Over two dozen area residents congregated at the Elora Green Space on Aug. 17 for a candlelight vigil to remember Heather Heyer, the woman killed while protesting in Charlottesville, Virgina, and to stand in solidarity against hate and racism.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling sick and powerless about what is happening in the United States and I feel the need to combat this anger and hatred with love and positivity and hope,” Centre Wellington resident Amy Weaver wrote in her invitation for the gathering.
As dusk settled in Elora’s downtown prior to the vigil, Weaver said she and her son watched the events unfold on Aug. 12 in Charlottesville, where Heyer, 32, was killed and 19 others were injured when a speeding car slammed into a group of counter-protesters during a “Unite the Right” rally of white nationalists.
They also watched United States President Donald Trump’s response and a documentary on the events on HBO.
“We both felt extremely disturbed by it. And so, in our house we are Christian and when something is a bit bigger than we are, we pray about it … that’s what we did,” said Weaver.
At the same time, they thought they could “shed some light and come together with other people who want peace and love and put a little hope into the situation.”
Weaver was pleased with the turnout, considering she posted an invitation on Facebook just a few days prior to the vigil.
“There are also a lot of people who have sent me notes who were not going to be in town because they were on holidays, but it means there were people lighting candles in Killbear Provincial Park, in the Yukon and other locations.
“There’s a lot of people here with us in spirit.”
Weaver said the intent is to stand in solidarity with others who are facing oppression, prejudice, racism and bigotry – “to show peace and a message of hope.”
Speaking to those gathered, Weaver offered thoughts as to how she felt. With all the darkness and anger, Weaver asked “how can we be the light?”
That’s how the idea of a candlelight vigil began.
“We were thinking about how much hurt and pain is in the world and in our own country,” she said. “It can feel overwhelming.”
She also noted the recent terrorist attack in Barcelona, Spain – 13 people died and over 100 were injured after a van rammed into pedestrians on Aug. 17 – saying, “These things continue to happen.”
Weaver added, “In Charlottesville, while racists marched with their vile words and threatened people, another group of people stood up and came forward to form their own march to stand up against what they were seeing, (and) a woman was killed.
“We stand against the hatred and the racism and the bigotry and we stand with anyone who has been hurt, who is still hurting, or who is going to be hurt in any way. Together we stand for peace, we stand for love, we stand for understanding and we share the light to remind us that love beats evil every single time.”
She said, “love which is spoken, acted upon and shared is more powerful than hate could ever be.”
Weaver quoted Martin Luther King Jr., who stated “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
She added, “we share the light tonight in remembrance of all those who have fought against prejudice, racism and bigotry and those who suffer at the hand of those who would try to hold them down.”
