"but the question is whether or not arrests, charges, etc. can begin at a local or state level when the arrestee is a federal agent.... He might spend a couple hours in the Mayberry jail swapping stories with Otis but the feds will come get him and I don't think Andy can do anything about it."
What does that mean? I suppose this could be a Kansas myopia thing, I don't know much about the place except that a guy helped pull my bus out of the mud there once - but he had North Carolina plates come to think of it, but are you genuinely suggesting that federal agents are immune from prosecution for local or state crimes? Why would you be under the impression that would be the case? Is that what your experience tells you? Chilling if yes.
Wake me when the good Christians start demonstrating outside the bad Christians' churches. Folks who don't want to be caught up in the backlash would do well to be overt in their disagreement with their fellow believers because the way it is now they are seen as silently agreeing with the bigoted churches. Or at least not so confident that the bad churches are wrong that they're unwilling to risk eternal damnation for missing that one on the quiz. Especially when one side is so belligerently confident of their position.