Let us be ambassadors of hope

As the Chamber CEO, I feel it is the Chamber’s responsibility to speak out about injustice and support those in our community who are grieving yet another unnecessary death of an unarmed black man.

It is understandable that our citizens would want to express themselves in public through protest and marching. It is our Constitutional right as U.S. citizens to do so and is one of the things that makes our country exceptional. It is refreshing to see that, nationwide, the vast majority of the protesters are our younger population — people of all races — who are exercising their voices to express themselves in a nonviolent, peaceful way. We applaud them and support them as they speak out about injustice nationwide and in our own community.

But just like the vast majority of protesters are good and decent people, the same must be said of our police officers. A man or woman who chooses to dedicate themselves to protecting our communities and puts their lives on the line every single day to protect our citizens needs to be recognized and thanked for the sacrifices they make. It is not an easy calling.

But it is the bad apples that have created fear and anxiety in communities, and we must address that from a perspective of unity, understanding and love. This includes Citrus County.

Likewise, we know there exists another group of bad apples. These are the agitators who are taking advantage of rightful protests, inciting violence and destroying property and businesses. Citrus County is a community of people who should express their pain and opinions in a manner that encourages all of us to work together. If agitators come here to create an unsafe environment, they will be dealt with. Agitators will not define our community or our message.

The George Floyd tragedy is something that we all must work our way through and allow it to be the true catalyst for everlasting change. We do not need to succumb to fear. We need to unite and create an environment of hope and love, trust and understanding. We are all one people. There is too much misinformation out there in social media. I urge everyone: Take a deep breath. Stop listening to and repeating divisive rhetoric.

It is times like this that define the character of a community. I ask all our businesses to be ambassadors of hope. Let us not forget what has transpired. Let us not forget that Americans fight for justice when they think it has been denied. A welcoming, tolerant, peaceful community should be our desire. It is good for our health and safety and makes us a more desirable place to do business. And it is the right thing to do.

The Citrus County Chamber of Commerce is committed to continuing this discussion.

Josh Wooten is a former Citrus County Commissioner and the president/CEO of the Citrus County Chamber of Commerce.