In response to the news that several people are dead and many more injured in Charlottesville, VA, there will be a candlelight vigil at Newton city hall tonight at 8pm. The attack was perpetrated against counter-protesters of a rally for radical right wing nationalists and white supremacists.
Apologies for the late notice but this is all coming together quickly. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments if you can’t make it in person.
Thank you for publicizing the event Bryan. I felt moved to organize something and was blown away that with only 90 minutes notice, at least 50 people showed up including many elected leaders and candidates, and people from all political parties. Mayor Warren called me to thank me for organizing it and send his regrets that he was traveling and not able to make it back in time but was with us in spirit. This is a time when ALL must speak out against racism/bigotry/violence.
I appreciate your fruitful efforts. I saw no notices and so didn’t hear of anything being done. Glad there was some Newton action.
Kudos to Emily Norton.
This act of terrorism was bad enough. But the half-assed response of President Trump, who laid the blame on “many sides,” gave aid and comfort to the very white supremacist groups responsible. And they praised him for it:
This is the real Donald Trump. The same one who, together with his father, engaged in housing discrimination against black folks. The fingerprints of one or both of his White House aides, the two Steves (Bannon and Miller) were all over this statement. The White House will find a way to spin this, no doubt, but it is a permanent (orange) stain on America.
Thank you Emily Norton for spearheading this vigil. I wish I could have been there but am glad so many others came.
I’ve read a few free speech, ethics professionals’ attempts to rationalize what happened in Charlottesville with what our President said – they made me sick. Friday night hundreds of white supremacists marched with torches, chanted vile speech and surrounded the counter protesters. Having grown up in the south, I’ve seen those torches before – they used them to light a cross on my uncle’s front yard. It’s a horrifying experience but nothing like what oppressed groups feel. I’m proud that thousands of counter protesters were brave enough to come out on Saturday.
I hadn’t read the reply until Ted posted it. But with what the president said and two white supremacists in the White House, it shouldn’t be surprising – but it still is.
What Ted and Marti said and kudos also to Emily for putting this together on such short notice. I turned 80 yesterday and there was a time way back when I thought that people younger than me would throw this hateful garbage aside. Unfortunately, this has not been the case. This evil runs deep, perhaps as deep or deeper than when I was younger because the internet allows so many people that hold these views to find each other and organize. The difference, too, is that we haven’t had a president in modern times that tolerated these people as part of his base.
Please don’t interpret what I said to suggest that most people who voted for Donald Trump are racists or bigots. I know many folks that did vote for him, and this was not what motivated almost all of them. I was upset a few months back when some tried to link the guy that shot up the Congressional Republicans to Bernie Sanders’ campaign simply because the perpetrator turned out to be a past Bernie supporter.
One thing we really should discuss is several Republicans who showed up at the vigil ostensibly to support the vigil, but who then minimized the role of bigotry in this attack and the role people like Steve Bannon played in emboldening these racist, anti-American, neo-Nazi sympathizers.
@Bryan: I applaud everyone for showing up to send their thoughts and prayers to the victims of the horrible acts of hate and terrorism in Charlottesville. The open and honest discussion turned political and I was glad that I was able to diffuse the situation and move the focus back to our shared disgust on the senseless violence. We all agreed that we, as a community, will come together and stand against such acts of terror. Thank you, Emily, for organizing the vigil.
I was not at he vigil and don’t know what occurred there. I’m glad it was handled appropriately.
I do have a problem with the overuse of the term “senseless violence.”
Violence carried out in the service of ideology is a more serious threat than violence that we typically refer to as “senseless” or “random,” and as a result, it deserves more serious attention and analysis. Marching with torches while yelling threatening known slogans was symbolically recreating a time of terror mostly for blacks and Jews but also for anyone who isn’t a white supremacist.
Donal Trump was swept into the White House with support from white supremacists such as those who believe the ideology of Richard Spencer and David Duke, who were at the rally and gave statements afterward. He has done nothing for them fiscally as he promised during the campaign so he decided to pander to them by drawing a false dichotomy when commenting on the hatred and violence. So this base is happy.
President Lyndon B. Johnson once said, “If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he’ll empty his pockets for you.”
Bryan- OMG – who let the Republicans in??
for those who couldn’t make it to this one, tomorrow Tues. Aug. 15 there’s another chance to Stand in Solidarity, at the corner of Beacon and Walnut Streets, hosted by Progressive Newton:
A Visibility against Hate and Racism
Public · Hosted by Progressive Newton Tomorrow at 5 PM – 6:30 PM
64–84°Scattered Clouds
Beacon at Walnut St, Newton, MA 02461
https://www.facebook.com/events/130600150890593/
Really, Joanne?? That’s a disgusting, divisive comment. Obviously this was not intended to be a partisan event. Have you no shame??
Actually Heather, I’m not usually one to rush to Joanne’s defense, but I’m quite certain she was joking and her comment made me laugh out loud.
I don’t know, Greg. It did not make me laugh because I’ve seen the tone of many of Joanne’s comments here and they are generally pretty divisive. Even if it was a joke, it strikes me as being in very poor taste. A young woman and two police officers lost their lives in Charlottesville. I would *hope* that Republicans would WANT to attend the vigil and join Democrats in denouncing the violence occurring in our country right now. I’m disheartened by a response to what should not be a partisan issue. Yet three people put “thumbs down” on the original post announcing the vigil. Denouncing hate should not be difficult.
Heather – Go back and Read what Bryan wrote. Then read what I wrote. It was in response to Bryan’s Post. Believe me I too am very upset by what happened in Charlottesville. But when Brian singled out the “Republicans” who attended the Newton Vigil really did not help the discussion of everyone being respectful. That is why I made that Comment regarding Bryan’s post – Greg understood that it was meant to be a “joke”.
So when and where is the vigil for the victims of the terrorist attack in Barcelona?
Surely Newton should stand up against the hate and terror from ISIS? No?