Uniting around love, not hate
Neo-Nazis and white supremacists gathered in Charlottesville, Virginia, last year. This year, they were planning to gather in Washington, D.C. The Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference will host a counter-rally on Aug. 12 called United to Love.
One year ago, the United States watched as neo-Nazis and white supremacists rallied in Charlottesville, Virginia, to “unite the right.” One woman — Heather Heyer — was killed as she was attending a counter protest.
After last year’s rally, Church and Society called on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to uphold the protections and rights of people of color in the civil rights investigation into the rally and in the entirety of the work of the Department of Justice.
Now, this same group has been planning to hold a rally in Washington, D.C., on the one-year anniversary. White supremacists and neo-Nazis hold worldviews and values completely antithetical to the teachings of Christ.
In response to this rally, the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church has organized a “United to Love” rally on the National Mall. The Rev. Dr. Stacey Cole Wilson, executive minister of justice and service for the conference explained the rally as a prayerful response and call to action. She said, "We are inviting faith leaders, musicians, politicians, and other local activists across lines of difference to gather with us in D.C. to uplift the human spirit, renounce all messages of hate, exclusion or division and unite to LOVE.”
If you find yourself in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 12, consider joining with other United Methodists as we provide a collective witness of love. More information is at http://www.unitedtolove.org.
“It is our belief that the way to respond to negativity is not by silencing it,” stated Cole Wilson. “Rather, the outpouring of love should be so strong as to overwhelm it.”
