This touched Buxton, but it wasn’t the only positive thing to come out of this unfortunate situation.
A little later, as he was cleaning up, a stranger walked up to Buxton and asked if he could speak with him outside.
Buxton agreed and followed the stranger to his car.
According to Newsner, the stranger told Buxton, “I feel horrible, I was not part of the rioting but I did go into your store and I did take things.”
Buxton had a choice.
He could get angry and press charges against the stranger or he could accept the stranger’s apology and try and search out peace during all of this violence.
According to Fox 5 San Diego, the stranger gave Buxton back some softball bats and a bag full of stuff from Sally’s Beauty. Then Buxton told reporters, “I told him that I forgive him and that I made bad choices when I was young, and you made a bad choice, but now you’re making a good choice.”
It’s great to see someone handle this situation with so much selflessness.
These riots have come about due to a terrible tragedy.
And although the outrage and anger that people feel needs to be let out somehow, destroying innocent people’s property might not be the best way.
Buxton seemed to understand this and rather than trying to make the situation any worse, he chose to forgive the stranger who had stolen from him.
During these painful times, it’s important that we focus our anger and use it in a productive manner.
A great example of this are the peaceful protests that have been going on all over the country.
A woman from the video said it best, “Do not overshadow the cause of the protests with hate and violence as we’ve experienced here in La Mesa, unfortunately, but rather with a message of peace and love.”
As this case moves forward and justice is brought to Floyd and his family, it’s important that we don’t forget the fight for justice for others as well.
But by becoming violent and destructive, the message of justice only gets lost in all of the chaos.
Only with peace and love can we move forward and help enact change in this country, strengthening equality and diminishing racism until it no longer exists.
