ago
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