12 Photos from Saturday’s Protest in Sedalia

On Saturday members of the community hit the streets of Sedalia for a Black Lives Matter protest organized by local case worker Rachel Whanger. Whanger told KSIS reporter Randy Kirby she organized the march to “let people know that the injustices must stop. Years of oppression, brutality and murder will no longer be accepted."

The report Randy filed was what I needed to see this morning after a weekend where so many of the protests turned violent. And so many of my friends on Facebook are trying to figure out why their neighborhoods and cities are being destroyed, how and why people are racist, how our criminal justice system has failed many Black Americans.

What spoke to me the most and gave me hope were the photos Randy shot. Here we are in the heartland. Small town U.S.A. With the center of our town serving as the back drop. Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, old and young, high school kids, children, moms and dads. People with different life experiences coming together to express their outrage over the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis Police Officer.

Also giving me hope were some of messages on their signs: "Skin color is not a reasonable suspicion." "We will not be silent." "If you can't see the problem, you are part of the problem." "All lives can't matter until black lives matter." "Justice 4 George." "Justice can't wait."

It gives me hope that maybe we can create a country where African Americans, and truly all citizens of the United States, can enjoy the same privilege without regard to the color of their skin.

I asked Randy to pick ten more photos that he took that I could post. The gallery below are the photos he curated for me. I hope if you've had a tough time dealing with this like I have, perhaps these photos can provide you with some hope.

The photo comments and opinions in this article are those of Kix 105.7 Afternoon talent Rob Creighton. The photographs were shot by KSIS 1050 Morning / Midday News Anchor and reporter Randy Kirby.