During a recent protest at the Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, demonstrators wielded various signs.

On some were written:

Respect Seniors, Respect Caregivers

Treat Us Like Heroes

Respect Us. Protect Us. Pay Us.

Honk to Support Sunnyview Workers

They stood in the grass across from the facility exercising their First Amendment right.

There were no clashes with police. There was no vandalism or other destruction of property.

That stands in stark contrast to the Capitol riots on Jan. 6, when Rep. Scott Peters, D-Calif., told reporters he was in the House chamber when rioters began storming it.

Security officers “made us all get down,” Peters said. “You could see that they were fending off some sort of assault.”

Peters said they had a piece of furniture up against the door, the entry to the House floor from the Rotunda, to ensure their safety.

There was none of that mayhem, thankfully, at the Sunnyview protest.

“We want to make sure our patients are getting the care they deserve, and the workers the respect they deserve,” said Margaret “Granny” Burke, a Sunnyview laundry aide.

A committee of employees has been negotiating with Sunnyview management since January for new contracts. The protestors chose another way to make their point.

Getting the message across is the point of a protest. Even better is getting that point across peacefully, with no riot or arrests.

Thankfully, no one was fighting and no injuries were reported in the local picketing. No furniture or equipment was needed to block a threat.

That’s what should define all protests in Butler County: reasonable, peaceful demonstrations that link to a common concern.

That means a lot to us.

— AA