“This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.”
Singing, holding hands and carrying candles and a banner that read “Emmanuel 9,” a large crowd came together in Greenport last night for a candelight vigil and march to honor the nine lives lost last week in a devastating hate crime in Charleston.
The candelight vigil, which included members of Southold’s anti-bias task force, began Clinton Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church and continued after the march at the Third Street Park, where members of the faith community gathered with elected officials, vocalists, founders of the Poetry Street group, and other impassioned speakers who cried out for action against horrific acts of hatred-fueled violence.
Southold anti-bias task force co-chair and former Greenport Village Trustee Val Shelby said the event was meant to symbolize unity, a community standing strong against evil.
The nation was rocked on June 17 when nine were killed in a horrific shooting at Emanual African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston. The church, one of the nation’s oldest African American churches, has long been a fixture in the civil rights movement. Those killed included State Senator and senior Pastor Clementa C. Pinckney.
The hate crime has fueled a cry for change after suspect Dylann Roof, 21, allegedly joined a Bible study group and then opened fire, saying he attacked the victims because they were black, media reports have stated.
After an invocation, Southold’s anti-bias task co-chair Sonia Spar spoke, quoting Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel and urging those present to educate children about the power of words to hurt, and about the dangers of hatred and discrimination.
Carolyn Peabody then read the names of the nine who died. “These people, they just woke up that morning and simply went to church. Their lives mattered.”
Mayor George Hubbard said the act of violence could have well happened in Greenport. He said the nation and the world has to work to stop violence, so events such as last night’s gathering are a thing of the past.
“This is a tough time,” Justice Bill Price said. “Racism is an evil word. Is there racism in Charleston? Yes. Is there racism in New York? Suffolk County? Greenport? Yes.”
Reading the preamble to the Declaration of Independence, he said. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”
He and Shelby, former classmates, have lived through the deaths of Martin Luther King, President John F. Kennedy, and Robert Kennedy, as well as the Vietnam War and all the wars since. When he was in school, Price said, “We thought we could change the world.” And while the 159 race riots of 1967 are a thing of the past, yet another tragedy has rocked the nation and the world.
While it’s impossible to change everyone, Price said the key is to try, one person at a time. “It’s awfully hard to hurt someone you know,” he said.
Liza Coppola led a hauntingly beautiful rendition of “Amazing Grace”; the crowd joined hands and later, greeted each other with the words, “I love you, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Dominique Aviles also sang a soulful “Eye on the Sparrow” as the crowd listened, rapt.
“Look around at all the beautiful flowers,” Shelby said. “So many different colors. Do you see any of them fighting each other? They’re a beautiful bouquet.”
Members of the faith community, including Rev. Andrew Teagle of St. Paul’s A.M.E. Zin, spoke. “That which travels with love is always tempered with justice and peace,” Teagle said.
Rabbi Gadi Capela also spoke of Moses’ cousin Korah, who rebelled and was swallowed by the earth. “We’re all different,” he said. “There’s diversity in the world. If we’re every going to realize peace, it’s in that message.”
Rev. Peter Kelley of the First Presbyterian Church of Southold said the time has long past for people to “simply remain silent” or “sit idly”, expecting others to speak up. “We can all help,” he said.
Others said hatred is learned, not born, and urged those present to teach love, instead.
Pastor Thomas MacLeod of the North Fork United Methodist Church said prayer is critical. “We’re all human and life is precious.” He spoke of his five-year-old granddaughter, who loves to pray, especially grace. “She thanks God for the food and then says, ‘One nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all.’ That’s a great prayer.”
Shelby agreed. “And a child shall lead us.”
Dan Durett, a trustee at the First Universalist Church of Southold, asked what would have happened if the police had come nine seconds earlier, or if the pastor had engaged the gunman for just nine more seconds.
Six more churches have burned, he said, as the Confederate flag game down, the rainbow flag of LGBT rights rose —and hatred festered.
“I’m a black man and I’m gay,” he said. “We started this journey saying, ‘Yes, we can,’ and now we have to say, ‘No, we won’t,” he said, rallying the group to say “no” to hatred. “The only thing that matters is what we do,” he said.
Poets Susan Dingle and Bubbie Brown read their words.
And then, in hushed silence, the crowd lit their candles, standing together as the flames flickered in the dusk, vowing to stand strong against oppression and hatred as a community.
