Vargas: Voice of reason stands out at Anaheim ‘Black Lives Matters’ rally

On Sunday, I found myself at the Black Lives Matter protest at Anaheim City Hall.

I had no particular agenda other than to watch, observe and maybe speak with a few of the protestors.

Like most of the recent protests, the demonstrators were young men and women. The protest, organized on social media, was an opportunity for those concerned about recent police shootings to vent their concerns and frustrations.

I really do get that.

No one can look at the recent videos from either Baton Rouge or Falcon Heights and not feel an emotional reaction. The videos are powerful, and calls some to action.

With the dark cloud of five officers killed and seven wounded in Dallas hanging over their heads, I wondered how the protestors would respond.

I didn’t have to wait long.

A patrol car driving by had to stop for a red light. A group of about 10 demonstrators shoved signs at the officers and shouted. They were called killers and deluged with a few profanities.

The officers remained calm, asked them not to block the street and continued driving after the light turned green.

It was what happened afterward that I was impressed with.

A series of speakers shared their opinions, including  one person who stated, “No police officer deserves any respect,” followed by  a series of profanity-laced statements.

It was then, Yafa Amweinant, a young Muslim woman took the microphone and told the demonstrators to respect the officers. You can’t blame everyone for the actions of a few, she said.

The crowd could have gone either way, but they choose to clap.

She was followed by another brave lady, Thea Curtis, who also implored the crowd to demonstrate peacefully. She told them the police didn’t want any drama they had feelings, too.

Imagine that.

In the midst of all the loud profane voices involved in many of these protests, I was pleased to see a few people who seemed to be reasonable.

These are the people who police departments need to bring to the table: People who are willing to disagree without being disagreeable.

As you can see, they are out there.