“We’re not here to protest.”
Those are the words of Aaron Ryals, one of the two leaders of Petal’s Unity Walk last Saturday, June 6.
His longtime friend Cory Gray followed him on the steps of Petal’s City Hall: “Protest is necessary, and we need it. But that’s not what this is.”
Gray added that the walk was partially to “help show America what Mississippi” and the Hattiesburg-Petal community specifically “is capable of” – that unity between people of different races is possible and desirable.
The Unity Walk drew approximately 250 people, surpassing the organizers’ expectations.
“We were expecting about 25 or 50 people to show up,” Gray said after the peaceful event. “Then hundreds of people said they were showing up, and we just couldn’t believe it when so many people really did.”
The walk went from Petal City Hall, north through the middle of town, and in a loop back to where it started, about a mile and a half in total distance.
Gray admitted later that he had been “hesitant to do it from City Hall, at first,” specifically because of ongoing protests calling for the resignation of Petal Mayor Hal Marx following his public remarks about George Floyd’s recent death at the hands of Minneapolis police.
Hundreds of people protested at City Hall in the days following Marx’s statement that the policemen involved had done nothing wrong and were being “crucified” unjustly.
In addition, the city’s aldermen called unanimously for him to resign.
Regarding his comments, Marx issued an apology “to those who found them to be insensitive,” but refused to step down. As of now, he intends to serve out his remaining year as mayor.
“There was a series of protests, calling for the resignation of the mayor, but this was a march for unity, not a protest,” said Bruce Betts, pastor at Logos Missionary Baptist Church in Hattiesburg.
Betts was third and last to speak from the steps of Petal City Hall before the walk began.
Later, he said he thought the event “turned out very well,” and that he was pleased it was “about unity as opposed to protest. Cory just called on me to deliver a prayer, but then I was able to join in the walk and meet some people.”
“It’s our right as citizens to protest, to continue protesting, but there needs to be a balance,” he added. “Once everything is over, when people are more aware of the way things have been and how things need to change, we’re all still going to have to live and work together.”
Gray and Ryals met almost 20 years ago when both of them worked at Forrest General Hospital, and they’ve been friends ever since, each of them said.
“Aaron and I don’t have any definite dates planned for anything else,” Gray said, “but we’re not gonna stop. With the love we felt out there, this can’t stop. We have got to show that not all black people are thugs and not all white folks are racist.”
“This is God’s work we’re doing right here,” he said when addressing the crowd. “The effect of this will not end right here.”
Another demonstration is set for 2-4 p.m. Sunday at 29th and Hardy in front of the USM campus. It was supposed to be held on a previous date, but “it was canceled because of the weather that time,” Gray said. “One of my good friends is setting that one up. It’s called Enough Is Enough.”
