By Joseph A. Curtatone

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

On Saturday, August 12, I – like many people across the country – watched in horror and disgust as the KKK, neo-Nazis, and other alt-right and white supremacist groups descended upon Charlottesville, Virginia, and three innocent people lost their lives. I was appalled that this was happening in the United States of America in 2017.

We should never become complacent toward such vile hostilities. But frankly, while what happened in Charlottesville shook me to my core, I can’t say that I was surprised. When you have a president who surrounds himself with advisors known for their support of white nationalist views and who perpetuates lies about entire groups of people based solely on their race, nationality, or religion, it becomes increasingly challenging to not make the connection between the current administration and the growing brazenness of hate groups.

The ugly and shameful truth is that the case for white supremacy is being argued and advanced. Charlottesville was a wake-up call for anyone who didn’t already realize that an effort is underway to push white supremacy into the mainstream – and into the White House.

In response, people in cities and towns across the nation took it upon themselves to do precisely what our President wouldn’t: fiercely decry the hatred of the alt-right neo-Nazis who unleashed terror on the streets of Charlottesville. The alt-right groups claimed they wanted to “Unite the Right.” Instead they’ve united far more Americans behind the principles of equality and human dignity. The people of Somerville made their voices of hope heard too.

An estimated 900-1,000 people came out to Davis Square on short notice for the “Our Ville Stands with Your Ville” vigil. There were so many moving moments and powerful words spoken by local clergy and political leaders that I could never do justice to them by describing them here. However, one moment in particular stands out to me. As people of all ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds stood side-by-side, they lifted up their interlocked hands while “We Shall Overcome” rang throughout the crowd. My hope is that we allow this beautiful, unscripted moment to serve as a reminder of hope and peace and embolden us to never stay silent in the face of oppression.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. famously said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Coming together as a community to shine light on darkness and fight hate with love is a first step toward change, and it was encouraging to see members of the Somerville community join tens of thousands of people across the country – and in Boston – to do just that this past week. But discrimination isn’t isolated to a weekend demonstration in Virginia, so our actions cannot stop at attending vigils and marches in the name of solidarity. As Andre Green, our Ward 4 School Committee member, so poignantly asked the community as he spoke at the vigil: “You came to a vigil tonight. What will you do tomorrow?”

Charlottesville reminds us of the need to do more and the need to continually tend to the soul and heart of our nation. It’s up to all of us to lead the way on this front too. No one person, business, non-profit organization, or government entity can fight deep-rooted intolerance alone. We must first be honest with ourselves and with the people we serve about our past and present, recognizing that whether intentional or unintentional, not all groups of people have been or are treated equally as a result of centuries of systemic biases built into our systems. Then we must get to work on ourselves as individuals and together to address these problems at their core.

We cannot allow Charlottesville to fade from our memories as just another flashpoint along the way to our next outrage. It is a gross understatement to say what transpired there made apparent the immense amount of work to be done on the front of achieving true equality and justice for all. I contend, however, that the response from people right here in Somerville as well as from other places across the country – and even the world – gives me hope that we will overcome. I’m proud to stand beside so many of you in committing to make that hope a reality.

A complete video of the “Our Ville Stands with Your Ville” vigil can be found on the Somerville City TV YouTube channel.