Charlottesville: The Event We All Knew Was Coming

A vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. The nationalists were holding the rally to protest plans by the city of Charlottesville to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. There were several hundred protesters marching in a long line when the car drove into a group of them. /The Daily Progress via AP)

Information seemed to gradually flow out from Charlottesville, Virginia, where three people were killed due to violent clashes between protesters and white nationalists.

The events began early Saturday morning, as a large group of white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and countless other racist groups convened in Charlottesville to protest the city's recent decision to remove a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee.

Upon their assembly, the protesters were met by a large group of counter-protesters, and chaos ensued.

The fighting lasted for the majority of the day, and Governor Terry McAuliffe called for a State of Emergency to be placed. However, this didn't stop one protester from ramming his car into the large group of counter-protesters, killing a 32-year old woman and injuring 19 others.

I will not state the name of the disgusting individual who performed this task, as it would only bring more recognition and fame to themselves and their twisted ideas.

During the mayhem, two Virginia state police officers were killed when their helicopter crashed on the way to help with the chaos in Charlottesville. May these two heroes rest in peace.

The saddening events today in Charlottesville, Virginia were an inevitability, bound by the state of our broken, disheveled nation and wrapped in the burning shackles of distrust and hatred.

However, there is something larger at hand, so I would like to present a quote:

"Indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

This is the closing statement in our Pledge of Allegiance.

And yet, in this day and age, it can be easily determined to be a lie.

Indivisible? If the United States of America were indivisible, today's march would have never taken place. Neither would the Women's Marches that took place all across the country. Our country is clearly as divided as ever, as it has caused many to regularly march against various political systems.

Yet, if I were to end the piece here, people would be skeptical, asking questions like "Did you just compare a Neo-Nazi protest to the Women's March?" and "Do you feel as if the Women's March is as radical and disturbing as today's events in Charlottesville?"

The answer to both of those questions is no.

There is one main difference between the two: violence. We all have freedom of speech, and everyone chooses to exercise that right differently. However, it is completely inappropriate to use this right to display hatred and bigotry such as what was displayed today in Virginia. Yes, counter-protesters did have some hand in today's chaos, but, as far as I recall, not one of the women's marchers drove a car into a street full of protesters back on January 21st.

Here is another important word:

UNITY

The events that occurred today prove that modern-day America is the most divided and un-united it has been since the days of Lincoln. Personally, I have never felt comfortable with revealing my true political opinions to my peers due to fears of rejection and/or controversy. American politics have torn families to shreds and turned friends against one another.

Why do countless citizens still display such hatred and distrust for one another? Our country's name is the United States of America, and today's events prove that we are far, FAR away from being "united".

Every time these sort of hateful events occur, people are extremely quick to blame people. I have seen, throughout the duration of today, people blaming the events on several officials and organizations. This is the wrong way to think.

The question should not be "Who is to blame?"; it should really be "How can we grow closer together as Americans and work as one?" If anyone really wants to achieve anything, making peace with their "political opposers" should be the first idea in mind.

I'm tired of seeing satirical glances when someone states their political stance. Not only are these expressions wrong, but they hurtle each and every one of us farther and farther away from making peace with those whose political views differ from ours.

We are the United States of America. Our First Amendment gives us the right to free speech. However, when this policy gets taken too literally, bedlam, hatred, and bigotry can ensue, proven by the events that took place in Charlottesville.

Unity is important for Americans to gain a better understanding of each other. Maybe, someday, we can figure out a way to unite and accept each others differences, whether it be creed, gender, skin color, or sexual orientation.

It's pretty hard to see what the future entails, but let's begin to take steps to unite.

To end things, here is a well-known quote from our sixteenth president, Abraham Lincoln. Interpret it however you'd like.

"A house divided against itself cannot stand."