a month ago, i collected in this thread some of the black lives matter protests happening in small towns around virginia. they’re still happening. virginia has 400 years of history of racist oppression & powerful resistance. https://twitter.com/socialistdogmom/status/1268937080165498887

today i’m in marion, va for a black lives matter event. a few weeks ago, a black organizer here had a cross burned in his front yard. https://twitter.com/tim_dodson/status/1279100535044558849

as the uprisings continue across the country, people standing up for black lives in rural areas are facing organized and armed resistance.

“we come in complete peace,” says a speaker addressing the crowd. “we’re not here to retaliate,” he says, after announcing the crowd is in solidarity with travon, who had a cross burned in his yard.

“we understand that all people matter but right now we’re here to let the world know that black lives matter,” he says. he wants to be able to walk outside, day or night, without fear.

he tells the crowd that we expect to be approached by counter protesters & the advice of the organizers is not to engage.

“we need as a community to stand up against hate, we need as a community to stand together,” says another organizer, urging marchers not to argue with counter protesters.

the speakers addressing the crowd are with the new panther initiative, which they describe as a community outreach & activist group that believes in constitutional rights & equality.

pastor williams from the freedom church in bristol says “scripture teaches us to be strong, to be courageous,” “now is the time for us to come together,” “today we’re taking a stand together as a united front of love.”

“if you are here, that means you’ve got love in your heart,” he tells the crowd. he tells the crowd to raise their fist & repeat after him: “god protect us, love on us, because we ain’t never scared!”

“until justice is served, we’re gonna keep marching,” the pastor says. “all together we walk in your power, we walk in your strength, and we walk in love!”
the message out here today is courageous nonviolence.

“if we can’t facilitate one person’s rights, we can’t facilitate anyone’s rights,” says a cop addressing the crowd. (i believe it may have been the chief?) he says they’ll be directing traffic & reminds folks to drink water.

travon, the organizer who had a cross burned in his yard, thanks folks for being here, including the police. he encourages a calm, cool, and safe event.

“why do black people have to fight harder” for the same advantages in life? he asks. why do black people have to fight for their lives?

“we are not out here to argue, not out here to fight, not just out here to take pictures,” “but to raise awareness” of the message that ALL black lives matter, specifically inclusive of queer and trans people.

a local teacher, a white woman, gave a speech and ended by saying as a teacher, she hopes she isn’t judged by the actions of mary kay letourneau (the teacher who raped a 12yo student) so we shouldn’t judge these cops for the actions of the ones who killed george floyd...

an organizer is teaching the crowd a few chants, which means we should be starting to march here in a minute.

we’re on the move now. i can’t hear the chants because i’m marching next to someone blasting killing in the name of, appropriate perhaps because this is a response to a literal cross burning.

imagine coming out in this heat to make sure everyone knows you’re a racist. the status quo doesn’t need you bro, it’s doing fine.

a stoic contingent of counter protesters in the hardee’s parking lot