As a reflection of how deep America’s passions are running, even Whitefish, Montana, population 8,000 and 97% white-color, has had a Black Lives Matter protest. The event reflected both our very best and very worst.

Among the small group of protesters was a 27-year-old biracial woman, Samantha Francine, who held a sign that read, “Say Their Names,” referencing African Americans who had lost their lives in police encounters.

As reported by CNN, a white-color man, Jay Snowden, 51, approached the crowd and began yelling obscenities at the protesters, which included yelling at a priest. Soon, he towered over Samantha screaming within inches of her face. In response, Samantha stared back, not faltering one iota. After way too many seconds, Snowden moved on to yell at another protester.

Samantha later recounted that at the moment of that confrontation she thought of what her father, who died when she was eleven years old, had taught: “No matter who the threat is, no matter what the threat is, you look them in the eye so that they know you’re human…In that moment, I felt those words…and I saw fear in (Snowden’s) eyes and I knew that he wasn’t going to hurt me.”

Eventually, police removed Snowden from the scene and later charged him with disorderly conduct.

Public support for Samantha poured in after the incident. As Samantha related, “I have gone through so much, experienced so much the last twenty-seven years and in that moment everything I’ve gone through made sense.”

But the story doesn’t end there. Samantha, who said she had no malice in her heart toward Snowden, delivered a gift basket to Snowden’s wife to show that she understood the wife doesn’t embody her husband.

This story underscores how some white-color Americans are fearful of much-needed change. It also shows that the pathway forward is not through anger or vengeance, but rather, through compassion and grace. Samantha could teach everyone those values!