On this night, Congressman Josh Harder and his wife Pam were just (masked) faces in the crowd, standing in solidarity with their fellow citizens. Modesto Police Chief Galen Carroll somehow managed to make a big cop — in uniform and packing iron — look like your friendly next door neighbor. That was the atmosphere Friday night in downtown Modesto, as the local chapter of the NAACP held a candlelight vigil for George Floyd.
Though the occasion was deadly serious and bracketed by violence and looting around the nation, NAACP spokesman Michael Baldwin somehow managed to channel justifiable outrage into a message of hope.
Baldwin said that healing often means experiencing pain. “When you go to the doctor,” said Baldwin, “you might feel some pain. He has to hurt your broken arm before he sets it.” There might have to be pain before healing, he said, “But we can endure that.”
Baldwin’s words had a special resonance for the several hundred people listening closely in the public square at 1010 Tenth Street in Modesto. He urged people to look around at all the different races together in one place.
Baldwin, who said he had spent twenty-six years in prison, “And I was not innocent,” added that, “We are here in solidarity with people around the world. Yes, race is important — the human race.”
Baldwin rejected violence and said the answer to injustice was voting. “If you see someone acting crazy, get away from them,” he said. “Violence silences our voices.”
Baldwin emphasized that the vigil wasn’t just about protesting. “We are here to hold ourselves accountable and our elected officials accountable,” he said.
He urged people to educate themselves about the issues and people in their community and to learn who their supporters were, and then vote. He said that Modesto Police Chief Galen Carroll, “was one of the best police chiefs I’ve ever met.”
Carroll’s almost casual presence in the middle of the crowd offered a strong contrast to those of our nation’s leaders who have hunkered down in fear of angry demonstrators protesting racial injustice. The sad truth is that freedom and safety have always been intertwined; Chief Carroll showed a keen appreciation for this reality. Rather than looking, “to dominate the battlespace,” he instead provided a safe and secure public arena for citizens intent on exercising their Constitutional rights — safe and secure enough that Modesto’s Mayor and a few City Councilmembers were in attendance as well.
With concrete barricades blocking motorized access and a cordon of mounted police and sheriffs on the perimeter, it was clear that on this candlelit night, law and order were on the side of human and civil rights. And with people around the world kneeling or standing in silence for eight minutes and forty-six seconds, the fragile but enduring hope of liberty and justice for all burned bright through the darkness.
Presence of police chief and Congressman Harder in peaceful protest march is appreciated
I appreciate the casual presence of Chief Galen Carroll and council members who join this peaceful protest. Josh Harder our congressman and his wife Pam showed their sympathy with the protesters. There should be no racism in America. We all are brothers and sisters and created by Almighty God and should help each other
The liberals will seek the limelight , and they will certainly portray they care. Interesting that the political party of Minnesota and Minneapolis is Democratic. But, the Liberals have decided this was Trumps fault. All the while, the liberal G. Soros pays protesters to protest and loot- that is the way of the Democrats- they will cause violence and mahem and blame it on someone else…. No, I don’t condone what one policeman did- he should and is no longer in that position and he will face a court….but I don’t think that riots , damage to businesses and killing innocent people is the correct approach. Your buddy Biden thinks its ok- and his organization offers bail $ for those that broke the law. Maxine Waters promotes more violence- that is ok too. Yes, Mr. Trump should also keep quiet. Sad that the Dems posted that bad stuff on Howze’s facebook and then blamed him…..the way of the world is to win at all costs…..while the Pelosi’s , Newsoms, Browns and Feisteins continue to fill their pockets…. don’t do as we do, do as we say.
As always, Mr. Woods, you offer living evidence that too many of our fellow citizens are unfamiliar with the concept of empirical evidence and its relevance to unsupported claims. A good 7th grade student could underline and explain the falsehoods here, but that wouldn’t matter to a supporter of a president who is now nearing 20,000 lies since being elected. To cite just one instance, if you have evidence “Dems posted that bad stuff on Howze’s facebook,” I’m sure he’d reward you handsomely for it. As yet, Mr. Howze can offer no convincing explanation of how those statements appeared. So please help him out, Mr. Woods. And after you do that, we can discuss all your other falsehoods.
I have interacted with Michael Baldwin on several occasions. He’s an impressive man. We have much to learn from him about race and the justice system.
Mr. Woods:
You have many claims here that seem other-worldly to me. So I went to the Great Gawd Goog to find the origin of your first one, about George Soros. At https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/jun/01/candace-owens/no-soros-and-foundation-do-not-pay-people-protest/ , there is a beginning of research on the issue. It says the claim is false.
But isn’t politifact just pure left-wing apologetics rag?
I also read “A spokesman for McMaster said the governor was referring to anecdotal evidence he has received in private conversations but would not get into the details of those conversations, including what specific evidence he heard or who he was talking to.” in https://www.thestate.com/news/politics-government/article243175136.html.
Clearly I need help here. Can you supply me with the factual information about your claim about Soros? Couldn’t find it yet. Just ask’n.
Outstanding. I’m sorry to read about the self-appointed militias that have threatened peaceful protesters across our country. James Madison wrote ensured the well-regulated militia clause was first in the 2nd Amendment because his compatriots and he witnessed the chaos self-appointed militias (warlords) caused throughout history, particularly the decade after the Revolution. The protests will help the world understand the importance of civil society and justice. Gandhi like King understood the need for active not passive resistance and, if necessary, flooding the jails with peaceful protesters when government policies didn’t embrace justice for all.