The Trump administration's approach to immigration has taken a disturbing turn, with the recent killing of Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents serving as a stark reminder of the violence and racism that has become increasingly normalized under the current regime. The actions of ICE and Border Patrol agents in Colorado are a perfect example of what author Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò calls "vice signaling" - a term used to describe how those in power will often flaunt their disregard for moral standards in order to assert dominance over marginalized groups.
Vice signaling is not just about appearing to be good when, in reality, you are acting badly; it's also about the ability to impose one's own twisted values on others without fear of consequences. In Trump's case, vice signaling has become a hallmark of his presidency, where he has consistently demonstrated a willingness to disregard norms of responsible governance and basic human decency in order to advance his own agenda.
The killing of Pretti is just the latest example of this phenomenon, with ICE agents leaving cards with the ace of spades symbol - a card associated with American soldiers who often left it on the bodies of dead Viet Cong guerillas during the Vietnam War. The gesture is meant to intimidate and dehumanize those deemed "enemies" by the administration.
But here's the thing: Trump's actions are not just the result of individual bad apples; they are a symptom of a broader cultural phenomenon that has been allowed to flourish under his leadership. The Supreme Court has effectively given him a free pass, allowing him to operate outside of the law and ignore constitutional norms.
As philosopher Eddie Glaude Jr. notes, Trump's administration is preparing for massive protests, but not in the way we think. They are preparing for a 1960s-style social revolution, where the old order is challenged by new movements. But instead of responding with courage and imagination, many on the left are still stuck in familiar patterns of behavior.
The great pain of this moment may be that it forces us to confront our own complicity in perpetuating systems of oppression. We have been given a choice: what burdens are we prepared to bear? What undiscovered country do we still have the courage to bring into being?
In short, the Trump administration's "vice signaling" approach has created a moral crisis that demands attention and action from those who value democracy and human decency. It's time for us to take off our masks of virtue and confront the darkness head-on - not just to condemn the actions of others, but also to demand more from ourselves.
Vice signaling is not just about appearing to be good when, in reality, you are acting badly; it's also about the ability to impose one's own twisted values on others without fear of consequences. In Trump's case, vice signaling has become a hallmark of his presidency, where he has consistently demonstrated a willingness to disregard norms of responsible governance and basic human decency in order to advance his own agenda.
The killing of Pretti is just the latest example of this phenomenon, with ICE agents leaving cards with the ace of spades symbol - a card associated with American soldiers who often left it on the bodies of dead Viet Cong guerillas during the Vietnam War. The gesture is meant to intimidate and dehumanize those deemed "enemies" by the administration.
But here's the thing: Trump's actions are not just the result of individual bad apples; they are a symptom of a broader cultural phenomenon that has been allowed to flourish under his leadership. The Supreme Court has effectively given him a free pass, allowing him to operate outside of the law and ignore constitutional norms.
As philosopher Eddie Glaude Jr. notes, Trump's administration is preparing for massive protests, but not in the way we think. They are preparing for a 1960s-style social revolution, where the old order is challenged by new movements. But instead of responding with courage and imagination, many on the left are still stuck in familiar patterns of behavior.
The great pain of this moment may be that it forces us to confront our own complicity in perpetuating systems of oppression. We have been given a choice: what burdens are we prepared to bear? What undiscovered country do we still have the courage to bring into being?
In short, the Trump administration's "vice signaling" approach has created a moral crisis that demands attention and action from those who value democracy and human decency. It's time for us to take off our masks of virtue and confront the darkness head-on - not just to condemn the actions of others, but also to demand more from ourselves.
I'm literally so concerned about this Alex Pretti thing... like, what even is going on?! 
The fact that Border Patrol agents thought it was okay to kill someone like that is just wild 
And those cards with the ace of spades? That's straight-up messed up 
. 
... this whole situation is making me realize how important it is to speak out against injustice and be part of the solution 
. We can't just sit back and let things get worse, we have to take action and demand change 
.
... it's not gonna be easy, but if we can do it, I know we can make a difference 
.
I mean, what's going on with these border agents? Leaving cards with the ace of spades symbol on someone's body? That's just messed up 
. And don't even get me started on Trump's whole "vice signaling" thing - it's like he thinks he can just flaunt his disregard for human decency and expect people to be okay with it 
. Newsflash: we're not buying it 
.
. The Supreme Court needs to step in and do something about this ASAP 
. It's not just about Trump's actions, it's about creating a culture where people feel like they can act with impunity without fear of consequences 
.
. We need to be more than just outraged - we need to take action 
. We need to demand more from ourselves and from our leaders. It's time to stop being complicit in systems of oppression and start working towards real change 
. We need to take ownership of this moment and start making some noise 
. Let's stop being afraid to confront the darkness head-on and let's start working towards a better future 
.
. we need to start holding ourselves accountable for perpetuating systems of oppression and actually doing something to stop it 
... this whole trump thing is like a never ending nightmare 
... i mean i know some ppl say he's just trying to build a wall and keep us safe but honestly it feels like he's tryna divide us and make us hate each other 
... and that ace of spades thing tho? that's straight outta vietnam war vibes, like what's next? 
... i feel like we're all just waiting for someone to speak up and call him out on this but at the same time i'm worried about the ppl who are already being targeted by his policies 
He's created a toxic environment where racism and xenophobia can flourish, and it's having devastating consequences. The Supreme Court's decision to allow him to operate outside of the law is a major problem too - it's like they're giving him a free pass to disregard human rights.
️ i mean, what's next? 
like seriously who leaves cards with an ace of spades on someone's body? That's not just messed up, it's also super racist 
it's like he's got a get out of jail free card or something. but seriously, who leaves an ace of spades on some dude's body? that's just messed up. and don't even get me started on the whole vice signaling thing - it sounds like someone's trying to sound like they're all high and mighty while secretly being super discriminatory. anyway, i'm tired of people saying "oh but we need to stay calm and not engage" no way, we need to be calling out this BS and demanding change. it's time for us to take a stand and stop letting people like trump get away with treating others like dirt 
, but let's be real: it's not about challenging the old order, it's about perpetuating systemic oppression and ignoring basic human decency. And if you're just gonna sit there and do nothing while others are getting killed by Border Patrol agents, then yeah, I guess that is a form of complicity 
.
.
it's like they think they're some kinda vigilante squad or something. newsflash: being a border agent is not the same thing as being a superhero. 
. it's time for us to take a hard look at our own complicity in all this and be like "hold up, fam, we gotta do better than this".