I want to add something to my previous post, because after seeing more reactions to the Milo Yiannopoulos detention today, I think there’s an important distinction to make.
I said that part of my prediction was that eventually we’d see people flip their positions on ICE depending on who ICE was going after.
And I want to clarify:
On a large scale? No. I don’t think we’re there.
I’m not going to sit here and claim that MAGA has suddenly turned against ICE, because that’s simply not what I’m seeing.
But on a small, personal scale, I have absolutely seen examples of people flipping.
I’ve personally seen people on Facebook who are normally very critical of ICE cheering ICE on because Milo is the one being detained.
And I’ve also seen people who are normally very supportive of ICE suddenly criticizing ICE, downplaying what happened, defending Milo, or trying to defend Milo while still defending ICE itself.
And that’s the part that caught my attention.
Because that’s exactly what I was talking about in my original prediction.
Not necessarily that everyone would suddenly change their political beliefs.
But that individual people would start making exceptions depending on who was affected.
Someone who normally says:
“ICE is good. Deport people who aren’t legally supposed to be here.”
might suddenly say:
“Well, but Milo is different.”
And someone who normally says:
“Fuck ICE.”
might suddenly say:
“Well, in this case, I support them.”
And again, I’m only talking about what I’ve personally observed on a relatively small scale.
I am not claiming this is some massive political realignment.
It isn’t.
At least, not from what I can see right now.
But it is interesting because this is exactly the kind of thing I thought would eventually happen.
When government policy is something that affects people you don’t know, it’s easy to have a very black-and-white opinion about it.
But when that same policy suddenly affects someone you know, someone you like, someone you support, or someone who belongs to your political movement?
That’s when things can get complicated.
And that’s what I’m watching right now.
Milo’s detention may or may not become the moment when we see a much larger backlash against ICE from people who normally support it.
Maybe it won’t.
Maybe MAGA largely shrugs and moves on.
Maybe people decide Milo isn’t really “one of them” anymore.
Or maybe this is just the beginning of something bigger.
I don’t know yet.
But I can say this:
A few weeks ago, I predicted that eventually ICE would detain someone prominent from the MAGA/far-right world.
That happened.
I also predicted that eventually we’d see people flip their position on ICE depending on who was being targeted.
And today, at least on a small personal level, I’m already seeing some of that happen.
That’s honestly pretty fucking wild to see.
Because I wasn’t expecting to be able to come back a few weeks later and say:
“Holy shit. Part of my prediction actually happened.”