On Saturday, reactions were numerous about the Charlottesville riot composed of Nazis and white supremacists protesting the removal of a Robert E. Lee statue and counter-protesters who were against them. One counter-protester was killed, along with 19 others injured, as the result of a white supremacist running them down in a car. In addition, two police officers were killed in a helicopter crash while monitoring the protest and more people required treatment in other skirmishes.
Most people condemned the actions by the hate group and one of those was MLB pitcher Sean Doolittle. The Charlottesville riot hits close to home for Doolittle. Doolittle pitches for the Washington Nationals, so he’s in the city that’s the home of the federal government. In addition, Doolittle went to school at the University of Virginia, where the riot took place.
Doolittle posted a Twitter thread about the riot that gives a perspective of a Charlottesville and UVA that isn’t Nazi-filled and about how people need to come together for love and not hate.
It's 2017. Actual Nazis just marched on #Charlottesville. We have to come together & drive this hatred & domestic terrorism from our country
— Sean Doolittle (@whatwouldDOOdo) August 13, 2017
Since I'm new in DC, I've purposely kept a low profile and stayed off social media but what happened in VA made me sick.
— Sean Doolittle (@whatwouldDOOdo) August 13, 2017
While it's important to protect free speech, we have a patriotic obligation to condemn racism and domestic terrorism by white supremacists.
— Sean Doolittle (@whatwouldDOOdo) August 13, 2017
The C'Ville I knew from my time at @UVA is a diverse and accepting community. It's no place for Nazis.
— Sean Doolittle (@whatwouldDOOdo) August 13, 2017
People say "if we don't give them attention they'll go away." Maybe. But if we don't condemn this evil, it might continue to spread.
— Sean Doolittle (@whatwouldDOOdo) August 13, 2017
"The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality." – JFK
— Sean Doolittle (@whatwouldDOOdo) August 13, 2017
This kind of hatred was never gone, but now it's been normalized. They didn't even wear hoods. It's on us to condemn it and drive it out.
— Sean Doolittle (@whatwouldDOOdo) August 13, 2017
Spread love. Here is a list (via @SaraJBenincasa) of groups in C'Ville who would appreciate your help right now https://t.co/5NiEEaYzbN
— Sean Doolittle (@whatwouldDOOdo) August 13, 2017
There is only one side.
— Sean Doolittle (@whatwouldDOOdo) August 13, 2017
Doolittle said everything that I at least thought of and I’m sure echoed the thoughts of many others. Many do have the viewpoint that giving them attention is what they want and in some ways that’s true. But ignoring them isn’t the answer either. Ignoring the problem just makes it a bigger problem.
There has always been a fringe group of white supremacists for over a century. And whether you like it or not, insert whatever reason you want to insert, white supremacy has become more and more accepted into society, so ignoring them isn’t the answer. They’re bullies and while this is sometimes tough to do, the best way to deal with a bully is to stand up to them instead of ignoring them and hope they go away, because they won’t.
You don’t need to be Democrat or Republican to be against white supremacy and nazism, this shouldn’t be a political dilemma. This is a human and moral dilemma where people who hate others based on color, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or based on some bogus rhetoric can not, should not and will not be tolerated. It’s been tolerated long enough and this is where we are.
