Sunday, August 13, 2017

Civil War Sunday - Charlottesville

Civil War Sunday, 2017 edition???

For four years, from 2011 to 2015, I (most Sundays) blogged about the United States Civil War, which took place from 1861 to 1865.

Except that I believe the war never ended.  The nature of the fight changed.

Yesterday, another battle of the war was fought in Charlottesville, Virginia, home of the University of Virginia.

Because this is not a political blog, I will not discuss the events in Charlottesville yesterday, August 12, except to explain that an occasion of hate became even more tragic when a man, driving a car, rammed into a crowd of counterprotesters near a white nationalist rally in this Virginia college town.  At the time I write this, one person is dead, and 19 others injured, 5 critically..

In a related incident, a police helicopter crashed (they had been monitoring the protests from the year), killing two.

This car ramming is the latest incident after this city, once in the Confederate State of America, decided to take down an equestrian monument honoring the Confederate General (and native Virginia son) Robert E. Lee.

Hatred.  Division. We still struggle with the racial divide.   Even our President's remarks after the incident sparked controversy.
Outside of Charlottesville, January 2017
The mayor of Charlottesville said he was "broken hearted".
Downtown Charlottesville, before April the Giraffe became famous
I have visited Charlottesville three times in the last eighteen months.  I will come within 30 miles of it later this month.  It is a city that, for many reasons, I have grown to enjoy.  In fact, I was going to visit it later this month, although my plans changed (several weeks ago) due to circumstances.

Nothing in our history is simple.  If only it could be simple. If only we could say our Civil War was over.
Downtown Cutout

When you don't face issues head on, and let them simmer for year after year, it never ends well.
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7 comments:

  1. Janice WaldAugust 13, 2017 at 12:02 PM

    Hi Alana,
    Don't you feel the tenor of our country has worsened since November 8? I don't see this situation as status quo which would be worse enough. I see it as deteriorating.
    Janice

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. bookwormAugust 13, 2017 at 5:59 PM

      I also see it as deteriorating. I believe that we are on our way to civil war, but this time it will truly be neighbor against neighbor, and if this happens, our country as we know it will no longer exist.

      Delete
  2. songbird's crazy worldAugust 13, 2017 at 12:57 PM

    I am shocked and sickened by what happened in Charlottesville.must be even more heartbreaking to see the news and recognize places you've been.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Liz A.August 13, 2017 at 7:40 PM

    So sad. But I've read various things that give me hope. Someone tweeted out a list of all sorts of organizations in Charlottesville that one can support. Here's a link:

    https://medium.com/@SaraJBenincasa/what-to-do-about-charlottesville-dfc7d6636d56

    ReplyDelete
  4. peppylady (Dora)August 14, 2017 at 12:23 AM

    Thank you...I live in community that Randy Weaver and ruby ridge but I bet the people of charlottsville glad you post this..a postive light...Coffee is on

    ReplyDelete
  5. LindaAugust 14, 2017 at 12:28 AM

    So tragic! Charlottesville is a great town. (Well, except for the traffic.) But since Lee did not live or fight in Charlottesville, the statue of him never belonged there. It is obviously a symbol of the Lost Cause.

    ReplyDelete

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