On Wednesday, Iron Mountain, like many other small communities in the Upper Peninsula, held a peaceful protest in support of equal rights for all. But, unlike other communities, Iron Mountain had a very small group of people against this protest. What I don’t understand is how anyone in that group can justify being anti-equality? It was an embarrassment to our community to exhibit such stupidity to a cause that should be, by now, a given. I wondered who these people were, who thought they were so much better than others, to want to deny all citizens of the United States equal rights.

They held up an American flag, but it was obvious they had no idea what that flag represents. Do they actually think, because of the color of their skin, that they are immune to injustice? The peaceful protest was for equality for all people — no matter if one is rich, poor, of color, any age or disability.

I would have to believe that the people who were against this protest would want, for themselves or their family, equality that law dictates. So why did they feel the need to protest against it? Was it because someone told them to do it?

Was that organizer of their protest standing on the street with them? Or was the organizer sitting somewhere laughing at how easy it was to get them to go out on the street and embarrass themselves as they protested against something that would benefit their own interest? Yes, they had every right to do it, but did they really understand why they were doing it?

I would personally like to thank those who stepped up to peacefully protest in an effort to bring about a positive changes in equality practices for all of us.