Yesterday marked the day when Democrats dust off their support hats for federal law enforcement like it’s a special occasion, only to carefully tuck them away for the rest of the year. Apparently, January 6th is their one-day pass to virtue signal their allegiance to those enforcing the law. Yet, if anyone were to send federal law enforcement into any blue city at any other time, you’d hear a chorus of shrieks loud enough to break the sound barrier. Suddenly, federal officers become public enemy number one, sometimes even getting branded with names that are, to say the least, imaginative. Just picture Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota hitting the dramatic highs by comparing federal agents to villains straight out of some cloak-and-dagger spy story.

In the heart of Minneapolis, this rhetoric led to an episode that seemed plucked from an action movie script. A local activist decided it would be a great idea to play chicken with ICE agents, vehicular style. This activist, after being asked to step out of her car, chose instead to reenact a scene likely involving lots of screeching tires and high-speed drama. She hit the gas and aimed her car at an ICE agent, putting him in a precarious position that warranted immediate defensive action. It’s the kind of situation no manual fully prepares anyone for, but the stakes were crystal clear.

Now, let’s unpack the legal dumpsite that this incident has become. Federal officers have quite a few chapters of law in thick books that say running them over isn’t just rude, it’s legally clear-cut as a serious crime. Toss in a potential two-decade prison stay, just for emphasis. When faced with a steel mass barreling toward him, the ICE agent was undoubtedly within his right to defend himself, backing up the action with all the laws supporting those wearing a badge. Meanwhile, interpretations from the political peanut gallery vary widely, but the law doesn’t particularly care for artistic liberties.

The quiet before the storm is barely a whisper as whispers of chaos loom over Minneapolis once again. Politicians like Mayor Jacob Frey are already fanning the flames, quite literally asking federal agents to pack up and leave town, as if peacekeeping is an unwelcome task. The narrative is eerily similar to what unfolded in the wake of the George Floyd incident, and politicians seem poised to convert this latest chapter into their next rallying cry. It’s a cycle that seems determined to repeat itself, papering over complexities with broad strokes of blame and bold statements.

So here we stand, where lines are drawn clearer than ever. On one side, we have those rallying for law and order, the ones upholding rules made factual by the statutes of this nation. On the flip side, there are those who appear to harbor sympathy for tactics of chaos, and who never fail to find a microphone to amplify their claims. Keeping track of who stands on what side is like organizing socks after laundry day—best done with a lot of scrutiny and a bit of patience. Pray for our agents tasked with upholding the law and pray for the common sense to reign supreme amidst this cacophony of chaos.