June 23, 2020 at 3:49 p.m.
Differing views displayed our best
Editorial
Differing views displayed our best
There was a time, back in the 1970s, when a rumor swept through Jay County that a motorcycle gang was headed our way for a weekend of rape and pillaging.
Motorcycle gang movies were pretty popular fare at local drive-ins at the time, and the gangs themselves represented a potentially violent aspect of the 1970s counter-culture that set older, more staid folks on edge.
The rumors, at their worst, were so bad that The Commercial Review had to run a story saying, in effect, “Nope. That’s not going to happen.”
Last Friday’s demonstration at the Jay County Courthouse in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement prompted a similar wave of nonsense.
Boosted by social media, rumors were rampant that “outside agitators,” antifa and more were boarding buses and would be heading our way.
Local law enforcement will tell you that one of the biggest chores ahead of the demonstration was simply calming people down.
In other words, the answer was the same as it was nearly 50 years ago: Nope. That’s not going to happen.
What did happen was a healthy, all-American, peaceful demonstration that may have actually resulted in some dialogue.
About 40 folks — largely local — held up signs as they stood outside the courthouse, expressing their concerns about police violence and their support for the fundamental concept that Black lives — like all lives — should be treated with respect, that they matter as much as white lives.
And about 15 folks, again largely local, gathered on the opposite side of the street and expressed an opposing view. Or at least a different view.
It’s not that those on the south side of Main Street were saying Black lives do not matter. Instead, they were expressing support for police and frustration over recent incidents of violence and property damage in urban riots.
For a good chunk of the afternoon, the two groups were talking past one another.
But every once in awhile, they listened.
And that’s the important thing.
It’s also tremendously important that the entire event was peaceful, civil, and even cordial.
In many ways, despite the gulf between the two groups on opposite sides of the street, it was America at its finest. — J.R.
Motorcycle gang movies were pretty popular fare at local drive-ins at the time, and the gangs themselves represented a potentially violent aspect of the 1970s counter-culture that set older, more staid folks on edge.
The rumors, at their worst, were so bad that The Commercial Review had to run a story saying, in effect, “Nope. That’s not going to happen.”
Last Friday’s demonstration at the Jay County Courthouse in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement prompted a similar wave of nonsense.
Boosted by social media, rumors were rampant that “outside agitators,” antifa and more were boarding buses and would be heading our way.
Local law enforcement will tell you that one of the biggest chores ahead of the demonstration was simply calming people down.
In other words, the answer was the same as it was nearly 50 years ago: Nope. That’s not going to happen.
What did happen was a healthy, all-American, peaceful demonstration that may have actually resulted in some dialogue.
About 40 folks — largely local — held up signs as they stood outside the courthouse, expressing their concerns about police violence and their support for the fundamental concept that Black lives — like all lives — should be treated with respect, that they matter as much as white lives.
And about 15 folks, again largely local, gathered on the opposite side of the street and expressed an opposing view. Or at least a different view.
It’s not that those on the south side of Main Street were saying Black lives do not matter. Instead, they were expressing support for police and frustration over recent incidents of violence and property damage in urban riots.
For a good chunk of the afternoon, the two groups were talking past one another.
But every once in awhile, they listened.
And that’s the important thing.
It’s also tremendously important that the entire event was peaceful, civil, and even cordial.
In many ways, despite the gulf between the two groups on opposite sides of the street, it was America at its finest. — J.R.
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