Our humanity will save us from fascism

A memorial at the site of the brutal killing of Alex Pretti. Photo by Harry Colbert, Jr.

Humanity: humaneness; benevolence. Benevolence: the quality of being well meaning; kindness.

If democracy is to return – let’s be very clear, in the U.S., it’s already fallen, and to say otherwise would be me abdicating my duty as a truthteller – but if the tide turns, it’s our humanity that will be the demise of this fascist regime. Yes, as a journalist I am breaking ranks and calling it as it is, not trying to couch language. It’s that couched language that was an enabler that got us here in the first place. 

In his final acts of life on this earth, it was Alex Pretti’s humanity that we saw. Mr. Pretti was protecting a woman from being assaulted. He was doing the noble thing, the human thing, the humane thing. 

It’s our humanity that will save us. 

Sadly, Mr. Pretti’s earthly life was stolen, but his act of humanity is what will be remembered. It was stolen in a hail of bullets on Saturday morning in South Minneapolis at the trigger fingers of federal agents who have besieged Minnesota. He was the second fatal victim and third shot in just 17 days by federal agents in Minneapolis. Ten shots total. A complete lack of humanity for the sanctity of Alex Pretti’s life. 

But in the minutes and hours following Alex’s brutal killing, hundreds of Minnesotans came out to simultaneously voice their outrage and to display their humanity. 

Alex was killed on Jan. 24. The temperature at the time of his vicious killing was about minus 5. The day’s high was minus 1. Many came prepared. I wasn’t one of the many. 

I mean, I thought I was prepared, but it quickly found out where I was deficient. When I awoke to texts of rumors that the shooting took place I threw on my longjohns, wool socks, thermal shirt, hoodie and sweats. I have my heavy winter skully, coat and my thick gloves. These are the things you have to think about when documenting (or being a part of) the resistance in January in Minnesota. 

But once on scene there were two major issues. I couldn’t operate my phone for live video and camera for still shots with my gloves on. Several people noticed me blowing into my hands for warmth – It was getting to the point where I was fearing frostbite. Without me having to ask, three different people who I never met before came up to me and gave me packets of hand warmers. 

When suffocating and burning chemical smoke filled the winter air, businesses along the popular Eat Street corridor ushered people inside to escape the choking gas. When I became overcome by the hazardous smoke people rushed to my aid with water and wet napkins for my burning eyes. Then, within seconds I was gifted several N95 masks.  

Pimento, the establishment many of us chose for refuge from the chemical clouds, was offering food to those who needed a meal. The owners said they were able to do so because several people had been making donations to feed those braving the cold and risking their lives for freedom. Another business along Eat Street was announced to be an impromptu urgent care for those in need of medical attention. 

While I was livestreaming the protest to the Power 104.7 Facebook page, just about 25 yards from the line of demarcation between protesters and law enforcement were two people not protesting but instead, picking up debris and bagging it. I stopped one of the people and asked why she was cleaning up in the middle of a battlezone. 

“This is still someone’s neighborhood. Please still live here,” was the woman’s reply. Chaos abounded all around her, but she was doing the human thing. A small, but valued act of humanity.

Alex Pretti, 37, was a registered nurse with the Dept. of Veteran Affairs.

Maybe one of the most moving acts of humanity was at the exact site where Mr. Pretti was gunned down. There, a memorial was set up, much like a cemetery gravesite. A framed photo of Alex was placed next to a warming firebox. Pinecones were meticulously placed to spell out his name and to form the image of a heart. Candles were being lit and people were there, still, quiet. Across, the donut shop set-up a table with donuts for anyone to take. Chaos was all around, but there it was still … calm. 

The resistance is outgunned, but it isn’t outnumbered. 

When I say humanity is the salvation, please note, I’m not saying there is only one path of resistance. I’ve always been a fan of both Malcolm X and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. And to be honest, I’m more Malcolm than Martin. But this past Saturday showed me the beauty of when hundreds of Martins come together … with a few Malcolms there to protect. In looking at the final acts of Alex Pretti’s life, I think we saw a bit of both in him too. 

Remember, they killed Malcolm when he said the fight in America was one not only of civil rights, but of human rights. They killed Martin when he was organizing the Poor People’s Campaign, a multicultural movement against a common imperial enemy. 

Now, they’re killing white people who dare to stand up for Black and brown people being violated, brutalized, disappeared and killed by this tyrannical regime. 

It looks like even white people ain’t safe from the doctrine of white supremacy.