Butler faith leaders respond to week of protests
It's easy to say it's a “city problem.”
It's Pittsburgh's problem, Cleveland's problem, Atlanta's problem.
It's not in Butler.
For many, the racial conflict ends with the power button on a TV remote or the off switch on a laptop.
But with an online threat to riot and a sizable crowd gathered in downtown Butler, last weekend it was Butler's problem.
Pastor William “B.T.” Gilligan of Nixon United Methodist Church in Penn Township watched intently a Facebook livestream of the Black Lives Matter and George Floyd protest in downtown Butler unfolded.
Men and women stood casually with semi-automatic weapons and shotguns on street corners with the intention of protecting local businesses “if needed” following riots and looting the previous night in downtown Pittsburgh.For some in the faith community, it was no less impactful than the images coming from cities across the country. And it raised some larger underlying issues that some community leaders want to address.“I'm still sad that this is what it takes, that Butler is a place where protesting is necessary,” Gilligan said. “It feels like Minneapolis is so far away. And yet it's come all the way to Butler.”Originally from Wellsboro, Pa., Gilligan is no stranger to guns in the back of pickups or even on the street, but it still concerns him, regardless of intentions.<i>This is an excerpt from a larger article and photo story that appeared in Sunday's Butler Eagle. Subscribe online or in print to read the full article to read about what other local faith leaders had to say about the protests and see more photos from protests around the area.</i>
