Stand against hate

Dear editor:

Last weekend, the scenes in Charlottesville, Va., shocked all of us. Marching boldly while brandishing their torches, neo-Nazis and white supremacists shouted hateful slogans against Jews and people of color. Their taunts were horrible to hear. Then, one of them plowed his car into a group of the resisters, killing one and injuring many others! We couldn’t believe this kind of homegrown terrorism could be happening again!

The president spoke of the violence “on many sides.” That did not reflect reality! The Nazis came into the city with evil intentions and evil words. The resisters bravely stood against them, denouncing those who screamed out their racial epithets and venom. The truth is, Nazism and white supremacy must never have a place in America, and we must always resist this hate!

On Wednesday night, another group marched in Charlottesville. This time, hundreds of people marched quietly, carrying candles as they streamed through the city in a spontaneous outpouring of solidarity and love. The marchers assembled in one spot, and someone in the crowd began to sing as the others joined in.

“This land is my land, this land is your land, from California to the New York island.”

For over 200 years, America has been a brave experiment in our world, embracing freedom-loving people of every race, ethnicity, creed and gender. We do not always agree and our ideals have been challenged many times. However, millions of true Americans will rise up now and continue to stand against the forces of hate and evil in our land. Madelyn Young Hot Springs Village