“White supremacy in all forms needs to be squashed. There was no reason for that rally to even exist and the people who allowed that to happen are just as responsible for the outbreak of violence, hatred and death of Heather Heyer. I’m pretty sure you have to go through some sort of process with the city government in order to form a public rally. I could be wrong though. Bringing up Black Lives Matter as a counter argument is beyond insane. BLM is about pride, justice, equal rights/equality and basically standing up for yourself. It could be compared to the Feminist movement or the LGBTQ rights movement in that respect. That woman did not deserve to die. There was no reason for that rally to exist. White people in America are never oppressed and never have been throughout history so their only vendetta is obviously to terrorize non-white Americans and that is vile. It truly disgusts me.”
-Tim S.
“I am sad and at the same time perturbed at how certain politicians are pandering to emotions. What I heard from the governor and the mayor of Charlottesville sounded like campaign speeches. Statue moving aside, this old history teacher does not see this as simply something involving hatred. That is simplistic. To blame conservatives for the violence is ridiculous. The KKK and Neo Nazi groups are not what conservatism is all about. Let’s be honest…the KKK was a major arm of the Democratic Party from Reconstruction to the 1920s. The Nazi Party in Germany were to interpret, the term Nazi, National Socialists. The other side, the anti-protestors, are not above guilt themselves. And I would not brand them as liberals. What happened in Charlottesville was symptomatic of the spiritual warfare in our nation and the world in general. Both sides in my opinion were Satanic in thought and action. In my opinion, our nation is in need of prayer and revival.”
-Fredric E.
“I am saddened and disgusted by the events that took place in Charlottesville this past weekend. I can’t believe that people would think that is how you get your point across. Freedom of speech is just that…speech. Not violence. More than anything, I am ashamed and scared for our future generations who see and hear about these actions and believe that is how you solve your problems. This has done nothing but create a more hostile environment for generations to come. We can all do better as adults. We have so many problems facing our world today. Hatred of any kind should not be one of them. It seems silly but it’s similar to what I teach my students: use your words and not your hands, work together to solve problems and don’t treat someone different because they don’t look like you. On a slightly more positive note, I am proud to say that we have a Governor in Terry McAullife that stands up for what he believes in.”
-Diane E.
“I am truly saddened by the events in Charlottesville. Everyone has a right to their opinions and there are legal ways to express them. We – as a society – need to stop sensationalizing events such as this and fix the true problems by focusing on solutions. In order for the Commonwealth and this country to move forward, the hatred and violence toward others must stop.”
-Steve B.
“Heartbroken is the only word that I can think of to describe the events that took place in Charlottesville this past weekend. An act of violence and bigotry fueled by hatred and a sense of entitlement amongst protestors. There is no ‘peaceful protesting’ anymore because peace is not an emotion invoked by those participating. Once you take actions into your own hands, you no longer respect the rights of others. The sad part is that we will not remember the cause of the protest. We will not remember the names of those who lost their lives. We will only remember a country divided by race, political stance and hatred. Who knew a statue is what people would die over that day? We can’t change the thought process or beliefs of others but we must respect them or history will only repeat itself.”
-Angela M
“While the tragedy in Charlottesville is appalling, it does not exist in a bubble. As an American Studies student, part of our study is the pervasive nature of racism and white supremacy in the fabric of American culture, especially in ways that aren’t readily apparent. The emboldened nature of these racist protesters is what I find most disturbing, and most telling about shifts in our culture today.”
-Ben B.
“It absolutely turned my stomach to see the events in Charlottesville. To see these neo-Nazis and white supremacists display blatantly such hate and vitriol…they bring shame to the Virginia I hold dear. I was very proud to see our Governor stand up and call this hatred by its name and state, unequivocally, that it is not welcome here. Now it’s our turn as citizens of Virginia and the United States to stand up and say no – we will NOT accept this. We will combat this hate with love – together.”
-Amanda A.
“I am white and my girlfriend is black so the conversation about race comes up quite often in our relationship. The reality of the situation is racists are filtered throughout this country, not just in Charlottesville. My future wife recently said that we will never truly make progress as a country if we are not willing to have some serious and uncomfortable dialogue. I have no idea what it’s like to be a woman or a minority. I do know as a white male that I have privilege. It doesn’t make you a bad person to admit that either. I will do everything in my power from this moment on to call racists and bigots out, even if it’s my own family members and friends.”
-Leon K.
“I feel sad yet comforted knowing that looking at the big picture the vast majority of Americans are united behind this senseless act of violence. The positive energy of kindness for healing and togetherness across America continues to spread hope and positive growth.”
-Lisa R.
“We are all image bearers of God. As such, the loss of life in Charlottesville and across the world is grievous. It reflects the brokenness of humanity when we choose to think less of others than we are. We are truly a melting pot society. The tragedy is that words and deeds are evidence of what is the heart of the certain individuals.”
-Alice I.
“My heart weeps for Charlottesville and I find myself struggling to comprehend the reality that, in 2017, we are having to actively fight against Nazis and white supremacists all the while having a president that won’t condemn their actions, who won’t call them out. If we want to make things better, we have to be better, we cannot sit quietly by. As Salemites, as members of this wonderful community, it is incumbent upon us to show that we will not tolerate such behavior – that hate, racism, violence, these things have no place here. Instead, we will love one another equally, we will take care of each other and support each other. All are equally welcome here.”
-Carrie C.
-Compiled by Shawn Nowlin
