I sincerely believe that Minneapolis police chief Brian O’Hara doesn’t quite understand what’s going on.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t usually like to critique those within our police community. But some of the comments he’s made in the past about ICE entering his city and arresting illegal immigrants just don’t make sense. However, now he’s gone off the deep end and tried to shoehorn the classic Nativity story into what ICE is doing. I’m serious.
According to the New York Post, O’Hara hosted a press conference with Mayor Jacob Frey this week and talked about the “very, very difficult time” communities were going through because of ICE officers working in the area.
“It’s especially personal to me, having been raised a Catholic, to be in a Christian church this morning as we are approaching Christmas,” he said. “And I cannot help but think of what is happening in our city today and how this echoes with how outsiders have been treated for thousands of years. How Mary and Joseph were considered outsiders and forced to stay in a barn.”
“That’s what we’re getting ready to commemorate as Christians around the world while all of this fear is happening in our town,” he noted.
There’s so much wrong with this statement, I don’t even know where to begin.
First off, this is Christmas. And yet this statement discusses fear. But what O’Hara doesn’t seem to realize is the level of fear some of these illegal immigrant criminals have been creating for Americans over the past few years. We’re talking assaults, sexual activity with minors, gang violence, you name it. And here he is, pointing a finger at the hard-working agents who are trying to stop all this.
Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin made it clear that O’Hara didn’t make any sense with this statement. “How abhorrent and humiliating this Minneapolis Police Chief refuses to do his job and has allowed these pedophiles and rapists to terrorize Minneapolis and hurt the very people he swore an oath to protect.”
But let’s get a little more in-depth about the comparison to the Nativity scene.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson condemned the comments, noting, “It’s unconscionable that anyone would compare criminal illegal aliens to the Son of God. Law enforcement officials should enforce the law, not allow dangerous criminal illegal aliens to terrorize American communities while making absurd comparisons.”
Exactly. I applaud this statement because it’s not only misdirection, but misdirection using the most idiotic comparison out there. And trying to tie in with the Christmas theme, nevertheless.
But then I looked online at some of the comments that damage O’Hara’s comparison even further. Riley Gaines, who serves as a women’s rights activist, noted, “Mary and Joseph weren’t illegally in Bethlehem. Hope this helps!” Boy, does it.
The Federalist senior editor John Daniel Davidson made an even deeper point. “’Raised Catholic’ is code for ‘long ago rejected Catholicism and don’t really know anything about it.’ Sadly, this kind of saccharine, brain-dead take on the demands of Christian charity is more or less what our bishops routinely spew.”
I won’t go deep into this religious rabbit hole, but I just think O’Hara is in the wrong here. Entirely. He doesn’t understand the point of why ICE is in his city, why ICE needs to do the job that he clearly isn’t doing with his own police force. Why does he continue to pal around with Mayor Frey while his community grows frustrated by the lack of his actions?
With that, I want to give a hearty “thank you” to the hard-working men and women of ICE. They’re going all out to stop these criminals from doing harm within our country, and every effort they’ve made has been highly appreciated. And not just by me, but by hard-working citizens who understand exactly what they’ve been doing.
For that matter, I also want to thank the men and women in law enforcement who continue to go out there and do the best they can, despite the odds stacked against them by unfair policies and politicians who want nothing more than to keep certain people happy. You are truly the difference makers, and I wish every single one of you happy holidays.
As for O’Hara, if you really want a comparison story, how about the way you’re slowly turning into the Grinch from Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas? You seem to be leaning in that direction. It’s not too late to redeem yourself and let your heart grow three sizes!
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