Charlottesville, VA – On Saturday, August 13, 2017, Virginia was placed under a state of emergency. At least 34 hurt. 3 killed. Decades from now, I wonder if people will read my words and think that a natural disaster took place, only to discover that such a devastation was caused by intentional malice and hate.
Carrying torches and spewing racial slurs, white terrorists marched on Friday night, continuing to gather for a rally on Saturday, where a car driven by a protestor rammed through a crowd counter-protesters. Consider the outcome if people of color were the ones with the torches…
Nominally, the rally was in opposition of the removal of a statue of Confederate General, Robert E. Lee. But this would be the third rally this year for this purpose. That said, don’t allow ignorance to blind you. This runs deeper than a statue. It always has.
Trump condemned the “egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides,” that took place. But this isn’t about Trump’s vague and passionless condemnation of racism and terrorism. This isn’t about Trump being able to speak discriminately against heroic soldiers, or condemning public figures for less. This isn’t even about Trump’s lack of character or inability to perform when it matters most. This is about who Trump’s leadership speaks to. This is about the people who believe to their core that their hate is validated. This is about white supremacists who believe that this violent event is a “turning point” for our country and who are determined to do this:
“We are determined to take our country back. We’re going to fulfill the promises of Donald Trump, that’s what we believed in, that’s why we voted for Donald Trump because he said he is going to take our country back and that’s what we gotta do.”
-David Duke, former KKK leader
Richmond, VA – On Sunday, August 15, 2017, I attended church for the first time, a nondenominational, modern church called Heights. When it comes to religion, I have reservations that I can’t shake off, so this was a new experience. It wasn’t until the pastor began the service by condemning the events that took place in Charlottesville by white supremacists that I learned yet another prejudice of mine. Tears pooled over my eyes as he expressed his sadness..no…his anger, he said, towards their hate. More tears pooled as he preached love over racism, love over hatred, love over discrimination, love over malice, love in our hearts for ourselves and each other. And despite my reservations, I understand a need to believe in something.
Because for the first time in months, my initial instinct was to believe that the strangers I hold prejudices against were good.
My heart hurts and I’m frustrated. I don’t know how to explain to people why they should care about others and I can’t explain to people why I feel the need to say thank you when they display the smallest bits of human decency. But I can talk to you. I can tell you that you’re a voice and you need to stand for humanity and those smallest bits of decency. This isn’t just politics and not taking action when a devastation such as the rally in Charlottesville hits because it doesn’t impact you is a privilege that many don’t have. So please. Use your voice to create change and to show the world that good exists.
To those injured or deceased and to their family and friends who can’t seem to find the answers to why, my thoughts are with you and my heart aches for you.
-Urvi
Unspoken Words 