It was a powerful scene outside Manitowoc City Hall last evening, as between 100 and 150 people gathered by the river in support of the Black Lives Matter Movement.
The peaceful vigil was put on in part by Pastor Matt Sauer, who started the event off with a poignant statement. “When we say Black Lives Matter, it doesn’t mean that other lives don’t matter,” He explained. “Those of us in the Christian circle, we have this great story. Jesus is talking about a shepherd who has 100 sheep and he realizes that one of them is gone, and he leaves those 99 and he says the one sheep matters. Does that mean he doesn’t love the 99? No! What it means is that one sheep is in danger. That one sheep needs somebody to walk side by side with them. When we say black lives matter, it means that this nation has historicly said that they don’t!”
Michael Etheridge, the Executive Director of The Haven was next, and he admitted he was hesitant to attend, “Because I am angry. Seeing everything that has taken place, and the level of low dignity and how tough it was and is for me to even look at the news every day.” Michael said that he believes God wanted him to come and speak.
He went on to ask how people will actually try to change the problem of racial injustice in our community, nation, and the world. “I’m getting e-mails from people saying ‘How can we help?’” He told the crowd. “What are we going to do, about putting some action behind this sympathy? Are we just going to react and then it goes away later? “
A sentiment that Associate Pastor Christine Dondlinger echoed. She said “It is wonderful to see all of these faces, but I have to tell you, the hope that I have is that when you leave here tonight, that this will not be a moment that you came, but it will be a moment that makes you think about what are you doing to make it better. This isn’t about that we are all here, because this is easy. Tomorrow morning when you brush your teeth and you look in the mirror, ask yourself what are you going to do to make it better.”
Pastor Matt then introduced a friend of his named Darlene. She has been housing a 20-year-old black man in her home for the past two years, and she said that experience has opened her eyes to the issues his community faces every single day. She said, “He talks about how difficult it is, and he says ‘Darlene, tell them that Manitowoc should be a more welcoming community for black people.”
A man that has been very active in the community since the killing of George Floyd, Jay Meeks made his way to the top of the stairs, and he spoke about change, and why it is so important for the future. “We all know someone personally who is racist, and like he said, we need to hold them accountable,” Meeks said. “We need to tap into that demon and release that demon out of them and tell them it is not the right thing to do. If you stay silent, everything we just witnessed, everything we just felt, your child might feel. That racist individual could be the next police officer, the next doctor, the next lawyer, and everything we felt, and everything we see, we are going to blame ourselves when our children feel it.”
Jay also spoke about a Community BBQ that is happening this Saturday at Washington Park. The BBQ, which is 100% free will begin at 1:00 PM, and has a goal of simply bringing the community together.
In this time of civil unrest, we must all come together as one to stop the violence against those of color.
