By BRETT DUNLAP
The Parkersburg News and Sentinel
PARKERSBURG, W.Va. — People came out to Point Park in Parkersburg on Sunday evening to stand against hate and intolerance.
Around 100 people attended The Candlelight Vigil In Solidarity With Charlottesville to honor the lives lost over the weekend as violence erupted from a rally in Charlottesville, Va., that brought in a number of neo-Nazi groups, white supremacists and others.
(Photo by Brett Dunlap)
Sunday night’s vigil at Point Park started by reading the names of the three people who lost their lives in Charlottesville: Heather Heyer, who was hit and killed when a vehicle drove into the crowd she was in; Virginia State Trooper Pilot Lt. H. Jay Cullen and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates whose lives were lost when their helicopter went down as they were policing the riots.
“We need to say their names because they were lost too soon, taken from those they love by senseless acts of violence,” said Jeanne Peters of Wood County Indivisible.
Those in attendance also remembered the many people who were injured over the weekend and prayed for their recovery. They were there to stand in solidarity with the people of Charlottesville who did not want any part of the hate that came to their city, Peters said.
“We are here tonight to stand in solidarity with that city, with those who have been victimized, those who are injured and with people everywhere who say ‘enough is enough.’
“We are going to stand up to hate, we are going to stand up to racism, we are going to stand up to fascism and we are not going to let it win.”
Many people came with signs that said, “Candlelight Trumps Torchlight,” “Love is all you need,” “No Nazis, No KKK,” “The Gr8ist is Love” and more.
The Rev. Janice Hill of the Parkersburg First Christian Church spoke about the horror of what took place in Virginia.
“I can’t think of anything that defines a city or a community more than love,” she said. “Love for our particular belief system, for our family and friends, love for our city.
“We will combat the hatred we have seen expressed, much to the dismay of the people in Charlottesville.”
Hill said she contacted a First Christian Church in Charlottesville and asked what people here can do.
“(The response said) Pray that we can have peace and that our congregation will be strong,” she said. “They are on the front lines.
“I told them they can count on the people in Parkersburg, W.Va. We will not let certain people and certain things define who we are. We are a group of loving people. We are open to everyone. There is no litmus test from God, from our church, from our city, from this gathering. You come and you are welcome. You are loved.”
Rather than be known for the stereotypes that many West Virginians are labeled with, Hill said she wants this community to be know as one that will fight for the rights of everyone and who believes that love is greater than anything else.
“I thought the light in Parkersburg went out,” Hill said. “Maybe I spoke too soon. I see a lot of light.
“I need your light and you need my light. Tonight, my light shines.”
Many speakers spoke about their own experiences with racism in their families and how things have been able to change and how people are not locked into a single way of doing things. People talked about how racism and hate are taught and learned.
“Hatred comes from one side, the side that learned to hate,” said the Rev. Steve Peck.
Megan Reynolds spoke about the “appalling silence of the good people.”
“It is not ok … everyone of us should be working together, no matter who we are, we need to work together to salvage a livable future for the next generation,” Reynolds said. “We should be overpowering what remains of white supremacy with our fire and passion for what is right and our love for humanity.”
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