‘There Is A Racial Problem But The Bigger Problem Is A Love Problem’

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Marchers are shown heading north on Main Street last Saturday carrying signs with a variety of messages. Photo by Charlene Sharpe

There IsBERLIN – More than 100 area residents participated in a Black Lives Matter march down Main Street last week.

On June 27, the African American Coalition of Worcester County hosted a Black Lives Matter peaceful protest in downtown Berlin. Participants marched from Stephen Decatur Park to Stevenson United Methodist Church and back calling for justice. Similar events have been held throughout the country since the death of George Floyd in May.

“It’s not about a protest,” said Todd Nock, an event organizer and council member in Pocomoke City. “It’s not about being black. It’s about standing up for what’s right.”

Participants in Saturday’s march gathered at Stephen Decatur Park, where organizers offered comments about the need to end racial injustice and provided attendees with information on registering to vote. Nock stressed the importance of voting to bring about change.

“We cannot stop here,” Nock said. “The marches are great. The yelling is great. It is time for us to get ourselves into a position where we can make change.”

Marchers, who included local residents as well as several Berlin business owners, gathered and walked from the park onto Tripoli Street and from there down Main Street. Speakers in front of Stevenson United Methodist Church included Councilman Elroy Brittingham.

“Black lives matter,” he said.  “I’m just glad to be here today. On behalf of the mayor and city council I would like to thank you for showing up today because this is important.”

Berlin Police Chief Arnold Downing also addressed the crowd.

“We know what’s wrong,” he said. “We see what’s wrong. We have to go ahead and make a change.”

Pastor Robert Brooks asked attendees to love their neighbors.

“It’s obvious there is a racial problem but the bigger problem is a love problem,” he said. “If you love yourself and you love your neighbor as yourself you get off his neck.”

He said that color shouldn’t matter if someone needed help.

“Love one another,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing and the most important thing, that we love one another. Don’t stop marching and don’t stop praying.”

Resident Melissa Reid attended Saturday’s march and said the comments made by Brooks struck her because they took the situation beyond race.

“It was all about humanity,” she said.

Reid said she’d participated in the Women’s March in Washington D.C. but found Saturday’s even in Berlin to be even more powerful.

“It’s one thing to be a part of a large crowd,” she said. “It’s an entirely different thing to march through your own town.”

She noted the array of participants — among them the elderly as well as children — and praised the well-organized event.

“It was a moment I was glad to be a part of,” she said.

After the march, Downing credited organizers for going over logistics with his department in advance and said the event went smoothly.

“We prepared for the event the best we could,” Downing said. “With all the protests on the shore, they’ve been peaceful. We didn’t expect anything different. It turned out very well.”

About The Author: Charlene Sharpe

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Charlene Sharpe has been with The Dispatch since 2014. A graduate of Stephen Decatur High School and the University of Richmond, she spent seven years with the Delmarva Media Group before joining the team at The Dispatch.