Vigil In Warsaw Offers Solidarity In Fight Against Hate

Put together in about a day’s time, organizers and attendees were surprised at the turnout Monday night for the Charlottesville Solidarity Vigil at the Kosciusko County courthouse.

Over 100 people showed up by the 8 p.m. start time, from as far away as Arcola, with more trickling in. With them came signs saying “No Hate,” “I Denounce White Supremacy,” “Black or White, Left or Right, We Are All In This Together,” “Even White People In Warsaw Are Sick Of The Latest BS” and quoting Bible verses like 1 Corinthians 13:13.

The vigil, hosted by the Kosciusko County Democrats but billed as a non-partisan community event, was in response to the white supremacist rally Saturday in Charlottesville, Va., that spiraled into deadly violence when a car plowed into a group of anti-racist counter-protesters, killing a 32-year-old woman.

The protests in Charlottesville began after white nationalists had assembled Friday to vent their frustration against the city's plans to take down a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. Counter-protesters gathered in opposition, according to an Associated Press story.

At Warsaw’s vigil Monday, Stew Skeans, 39, Warsaw, said he was there because he wanted to do something about the Charlottesville violence.

“Like a lot of people, there’s been a lot of stuff getting to me behind the computer screen, and I thought this would be a good thing to get out and show my support rather than hitting the like button on Facebook,” Skeans said before the event.

“The main reason we’re all here – I was born here, I was raised here – is because we’ve seen the growth in diversity here and we think it’s important to show that prejudice and hate are not welcome here,” Skeans said.

Mandy Neff, 42, and Michael Beard, 40, both of Warsaw, attended to extend their solidarity with the people of Charlottesville.

“It’s such a tragedy that we still have that in this country,” Beard said.

Kaylee Edwards, 24, Nappanee, who is originally from Lincoln, Neb., said when she heard about the events in Charlottesville, it impacted her really hard. Her second foster father was Jewish and it made her think of him. Going to the vigil was “something I could stand up for and help make a difference in.”

She said the vigil was important because “there’s so much hate in this world and I don’t see any point in it.”

James Townsend, 82, Warsaw, said he came out to the vigil after receiving an invitation from Kosciusko County Democratic Party Chairman Brian Smith.

“I think it shows where you stand, and I think around here our vigils are pretty moderate and we don’t get too excited,” Townsend said.

Carl Selders, 50, Warsaw, a black man originally from Chicago, said it was nice to see a smaller city like Warsaw have a community event such as the vigil.

“I come to support the victims of Charlottesville,” he said. “I think it’s nice to see people come together against hate, regardless of their race.”

Speaking later to the crowd, he said, “I’m very humbled to see everyone here, just to see the support of white people. I feel supported. I don’t feel alone. I’m very humbled by everyone being here today. Thank you all for being here. I love you all.”

The vigil was an idea born out of Shelly Gilliland’s desire to attend a vigil for Charlottesville without having to drive to a bigger city. The 60-year-old Warsaw woman even brought out her quilt that she made after the June 12, 2016, Pulse Nightclub shooting where 49 were killed and 58 others wounded.

In speaking to the crowd, she said she had her birthday last week and then the Charlottesville tragedy happened over this past weekend. “I felt I wanted to do something in this community,” she said.

While Smith was the first speaker for the event, he opened it up to anyone who wanted to speak from the heart. Smith talked about the 26 hate groups that exist in Indiana, including one in Warsaw, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, but how together Warsaw can be stronger than the hate.

Others talked about how they came from places where diversity was much more prevalent and how people need to do more to promote diversity in the community.

Amber Chavez, 38, Warsaw, a mixed-race woman originally from San Diego, said “No matter how ignorant some people are, they still have their freedom of speech. But so do we.” She spoke about how the key word in the pledge of allegiance was “indivisible” and how racism exists in every nationality and race, but God said to welcome foreigners.

Markinia Gooden, 34, Warsaw, hails from?Jamaica. When he moved to the area, he said he didn’t know what to expect.

“It was scary for me. Over time, my girlfriend and her mom ... introduced me to another side of America that I hope for,” he said.

Gooden said a handful of people can make more of a difference than those in Washington. “This is 2017. We’re not going to take it anymore,” he said.

After everyone spoke, candles were lit and then everyone walked once around the courthouse square. The night ended with a singing of “This Land is Your Land.”