The Carrboro Board of Aldermen held a special meeting last night to announce a resolution regarding demonstrations by white supremacists in Charlottesville last weekend.
A town hall full of tearful and seemingly shell shocked citizens listened on as the Board of Aldermen denounced what they described as “hatred, bigotry and violence” displayed by white supremacists, KKK and Neo-Nazis in Charlottesville, the dismissal and misunderstanding of the events by President Donald Trump and the shameful reminders of the less-than-favorable side of Southern history that is the Silent Sam statue on UNC’s campus and other monuments like it.
The resounding message of the night: solidarity with the antifacist and antiracist counterdemonstrations and movement as a whole.
“The Town of Carrboro offers our deepest sympathy, compassion and solidarity to the families of those injured and killed, those who stood up for justice that day and the larger Charlottesville community,” said Alderman Jacquelyn Gist.
Along with calling for the removal of Silent Sam, the resolution calls to engage the diverse youth of Carrboro, urges the General Assembly to cease voter suppression tactics, applauds the Orange County School Board for prohibiting racially intimidating items of clothing and encourages citizens of the Town of Carrboro to work together to fight against white supremacist ideology.
Orange County Commissioner Penny Rich offered a personal account of raising Jewish children in this volatile political and racial climate.
“I’m a mom of two Jewish young men,” said Rich. “One of the jobs of a Jewish mom, besides nagging them, is to make them understand history, to never forget what happened to the Jewish people, and unfortunately, we have to teach them hate. It’s the first time in their adult life that they feel hated because of who they are.”
Other local government bodies are expected to consider similar resolutions.
The full resolution can be found here.
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