Social media battles spark as one friend posts in support of racial justice, condemning the act of terrorism in Virginia and other so-called friends counter the comments in anger. They deflect, deny and defend Trump and other white supremacists, often blaming President Obama for the racial tensions, a man whose color, intellect and command of the English language, terrifies them.
At a rally in Keene, New Hampshire on Sunday, denouncing the violence in Charlottesville, I carried a sign that said Trump wants to create a frack-addicted, hate-infested den in America.
Shortly after my arrival, a woman came over and tried to convince me not to carry a sign targeting Trump. I told her that since he would not denounce the racism and violence, I was comfortable with my sign. Then she told me not to stand next to her. As she walked away, a large group next to me began chanting, "Love Trumps Hate". Whether she was a Trump supporter there to denounce the violence, or merely wanted to keep the message on the Charlottesville incident, was unclear.
There are many places to lay blame, but at this very moment, I want to place a chunk of blame on the American education system that, to this day, teaches a whitewashed version of history that is accepted without question allowing wretched, filthy ideas to survive generations, embellished and uncorrected.
We will never extinguish racial tensions as long as the fight for Christianity in school continues instead of demanding we teach about all religions and cultures, their similarities, and the long history of wars initiated to advance one ideology over another.
We blatantly deny science, ignoring the preponderance of evidence laid out before us. We rewrite our own history, omitting the oppression, transgressions and aggressions against every person of color who has ever stepped upon this land.
White would rather be right than truthful.
We have created this. America embraces the concocted lies that fester ignorance, reinforcing belief systems that justify the very hatred, anger, fear and violence we willingly choose to live by.
We have conceived our own branded version of correctness, teach children that patriots and our military, acting in the name of America, can do no wrong, encouraging the relentless bullying of every country on the planet, including our own.
America, the leaders of the actual free world are watching your fall from grace.
Stephanie Scherr is the Founder and Director of ECHO Action NH, an environmental justice organization whose mission, mantra and hashtag are #FossilFree603 (NH's area code) and NH Pipeline Resistance. She is a graduate of Antioch University New England, a science teacher and has been a guest speaker for environmental activism and journalism classes at Keene State College. As a member of the nationwide Stop The Pipelines Coalition, she spoke about Federal Energy Regulatory Commission abuses at the People’s FERC hearing at the National Press Club, and was a delegate in Washington D.C. asking legislators for their support in FERC reform. She was outspoken in opposing the Kinder Morgan Northeast Energy Direct (NED) pipeline when it was redirected into Southern New Hampshire, advocating for renewable energy alternatives. She lobbies, writes and speaks about FERC reform, an immediate transition to 100% renewable energy, threats to air and water quality, health, safety and climate impacts related to fracking and fugitive methane releases.
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