We’re being tested, Columbia. Can we meet the challenge of another protest weekend?

We are being tested, Columbia.

And let us not be under any illusion: we will be scrupulously judged on how we meet this moment.

As we head into a likely second weekend of local protests in response to the killing of George Floyd, who died nearly two weeks ago after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on the African American man’s neck, Columbia must clear the bar that we — like so many cities across the country — failed to rise above last weekend.

We can’t afford anything less than that.

We must show how much we want meaningful dialogue over pointless violence.

We must show how much we seek building bridges over breaking windows.

We must show how truly prepared we are to move on from simmering tensions and move toward productive de-escalation.

We fell short in meeting all three challenges nearly seven days.

And we fell short in discouraging, disheartening fashion.

The task ahead

We have a responsibility to our city to do better this time around.

We have an obligation to our city’s future to do better this time around.

Yes, our duty may seem to be a daunting one to take on.

But in reality it is a straightforward one.

▪ There are thoughtful people who still yearn to speak out in a legitimate desire for justice and accountability in the wake of Floyd’s death — and they want us to accept that while their voices may be raised, they are also peaceful and constructive.

We must listen to their voices.

We must acknowledge their sincerity.

▪ There are cynical troublemakers who still want to exploit the genuine passion over Floyd’s death for selfish and mindless gain through looting, destruction and disorder.

We must stop these manipulative opportunists.

We must prevent them from succeeding in robbing others of possessions and a worthy cause of nobility.

▪ There are local public figures who still haven’t figured out that everything they say carries added weight right now — and that anything foolish they say carries added resonance.

We must appeal to such clueless prominent people to make sure their words are useful, temperate, reasonable and sensible.

We must demand that they either speak wisely or just not speak at all.

▪ There are many local social media users who still may be tempted to use that platform to react in ill-informed ways to the unpredictable events in our city.

We must discourage them from rushing to hurl such inflammatory material into a public environment that increasingly resembles dry kindling these days.

We must make them realize that in addition to increasing the flames of civic tension, they risk setting their personal ambitions alight, too.

These are just some of the tests we are now being called upon to meet, Columbia.

These are just some of the responsibilities we are now being called upon to fulfill, Columbia.

Let’s prove that we are up to them.

This story was originally published June 4, 2020 at 11:54 AM.