My Town...Sorry long :(

So I'm not sure exactly why I'm writing this. Therapeutic perhaps?

For the first 30 years of my life I lived on LI, grew up in St.James specifically. I had a great childhood and loved my time growing up there. Good friends, amazing family, good job...blah blah, you get the picture.

Fast forward to May 2009. I was now married with two kids, a 2.5 year old and a 1 year old. The Sunday of Memorial Day weekend and innocent bystander walking past my house was shot and murdered right on my lawn in a case of mistaken identity. The shooter thought the victim was from a rival gang. My front lawn became a crime scene for the duration of the day. It was one of the most surreal days of my life and never one that I thought would happen to me. It was the straw that broke the camels back. Not only were we constantly trying to financially keep our heads above water but now this is what I have to endure? Literal violence on my front lawn?
I wanted better... I wanted better for my kids both for financial reason as well as safety now. What kind of quality of life was I giving my babies by staying here? They deserved better, better than this.

So my mom convinced me to move closer to her and after fighting it for so long I agreed. So by October 2009, only 5 months later I moved out of state.

I moved to Charlottesville, VA.

Charlottesville has been my home for the almost 8 years now. I live in a beautiful home, I'm close to my parents, my kids are thriving in school like I'd always hoped they would as they got older. I love it here. I made amazing friends and have a great career. Never once questioned my decision to leave NY and move here... never once. Until this weekend



What I saw and witnessed on Friday and Saturday of this past weekend was something out of a war zone. Myself and my family are all safe but I know people that are not. My heart is breaking that this kind of hate is in MY TOWN. I never in a million years thought I'd be thrown back 60 years over night. It was awful, just plain awful. The violence has left this place shaken but far from broken. I keep going from anger to tears and back again.

Why? Why here? All because of a statue removal? I can't wrap my brain around this. We are a fairly quiet college town and now this is what we are know for? I left NY for this??

Again, not sure why I felt compelled to write this but if you have it in your heart please say a prayer for my town, for the 19 people still in the hospital, for the countless people who were beaten on the streets just for being black, for Heather Heyer, who was run down by a neo Nazi.

We are Cville, we are a strong community and we will get through this. Hate won't win. This is not who we are. This is MY home, leave you racist scum.

All of this took place on my DD's 11th birthday, sadly a birthday overshadowed by this and one she'll never forget.

If you got this far, thank you for allowing me to put this down. My heart hurts a little less now.

#wearecville #Charlottesville #myhomenow

Message edited 8/14/2017 10:25:57 AM.

Re: My Town...Sorry long :(

Heartbreaking.

My Town...Sorry long :(

I'm so sorry you've been through so much. It's scary that such people/thoughts still exist.

Re: My Town...Sorry long :(

Re: My Town...Sorry long :(

Sending many for peace.

Re: My Town...Sorry long :(

I'm so sorry. For you and your family and for our whole country.

Re: My Town...Sorry long :(

I have no words. It's terrorism. Plain and simple. The president won't call it that. He won't "dignify" them. Bull shit. Call it what it is


If you are on twitter all these haters are getting identified and called out and losing their jobs. One is now crying that he's not the hateful racist that you saw. Angry white men. So ridiculous.

Prayers to you

Message edited 8/14/2017 11:22:15 AM.

Re: My Town...Sorry long :(

I'm sorry for you, and your town and our country. This isn't what America should be.

Re: My Town...Sorry long :(

I'm so sorry! I was out of town and shocked when I finally got service and saw this news. My heart is with you.

Re: My Town...Sorry long :(

Re: My Town...Sorry long :(

I am sorry for you and those around you. Sucks that it happened on your DDs bday. I have an 11 yo DD too

If it makes you feel any better unfortunately there are plenty of racist haters on LI too. Sucks

Re: My Town...Sorry long :(

I'm so sorry you all had to go through that. DH got his MBA at Darden and to say I was shocked by the events that took place in Charlottesville would be an understatement.

Stay strong and you live in a wonderful community that will get through this.

Re: My Town...Sorry long :(

I'm so sorry

My aunts and their daughter live in Charlottesville - such a beautiful little city that will persevere. Praying for all of you.

My Town...Sorry long :(

I am so sorry. I can't even imagine how hard this is on you, your family, your community.

Re: My Town...Sorry long :(

It's all so terrible. That animal should rot in hell. What kind of demon runs people down because you don't like what they say or what their views are or what they look like??!!! How does that happen? Why does that happen? It's ok to disagree. It's ok to fight for what you believe in (within reason)

But Hate is taught. The cycle will never end as long as people remain closed minded. As much as we preach the 1st amendment ... if what you're using your freedom for is hate and inciting violence - you don't deserve that freedom. And yea - that goes for both sides of this particular incident. Fighting violence and hate with more of the same isn't changing anything or anyone's views.

How do you get through to a bigot- or better yet .. how do you get through to their children? Because they are our hope for a better, more united future.

ETA: this dirtbag was obsessed with Hitler. That didn't raise a red flag for ANYONE ? I mean come on.
Disgusting

Message edited 8/14/2017 3:22:05 PM.

Re: My Town...Sorry long :(

What happened in your town reflects a problem that is rampant throughout the whole nation. Sadly, it could've happened in anytown USA. Apparently the classification of this kind of attack differs based on who's driving the car into the crowd and what their skin color and religion is.

My Town...Sorry long :(

How absolutely awful I am fervently praying for the 19 in the hospital/injured, but I am really sending such big hugs and prayers to citizens like you. It's not fair that a beautiful place like Cville was allowed to be ground zero for the horrific events we saw happen.
Why on earth did the permits go through for these NeoNazis, Skinheads, White Supremacists and Alt-right asZholez to assemble, fully knowing that violence always follows them? I can guess why this finally was allowed...

Re: My Town...Sorry long :(

Thank you all for your prayers. Things are slowly getting back to normal around here but this make take a little while to recover from. There are vigils being held all over town almost everyday so that is comforting to see the community come together.

If we start by teaching kids at home that hate has no place in this world then maybe little by little we can eradicate this all together someday.

Someday...

Re: My Town...Sorry long :(

When they are older, show them the videos of the student anti protest. It shows that we fight back. All lives matter

My Town...Sorry long :(

I cannot imagine what you and your community are going through. I have been obsessed with this whole situation. My heart aches for those that were hurt and especially the young woman that was killed. I have an eight year old that happened to see on the news what was happeneing in Charlotesville. I had to explain, as mildly as possible that there are still people who exist that have so much hate for people of other ethnicities, religions, etc.

Re: My Town...Sorry long :(

Jesus, that is terrible that this is your 2nd home town. It could really happen anywhere though. Hate exists everywhere.

I agree with the others that hate is taught. My son is 7. He really doesnt see color when he sees people. Or disabilities. Honestly, most of the time he just wants someone to play with. I absolutely believe that hate is taught and starts in the home. He goes to school with kids of all cultures. He's pointed out that this friend or that has darker skin, or this one comes from india, or china, or wherever.
We met a completely deaf child at a playground this summer. No speech. No hearing. He asked some questions to her mom about if she could wear a hearing aid (we have deaf neighbors who use hearing aids) and then was like OK..lets play. He honestly didnt care.

I hope your family and town can move on and heal sooner rather than later.

My Town...Sorry long :(

My heart hurts a little more every day and my prayers go out to you, as well as other affected! Your community will come back from this and will be stronger than ever! Don't let hate stay in your community!

Re: My Town...Sorry long :(

This reminds me of the post the woman does every year about 9/11.

heartbreaking.