When 'Court Order' Means 'Recommended Guideline' in Portland
The New York Times chronicles the 2020 Portland saga where the Trump administration, through federal agencies, deployed National Guard troops even after a court explicitly prohibited their use. This wasn't an isolated incident; it echoed patterns from earlier interventions where local authority was steamrolled under the guise of restoring order, often escalating tensions rather than de-escalating
them. Remember President Eisenhower dispatching federal troops to Little Rock in 1957, but that was to enforce a court order, not defy one regarding civil rights. One might wonder at what point a court order becomes a 'strong suggestion' for those in power. Is the rule of law only binding when it aligns with the executive's immediate political agenda, or when it targets dissent? The convenient
dismissal of legal restraints on state power, particularly against its own citizens, offers a stark contrast to the swift enforcement seen elsewhere.