Red Dirt Farm and Studio

A state of emergency was declared by the governor of Virginia yesterday.

It has been my policy to keep politics and religion off my blog.  I choose to make my posts pleasant, and positive.  While there are times that I share personal difficulties and unpleasant life events here it is because I don’t want to present a false impression that my life and home are picture perfect, they are not.  Still, I prefer to keep this a place for you all to come and read about good things, see pretty pictures and join in positive conversations.  Today, I stray off topic a bit.

3 lives were lost and numerous people injured yesterday in our community because of clashes, riots and unthinkable violence.

Why did this happen?  because of history – yes because our town has a statue of a Confederate leader in our park.  Because there are those in our community that believe that there is no longer a place for that statue and that it must be removed.

This is a statue of Robert E. Lee – it has stood in this park since 1924.

Charlottesville, Virginia home to Thomas Jefferson, co-author of The Declaration of Independence, Founder of The University of Virginia and now host to KKK, White Nationalist, Nazi’s, White Supremest and Alt Right – protestors.  Many people in this community say this is not “their Charlottesville.”  These are outsiders that came here to promote hate and violence.  Ugly hate is lurking among us.  How long are we going to turn a blind eye to it?

Charlottesville, Virginia is a small town, not some big city riddled with violence and crime.  We all must be aware that if this could happen here, it can happen anywhere.  We are heartbroken over these events and our community is broken.  We are left with families mourning the loss of loved ones, a city that was littered and trashed and left to pick up the pieces, and yes that statue is still here.

What is the point of me sharing this?  I honestly don’t know.  Maybe because I feel so saddened and heartbroken.  Maybe because this hits so close to home.  Maybe because we hear these stories of violence and hate in many forms day after day and maybe I’m afraid that we will all become complacent and accept that this is our new norm and that somehow that makes it ok.

I don’t have an answer.  I just have sadness.