Source: Orange County Register
by Mike Fox

“The acquittal of Brayan Ramos-Brito is more than just a legal victory for one individual; it is a powerful reaffirmation of the American jury system. After a federal jury in Los Angeles took just over an hour to acquit Ramos-Brito of a misdemeanor assault count, it became clear that the justice system — when it functions as the Framers intended — stands as a bulwark against government oppression. The facts of the case, as they unfolded, are illustrative of a disturbing trend. … the government’s case rested heavily on the testimony of U.S. Border Patrol Sector Chief Gregory Bovino, the sole agent who claimed to have witnessed the alleged assault on Agent Jonathan Morales at a June protest. … Bovino, with a deeply troubling track record, having previously been relieved of command and encouraged to retire, has demonstrated that he cannot be trusted.” (10/02/25)

https://archive.is/0yg2G

Source: Semafor
by David Weigel

“Republicans have settled on their message for the government shutdown: A noun, a verb, and ‘illegal aliens.’ … Many Democrats have supported access to federal health care funds for undocumented immigrants, which is a component of the Medicare-for-All bill backed by most progressives in Congress. But that bill is not among the party’s demands in the shutdown fight, and Democrats have scoffed at Republicans who portray emergency room care or benefits for migrants with legal status as giveaways to the undocumented.” (10/02/25)

https://www.semafor.com/article/10/02/2025/the-gops-shutdown-strategy-all-illegals-all-the-time

Source: Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression
by Angel Eduardo

“On Monday, YouTube agreed to pay $24.5 million to President Trump and several others, settling a lawsuit over YouTube’s suspension of their accounts following the events at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. This marks the third major social media company to capitulate to the Trump administration this year. … in addition to media companies like Paramount Global, who bent the knee to Trump for $16 million this past July, and ABC News, who settled for $15 million late last year. … If you care about free speech, this should really piss you off. These companies and institutions traded principle — and, most importantly, the opportunity to stand on their First Amendment rights — for profit and short-term peace of mind. How do we know? Because in many cases, such as that of Paramount Global, the settlement was a thinly veiled prerequisite to FCC approval of a major — and lucrative — business deal the company was after.” (10/02/25)

https://www.thefire.org/news/why-youtube-caving-trump-cowardly

Source: USA Today
by Linda Pryor

“Every August I stand in the orchards of my family’s farm in Henderson County, North Carolina, looking at over 6 million pounds of apples on the trees. I’m consumed with worry and anticipation. Without enough workers to harvest on time, those apples and months of hard work could spoil right in these orchards. … I try to hire domestic employees from the community, but the reality is farm work is physically demanding and requires long hours. Americans clearly don’t want farm jobs, or they’re looking for a job that lasts longer than a season. On the rare occasion they do apply, few decide it’s the right fit for them and most resign quickly. … The stakes couldn’t be higher. Fruits and vegetables ripen on nature’s timeline, not ours. … This isn’t just about farmers. It’s about every family that counts on affordable, healthy food.” (10/02/25)

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/voices/2025/10/02/us-immigration-border-policy-farm/86168928007/

Source: Christian Science Monitor
by staff

“When a police officer in the United States yells ‘Cover me!’ to colleagues, that means to be prepared to shoot – if necessary. A member of the U.S. military, however, could interpret those same words as a call to unleash lethal firepower. This distinction is just one among many complexities of engaging combat-ready troops to ‘fight’ crime or civilian unrest domestically. Fundamental differences in the roles and culture of policing and warfare can create logistical and legal troubles. ‘Police officers are taught to use time, distance and de-escalation,’ a former Los Angeles Police Department chief wrote in The New York Times in June, when 4,000 National Guard troops were deployed to Los Angeles to protect immigration officers from protesters. ‘Military training, equipment and tactics are optimized for warfare – not for safeguarding civil liberties or managing peaceful protest,’ he observed.” (10/01/25)

https://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/the-monitors-view/2025/1001/For-urban-strife-soldiers-or-police