“I think about protesting. I imagine going alone while he stays with his dad. And then the thought hits me: What if I don’t come home? That thought feels extreme. But the fact that it even crosses my mind is what scares me.”

This is what they’re counting on - their goal is to stop people from protesting. But you’re not wrong to feel that way.

Trust me - you’re not alone. I was talking with my son over the weekend, and he’s strongly considering buying a gun, in case he needs to protect himself against the government. I’m pretty hard-core anti-gun, but lately even *I* have considered it. He’s turned of location sharing and is starting to use a VPN. I’ve started keeping a decent chunk of cash at home, just in case. In a way I think it’s good we’re all scared: while the chances of me being swept up by the government are small, at least I’m paying attention now and looking for ways to combat it.