And mourning in the South. Charleston, SC, is one of the loveliest and friendliest cities in the United States. Last night, a horrible act of racist terrorism took the lives of 9 African-Americans attending a prayer service at a historic church. We grieve with the families and friends of the innocent victims massacred there.
How could such a thing happen in 21st Century America, you ask? I do not understand hate. I'm writing about it in my new novel, but the work is difficult.
The capitol of the State of South Carolina proudly and unironically flies the battle flag of the Confederacy. Despite many calls and protests, they have refused to take down this symbol of treason and slavery. Does that explain or somehow encourage such "lone wolf" or stochastic terrorism? I don't know. But it certainly doesn't help.
UPDATE: This one hits home for me in a very visceral way. I was born in SC and grew up in Shelby, NC, where authorities caught the perpetrator this afternoon. After 20 years up North, I now live in Atlanta, 4.5 hours drive from Charleston. I know from painful first-hand experience the ferocity of the racism and hatred that rumbles around just below the surface in this part of the world. The novel I'm working on now, my second, focuses on hatred in the contemporary South, racism, organized anti-governmental politics, militias, stochastic "lone wolf" terrorism, etc.
Shortly after posting, Nikki Haley, the current Governor of the State of South Carolina, came on TV and, crying, claimed that the heart and soul of SC was broken. No, Governor, the heart and soul of SC flies proudly and unapologetically in front of your office building (see above). It encourages and emboldens the sort of mindset that leads people to do such xenophobic, terroristic violence. Will you fly your treasonous flag at half staff to honor the dead?
