Use Charlottesville as a wake-up call

On behalf of the S.C. Human Affairs Commission, I want to extend our concern to those involved in the tragic incident in Charlottesville, Va. Motivational speaker Les Brown said, “If you don’t stand up for something, you may fall for anything.” Heather Heyer stood up and will not be forgotten for her courage. The police who died were working to protect all people, and we will not forget them.

We urge South Carolinians to work together when any people face intolerance or discrimination. We all must spread the word about the importance of inclusion and responding to hate with love and celebrating our differences. This should be our call to action.

Our agency was created to promote harmony and goodwill among the diverse people of South Carolina, in part by promoting community relations councils and preventing unlawful discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations. We will continue to promote civility to bring about respect and dignity for all people.

This story was originally published September 6, 2017 at 5:47 PM with the headline "Use Charlottesville as a wake-up call."