Romans gather in show of unity
While people, arriving by themselves or in groups, were just beginning to find their way to the Joint Law Enforcement Center lawn on Thursday, one local 13-year-old was still a bit incredulous as to how someone could kill another because they had different beliefs.
“I just can’t think how someone could do that,” said Reese Lott, a student at Rome Middle School, concerning last week’s
deadly events in Charlottesville, Virginia, when a vehicle drove into a crowd of demonstrators,
killing one and injuring 19 others, in a day filled with violent clashes between rallying white nationalists and counterprotesters.
There is just no point in killing another human being over disagreements, he said, and Thursday’s event was time to show that not everyone is so full of hate.
A mass of approximately 100 Romans attended the candlelight vigil, organized by the community group Turn Your Back on Hate, in a show of unity to contrast what many saw on TVs and social media news feeds on Saturday.
With the candles lit and the sun going down, a handful of speakers took to the podium, trying to instill hope and motivate change when their fulfillment may seem out of reach.
“Being hateful is being ignorant,” said Erica Vaughn, whose mother participated in the Civil Rights Movement and was even arrested for her actions. This tradition of standing up for the right thing has been ingrained in her, she said.
Eradicating hate will never be easy, Vaughn said. But, for those who have love in their heart, they must stand up and speak and act against hate at every turn.
Ruth Demeter said she wished she and everyone else gathered never had to attend another candlelight vigil to memorialize the lives lost in a violent attack.
“I refuse to let hate divide me from you,” she told the crowd.
Alvin Jackson, a community activist and Rome-Floyd County NAACP member, implored those around him to commit to love, based on the fact that one human heart beats the same as another.
Jackson took objection to President Donald Trump commenting that “both sides” were to blame for the outbreak of violence in Charlottesville. Jackson said Trump’s words were “stupid” and were devastating to him. He called for attendees to not get discouraged, and to lead the fight against racism in their own lives.