Savannah Mayor Van Johnson is drawing a clear line between peaceful demonstrations and criminal behavior, promising to uphold constitutional rights while maintaining public safety.
🛡️ Why It Matters: Residents need to know their right to protest is protected, but also that city officials are prepared to prevent any potential unrest that could threaten the community.
🔊 The Mayor’s Message: Johnson emphasized the city’s commitment to constitutional freedoms while issuing a stern warning about potential violence.
“While peaceful protest is protected, criminality is not,” Johnson said. “We will not tolerate violence, destruction, or any acts that seek harm to people, property, or our community.”
🚨 Safety Preparations: City officials aren’t taking chances with public safety, according to the mayor’s statement.
“We are actively monitoring all developments and are fully prepared to respond swiftly and decisively to any emergency situation,” Johnson said, noting that law enforcement teams are on alert.
How to Read and Understand the News
Truth doesn’t bend because we dislike it.
Facts don’t vanish when they make us uncomfortable.
Events happen whether we accept them or not.
Good reporting challenges us. The press isn’t choosing sides — it’s relaying what official, verified sources say. Blaming reporters for bad news is like blaming a thermometer for a fever.
Americans have a history of misunderstanding simple things. In the 1980s, A&W rolled out a 1/3-pound burger to compete with McDonald’s Quarter Pounder. It failed because too many people thought 1/3 was smaller than 1/4. If we can botch basic math, we can certainly misread the news.
Before dismissing a story, ask yourself:
- What evidence backs this?
- Am I reacting to facts or feelings?
- What would change my mind?
- Am I just shooting the messenger?
And one more: Am I assuming bias just because I don’t like the story?
Smart news consumers seek truth, not comfort.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
