We had four people picket our office briefly yesterday afternoon and Tuesday over a viewpoint by William Calhoun published in the paper on Feb. 8. The flyers accused the paper and me of being racists.
We use the Viewpoint column in the paper to allow a wide variety of ideas and opinions be expressed – many are ones we don’t agree with. Just as with this blog, I’ve found letting the other side get their say makes us more aware of how crazy the other side is and gain an understanding of how they think.
The funny thing is none of the protesters ever called, emailed or mailed me anything. They didn’t come into the office and ask to speak with me. When I was made aware they were outside on Tuesday, they had already left by the time I got downstairs. Yesterday, I was out of town, but asked my staff to invite the protesters to write a viewpoint for the next issue. They left right after my staff spoke with them.
I hope they will write one.
The irony is this paper is a strong advocate for civil rights. We published the Southern Poverty Law Center’s report on the abuse of immigrants in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan in October. And I actually marched with the Boggan family in their and the African American community’s protest of the use of the emergency restraint chair at the Escambia Co. Jail and its role in the death of Robert Boggan. Sheriff McNesby took secret pictures of me at the march and used it to try and discredit me with community leaders. I have a strong relationship with Leroy Boyd of Movement for Change and other civil rights leaders.
Growing up in Mississippi in 1970s & 1960s, I was verbally and physically attacked for my positions on civil rights as a teenager and college student. I was there before it was cool and when you put yourself at risk taking a stand.
I don’t know if any of the protesters were at the Boggan march. I would have loved to had a chance to talk with them. We have more in common than they realize.