HEART OF STEELE
A line of Rainbowtonna supporters assembled during Saturday’s Pride in the Park event to prevent protestors and pastor Jason Cooley of Northfield from moving closer to performances at the pavilion in Morehouse Park. Cooley preached on his religious beliefs and spoke out against the event. Staff photo by Joni Hubred
I knew what was inside the little plastic baggie laying at the end of my driveway before I picked it up. Didn’t even have to open it.
Hard kernels of corn weighted it down; inside, a flyer delivered on the Fourth of July told me that “real patriots” visit a website crammed with racism and antisemitism, hateful and hurtful words that have no place in my community–or anywhere else for that matter.
The same flyer made the rounds on Juneteenth, after which Mayor Tom Kuntz issued a statement that said, in part: “Our message to those who are distributing such messages is that there’s no place for hate in Owatonna.”
Sadly, these unwanted little packages will probably keep coming, because the person creating them doesn’t appear to be breaking any laws. I also suspect he hasn’t run out of folks who will cheer him on.
But here’s something I learned while sitting on a camp chair in Morehouse Park on Saturday: Love really is the best response to hate.
When a pastor with an amplifier and an anti-LGBTQ message decided to move from a spot on the fringes to the center of the event, a group of Rainbowtonna supporters formed a human barrier on the sidewalk. They didn’t fight, they didn’t yell, they just stood, some with arms crossed, and that was as far as the pastor went.
He set up his amplifier again, but as he preached, the Rainbowtonna group turned up their music and started to sing. They didn’t seem angry. In fact, it looked like they might be having a little fun.
Those who attended a Saturday morning Pride service at Associated Church heard a message rooted in love. Rev. Nathan Black, a Rainbowtonna Pride organizer, has talked about having compassion for those who aren’t accepting of the LGBTQIA community.
I believe that over-arching message of love for everyone kept Owatonna’s Pride event relatively peaceful, even as the pastor goaded individual attendees with name calling and promises that they were eternally condemned.
Owatonna is a growing and increasingly diverse community. We aren’t going to agree on everything. But we can all live in peace if we keep a love for all in our hearts.