America, 2020.

[kpete]

In Whitefish, Montana, a young woman named Samantha Francine is confronted by a large white man with balled fists, shouting, "Black Lives Matter? Fuck you! Fuck you! Fuck you!" She does not look away.

This is America, 2020.

(Photo by Grace Jensen


Thomas Nybo
Yesterday at 7:46 AM · Shared with Public

From my home state of Montana: a portrait of cowardice and courage at a peaceful protest. Look closely at the eyes of the woman. Her name is Samantha Francine. She was raised by a single father, who happened to be white.

“He taught us from a young age that things were going to be different for us just because of the color of our skin,” Samantha wrote on Facebook. “One of the things he used to remind us of constantly was that ‘No matter the threat, always look them in the eye so they have to acknowledge you’re human.’

“My father passed 16 years ago this month,” she wrote. “In this moment, those are the words that went through my head. When I lifted up my glasses, he saw me. I saw him. He was acting out fear, I know that. I hold no malice in my heart for this man. I hope this moment will soften him. I hope he will be changed. But even if he isn’t, I am.”

I reached out to Samantha and we had a brief text conversation. I told her she is amazing and that her father would be proud. I told her about my own five-year-old daughter, and how I was going to tell her about a woman named Samantha Francine in Montana who is the face of courage.

In case you’re wondering what the big white guy is saying, video shot while the photograph was taken captured his words: “Black Lives Matter? Fuck you! Fuck you! Fuck you!”

Thank you, Samantha, for standing firm. Thank you for looking fear and prejudice in the eye and not blinking. You inspire me, and you inspire a country.

Link to tweet

?s=20
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10223827665665524&set=a.1070301483715&type=3&theater

[tblue37]

1. K&R for visibility. These big tough guys always go after the smallest women. nt

[KY_EnviroGuy]

2. Some followup on this stirring event......

News....
Whitefish man charged after protest confrontation
by Maritsa GeorgiouThursday, June 4th 2020

Link: https://nbcmontana.com/news/local/whitefish-man-charged-after-protest-confrontation
(snips)

MISSOULA, Mont. — A cell phone video of a confrontation at a Whitefish protest is going viral, and now we’ve learned the Whitefish man at the center of it faces disorderly conduct charges.

Whitefish city prosecutors charged Jay Snowden, 51, with disorderly conduct Thursday morning after they met with police.
+++
He uses several expletives, knocks signs out of protesters’ hands and yells at an apparent clergyman before police take him away. The crowd around him chants “peaceful!” continuously throughout the nearly 3-minute video.

The man who caught the encounter on video tells NBC Montana it was totally peaceful up until that moment. He says Snowden drove by and flipped off the crowd the night before also.

and..........

Link to tweet

Text:

David Roberts @drvox

Just FYI, as several commenters have noted, the guy's name is Jay Snowden, 51 years old. He was arrested & charged with one count of disorderly conduct. There's video here, if you can stomach it. https://nbcmontana.com/news/local/whitefish-man-charged-after-protest-confrontation …

If enough of these assholes are exposed and arrested maybe the others will knuckledrag back to their caves.

KY.............