In the first half of this week's Ralph Nader podcast Ralph welcomes former FBI agent Mike German to discuss his new book (co-written with Beth Zasloff), Policing White Supremacy: The Enemy Within.

Policing White Supremacy

Brennan Center for JusticeMike German

Mr. German describes that the greatest terrorist threats to American citizens aren't Black Lives Matter or Muslims. It's white supremacists. He fills us in that the FBI doesn't keep track of domestic terrorism, ostensibly so they can dedicate their resources to tracking protest movements such as pro-Palestinian groups.

Mr. German talks about the Holy Land Foundation case. The Holy Land Foundation, now defunct, was originally a humanitarian aid group. Because they were providing humanitarian aid in Gaza, the Bush Administration framed a case against them that they were aiding Hamas. Those charged were convicted as terrorists and sent to prison, where they remain today.

The police state is here. So what can we the people do? Here is where Ralph prescribes the solution, which to hold our congressional representatives accountable via town hall meetings.

"And when you delegate that to a Congress that sells you out to big business and their government toadies, you better feel betrayed and hold them accountable with town meetings that you call around the country. And you face your senators and representatives directly and make your demands known.

"There is a new reporting that the head of the Republican Congressional Committee just told members of congress to cancel future town halls because constituents are showing up and doing what Ralph suggested they do and it hasn't gone well for the Republican members of congress.

"But there's also reporting, I think it was in Vanity Fair, that North Carolina Senator Tom Tillis (R-NC) was prepared to vote against Pete Hexeth for defense, and he received so many death threats from Trump flunkies that he changed his vote. So who are Republican lawmakers more afraid of? The Democrats, citizens, or their own party"?

We're not going to post our way out of this. Buying a t-shirt, attending a protest, forwarding form emails or the like isn't going to do it either.

We the people need to hold IRL town hall meetings where Democratic congressional representatives are summoned by their constituents to answer questions and are held accountable.  

The town hall meetings will cause people to organize and form a citizens group so powerful it forces Democrats to work for us, instead of their donor class.

tty next time,