OUR VIEW: Passion and peace work in Cloquet

The gathering at Veterans Park last weekend might have caused a stir among community members. Organized by Taysha Martineau, the gathering was inspired by the George Floyd death in Minneapolis and the protests that have rocked cities across the country.

The event could easily have turned out poorly. Some worried that an event in Cloquet had the potential to attract outside troublemakers and cause mayhem and damage.

But it didn’t. Organizers stressed that the event was not a protest but a peaceful gathering of prayer spurred by Native Americans and anyone else who wanted to join them. Martineau informed people that if they wanted to attend a protest, there were several planned in the Duluth and the Twin Cities area and people were free to attend those.

“This specific event is being held to uplift our diverse community in prayer against hatred and racism, and hopefully come to a better understanding that even the most radical of us are still human beings. Let love remind us that our differences are to be celebrated and respected, as opposed to feared, as sometimes happens,” Martineau wrote on Facebook.

And that’s exactly what happened. About 100 people gathered, listened to speakers and a drum circle before walking to City Hall, where newly appointed police chief Derek Randall took a knee in solidarity with the oppressed.

We applaud those who exercise their First Amendment rights to peacefully gather and expose the rest of us to serious issues that affect them. That the protest was held is a testament to those who feel the need to speak out about social injustice. That the protest was calm and peaceful is a testament to the community’s understanding that we are indeed, all in this together.

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