August 20, 2020 – Citizens of Nevada County,
I want to publicly apologize for my actions at the Black Lives Matter protest that occurred on Sunday, August 9, 2020, in Nevada City. My name is Chris McBride, and I am a member of “Back the Blue” Nevada County, an organization that supports law enforcement. What occurred that day was not a Back the Blue response nor were any of the actions at the event supported by the organization.
I was born and raised in Nevada County, and I am proud of my community and my beliefs. I am not proud of my actions Sunday August 9,2020; they are not who I am. In viewing the videos, I am embarrassed about my part in this event. I have strong beliefs, as do others, and in our country, we can let our beliefs be known in a respectful way. I am aware that I did not represent myself, my family, or my business, in an appropriate way.
The good that has come out of this experience for me has been that people I greatly respect, many having different political views than myself, reached out and shared their disapproval of my actions with me in a respectful way. They told me they cared for me and understand that I made bad choices. They see that I have opportunities for personal growth as a result of my actions.
I have learned that, although we may disagree, we all deserve respect. Moving forward, I commit to my community that I will show that respect. I cannot change what happened, but I can change my own behavior in the future. I look forward to supporting my cause while respecting those with differing views.
Chris McBride