Rally speakers share what to do for black justice

 

[June 09, 2020] 

On Thursday, June 4, a Black Lives Matter protest march and rally organized by the Lincoln Direct Action Alliance and co-hosted by the Logan County Democratic Socialists of American was held at Postville Park and the Logan County Courthouse.

Those who arrived early said they were there because of what has been happening in the nation and they care for and love people.



Many carried signs with messages such as “There comes a time when silence is betrayal,” “Liberty and Justice for All” and “Fight Injustice, Fight Racism.”

Before the march began, Whitney Proffitt, one of the organizers, opened the rally by clearly stating that no violence would be allowed, that was not what they were about and anyone with such plans should leave.

A large crowd marched from Postville Park to the Logan County Courthouse where several spoke about the need for change. As people marched, chants of “Black lives matter,” “Hands up, don’t shoot” and “No justice, no peace” echoed through the street.

A policeman on the route handed out water to help keep people hydrated as they walked in the heat and humidity.

Before heading to the courthouse, one mom spoke to the crowd and said she is upset by those who do not support her and her family. She said people do not understand black lives matter.

Another message was that black communities are tired of fighting for equality. Someone must stand when others are silent.

Others said when you hear black lives matter, it does not mean all lives do not matter.



Standing on the courthouse steps, local business owner Sherise Johnson (holding megaphone) said people of color have been labeled with many horrible stereotypes and being called names like thugs and gangbangers among other terms. Some people assume they are all on welfare.

For Johnson, it is not about black versus white but years of injustice, police profiling and brutality. She said it is about holding police accountable for taking the lives of black men and women.

When people see her in a store, Johnson wants people to see past her color and not clutch their purses. She wants people to see her as a woman first.

Johnson has talked to her son about what to do if pulled over by the police: don’t say nothing, don’t make a move, put your hands up and follow everything being asked. She is afraid he could get shot and she will never see him again.

As Johnson said, George Floyd did all these things, but a knee was put into his neck and his life was taken in just minutes. Johnson asked what she is supposed to tell her son now.

Johnson said “this must stop now. We need leaders who will support everyone in their community. We need everyone to stand up for what is right. We need justice to everyone who has fallen victim to this foolishness. We need accountability. We need to open our eyes and our mouths.” Johnson ended her message by saying we need our voices to be heard and black lives matter.



With tears in her eyes, Jasmine Davis talked about not being able to walk down the street without being viewed with suspicion. She walks down the hallway at school and gets stares for no reason. Davis wants to walk down the street and hallway not get treated differently. She said there is no reason for being treated differently because we are all the same person.

When schools talk about black history, Davis said they mainly talk about MLK and Harriet Tubman. She wants everyone to learn what is really going on in the world and not just talk about the same history every year. We are all people in God’s eyes and people need to stop hurting others.



Another message was that the system needs to change. The man sharing that message said we need to teach our young ones, or things will never change. We all need to stick together no matter our color and be one generation. This man had been to prison three times and now has his own business, so he has been on both sides.

Lincoln resident Tim Rivera said all lives matter and we must stop the injustice, stop the brutality and stop the bullying. Say something if you see injustice because if there is silence, there is no change. He said teaching kids about being fair to each other, loving one another and treating each other equally needs to start at home. The solidarity shown by all the people present makes Rivera hopeful for change.



Elise Dawson said she surrounds herself with a lot of white friends because she does not want to be treated differently. When she was younger, Dawson recalls being told on the playground that she could not play with someone because she is black and that has stuck with her forever. Elise said she does not see color but sees people that she loves and cares about.

Elise does not care about color, background or where people are from. She just cares about how she is treated as a person. Jasmine tries to see the best in every situation and all the people being there help her see that.



Ava Gorens said the black community has been fighting for justice for a long time but cannot stop fighting when a black man is shot while jogging or a black woman is shot in her home. Things need to change because we are all equal.



Lexi Davis said she was there to fight for the kids who get picked on at school. She is fighting for African American kids who get picked on because of how they wear their hair. Davis is fighting for justice against a justice system that is messed up. She is fighting for equality for all black people.



A man named Scott asked everyone to look at the Civil War statue on the courthouse lawn. He said Lincoln, Illinois served the black cause in the Civil War and he does not think that Logan County has ever stopped serving for the black cause.



Seventeen-year-old Carson Bonaparte said his grandma was born in Southern Mississippi in the 1930s and went through much harder times than he has dreamed of. Though Bonaparte’s grandma saw violence, he said she still saw good in everyone no matter the race. He said we must make changes through educating others and making our voices heard.

One final message was that we need to make a change. If we are going to make a change in the community, state or country, the change needs to start at home People either make a change or keep on going in the wrong direction.

Rivera said he appreciated everyone coming out, reminding everyone there is a better way if we start treating each other fairly and equally. He said do not just judge a book by its cover.



After saying we all have a lot of work to do, Jeannette Harris closed the time at the courthouse with a prayer for God to change hearts and minds and bring about racial reconciliation.

Once people had marched back to Postville Park, others continued to speak about the need for change and reconciliation.

[Angela Reiners]