Local High school stands up for BLM and social injustice

We live in a small town. Our city of Moriarty NM has a population of about 1800 people, and the town next to us, Edgewood NM has close to 6100 people. This is a town that you can hide your true feelings because you're not around a lot of people, especially people of different backgrounds and nationalities. On June 6th, 2020 our local High school kids put together a peaceful protest to speak up against police brutality and racial injustice. They had been personally affected by this because they are of different nationalities, or are close friends with people who have been racially profiled before. They went through the proper channels, speaking with the local police department and securing a protest permit. When the Facebook page was created, it spread like wildfire, and the people who have hidden their hatred in this small town for so many years were now outraged at the thought. My daughter, Faith Ridenour was apart of the group setting up this protest. She and her friends were proud to speak out and we were proud of her for raising her voice but that pride turned into fear real quick when we started seeing the things our community members were saying about them on Facebook. A page called, "Torrance County Bulletin Board" posted the event and the comments were frightening, "Stand in my way and I will run you over" said one community member, and another chimed in with, "We will be there to clean up the mess after you take them down." I commented on every post I could to let them know that these are kids from our High school standing up for injustice. I begged people to remember that they're young and our next generation and we must lift them up and allow them to have voices or we are doomed as a society. I was immediately responded to with, "If you play with the big dogs, you will get hurt." Because of the hatred that was being spread online, my husband and I were in fear of our daughter's life and chose to stand out there with her. In one of the pictures, you will see our daughter standing with her sign, and my husband standing behind her to protect her. As a mother, it made me proud to see my daughter standing up for her fellow man, and my husband standing behind her to keep her safe. As an American, I was devastated at the idea that we have not grown from racism and are still against people who will stand up to it. As we arrived on the day of the protest we quickly saw the opposition. The picture attached only shows one of them with their automatic weapon, but the truth is, all of them were armed. As our kids shouted "Use your voice, black lives matter" the other side of the street shouted back, "All lives matter." Keeping in mind that this is all happening during the Covid-19 pandemic, our protestors wore masks to keep everyone safe, where the "All lives matter" group, did not. I found that to be pretty ironic. I am proud of these kids who stood up to adults. I am proud to know them and lift them up, and I believe our future will be better because of this generation.

Pictures attached are from the Independent newspaper and personal photos taken at the protest.

June 6, 2020

Jeanette Ridenour

Leota Harriman

Tamara Bicknell-Lombardi

Felecia Pohl

Jeanette Ridenour

photograph

news article

The Independent Newspaper

English Social Issues

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#nojusticenopeace

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this generation will change the world

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