Let’s just treat them like criminals?

USAID workers have been clearing their belongings at headquarters. They have been given fifteen minutes to clear their work space and are escorted by armed federal guards. They have to go through a security checkpoint to go in. The USAID sign is gone, as are all the pictures on the walls. Windows are blacked out. And it doesn’t matter if you have more than fifteen minutes worth of packing to do. The armed guards will escort you back out anyhow.

The texts that were sent to former employees is as follows: “All staff and their property will undergo magnetometer and x-ray machine screening upon entry. Staff will then be escorted to their workspace, where they will be permitted to collect their personal items and given approx 15 minutes to complete this retrieval and must be finished removing items within their time slot only,” the message says. “Staff MUST bring their own boxes, bags, tape, and/or other containers to remove their personal items; these items will not be provided.” However, there were people outside with empty bags and boxes that workers could take in so they could possibly bring out more of their desks if needed. There were people outside, in the rain, holding signs and cheering every employee that came out. Many burst into tears on seeing this and were surrounded by a crowd of people and hugs.

Now that’s just cold. And intimidating. Again, escorted to their offices by armed guards. There was a list of items that employees could not bring in, such as hand grenades. Wut? It’s already inhuman to have fired people not just in the US, but all over the world, and the lifesaving services they/we provided. Already things are going to hell because they have been told to stop working, effective immediately. Immediately. If our reputation hadn’t been going downhill enough already with the Mango Mandarin’s and Leon sKum’s work, it’s headed down the toilet now.

Ah, here we go. Trump and Musk have moved swiftly to shutter the foreign aid agency, calling its programs out of line with the Republican president’s agenda and asserting without evidence that its work is wasteful. In addition to its scope, their effort is extraordinary because it has not involved Congress, which authorized the agency and has provided its funding. I have no idea why they are so wound up about USAID. We did good things. Maybe it doesn’t fit in with an authoritarian government. And now bad things are happening in the name of America.

We know there are other organizations that will have the same fate. And it’s likely they will have 15 minutes to take their lives out of the place(s) they once worked for as a belief in doing good things. And remember, DOGe’s boys will be coming in for your personal, private information. What in the hell is WRONG with us? Our leader isn’t exactly leading anymore. He may make himself a dictator yet.

*****And now, please read a very special request from our awesome boss******

Friends, thank you if you have already donated. Traffic will come back at some point but you see from today’s White House debacle why people are tuned out. This is embarrassing and degrading. But if you’re here, you’re a hard core political junkie. Help if you can help with a donation, otherwise, just keep coming back to read. Thank you. Ursula

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