In my book The Gospel of Zip, I write about my journey out of the evangelical subculture where my parents, Francis and Edith Schaeffer, were once stars. The New York Times called us evangelical royalty. I write about why I left. I also write about my dog, Zip, and how his friendliness taught me how to live with neighbors I disagree with, even neighbors who voted for Donald Trump.
What I did not foresee was this. One year into Trump’s second term, the United States is experiencing state sponsored terror against its own citizens.
I am asking a simple question. Is this what MAGA voters voted for? An Iranian style response to demonstrations and free speech? Is this what the U.S. military trained for? Is this what America is supposed to be?
ICE agents are now killing Americans in the streets. Not violent criminals. Not armed attackers. Ordinary citizens. Among them a white gun owner. A VA ICU nurse. A man who gave his life to caring for wounded and retired military personnel. A man with no criminal record. A man who legally carried a permitted handgun that he never used.
Alex Jeffrey Pretti was beaten, gassed, thrown to the ground, and shot at least ten times at point blank range. The videos show this clearly. He was already subdued. His crime was trying to help a woman ICE agents were assaulting and recording what he saw on his phone.
After killing him, the government lied.
They called him a domestic terrorist. They said he intended to massacre law enforcement officers. These claims collapsed as soon as the videos appeared. Still, the lies continued. That is how state terror works. First comes the violence. Then comes the erasure of truth.
Vice President JD Vance has said that ICE agents should have absolute immunity. No matter who they kill. No matter why. This mirrors the absolute immunity given to Trump by a Republican Supreme Court. Congress is now stripped of the ability to restrain a president who is increasingly angry, vengeful, and unhinged.
Stephen Miller is the architect of this violence. He is the senior state terror creator of Trump’s ICE policy. His record of promoting white nationalist ideology is well documented. JD Vance is not an innocent bystander. He endorsed a book that argues liberals are unhuman and praises authoritarian murder as a political tool. This alone should have disqualified him from public office.
This is not accidental. This is the plan.
Masked ICE agents roam American streets dressed in military style gear. They hide their names and faces. They gas, beat, detain, and kill. They dishonor every actual member of the U.S. military who serves with integrity and accountability.
As the father of a U.S. Marine who served two tours in Afghanistan and one in Iraq, this matters to me deeply. Our military did not train to terrorize Americans. These ICE agents are playing dress up while committing crimes under color of law.
Even gun rights organizations have been forced to speak out. They have said clearly that legally carrying a firearm does not erase First Amendment rights. These rights do not disappear at protests. They must be respected at all times. That is not radical. That is the Constitution.
At the same time, Trump’s administration is alienating allies and isolating the United States. America is now seen as a rogue state with a rogue leader. Elected officials in Minnesota have asked ICE to leave. Trump’s response has been escalation. More violence. More intimidation. More lies.
The message is simple. Do not believe your lying eyes. Do not believe the videos. Do not believe the evidence. Believe us.
We have seen this before. In Iran, the government uses the same tactics. Masked enforcers. Total immunity. Mass killings of demonstrators. Thousands dead. Children among them. Without accountability, this is where it leads.
So ask yourself again. Is this what you voted for? Is this what America is becoming?
There is a name for it.
STATE TERROR.
