The Town of Southold and the Anti-Bias Task Force of Southold Town will hold a vigil at Silversmith’s Corner on Main Road in Southold on Sunday, Nov. 6 at 3:30 p.m. to promote respect and civility.
All members of the community are invited to attend in “a show of solidarity and to affirm the rights of all people to be respected for who they are.” The vigil will include speeches from local community leaders, representatives from several religious organizations and local school officials. Several singers and members of the Poetry Street group will be performing.
Anti-Bias Task Force co-chair Sonia Spar hopes that the event will raise awareness of the lack of respect and civility which she says is deteriorating not only in our area, but worldwide.
“It’s part of our general mission to make sure we do everything possible to ensure that Southold is a bias-free community,” says Spar.
“Respect is one of the basic values for interacting with each other. Our kids are hearing adults speaking disrespectfully about others and we need to be careful. We need to be respectful to others.”
Although the vigil comes two days before the presidential election, Spar says the timing is accidental.
“It just happened that the date was so near the election. Although it’s two days before, we are going to refrain from anything political.”
In addition to the speakers and performers, the Anti-Bias Task Force will be launching a new campaign called ‘I Choose Respect and Civility.’
The event begins at 3:30 p.m. and will last until sundown, at which time candles will be lit in a show of support and community.
