Editor, Gazette-Journal:

Over the past few days I have participated in four marches for racial justice—two in Gloucester, one in Middlesex, and one in Mathews. Each had its own personality, but all were positive and nonviolent, which is especially notable given the rage over the cruel murder of an innocent black man that prompted the marches.

I would especially like to commend the Mathews marchers because of the special challenges there: forecasts of looting and destruction, unfounded rumors of large numbers of people from outside the county, and most disturbing, a group of self-styled soldiers, supposedly “openly armed and very well-trained” (their words, not mine), claiming they were there to “protect” the county.

As a result, the State Police showed up and businesses closed early. The march started at an empty storefront instead the old courthouse because of the others assembled there. Marchers reported they did see guns, and some people dropped out because they were afrai...