"The happiest city in all America"

"The happiest city in all America"

Virginia, a beautiful State with glamorous and breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with meandering rivers running through the landscape of this gorgeous State.

Life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness are found right here, in the rolling pastoral hills of Charlottesville.

A place once called, "The happiest city in America".

Yes, a sophisticated city with a huge cultural background, including a young thriving University.

Charlottesville exhibits charm, with the old fashioned cultural resources, rich farmland and some of the most unique accommodations found anywhere in all America, envied by many.

There are many wonderful restaurants which are adorable and plentiful. Beautiful, picturesque, tree lined streets as you sip a cappuccino at a local outdoor café.

The hospitality in Charlottesville is most welcoming, to visitors and strangers alike. They are courteous, friendly and the most loving people in all America.

It seems that overnight, this once beautiful city, has been marred by violence, hatred and bigotry. All the while, instilling fear to the local communities with unnecessary hatred and aggression.

Supremacist groups chanting, white power. Neo Nazis saluting and shouting "Sieg Heil" (hail victory).

Other radicals involved were the K.K.K. (Ku Klux Klan) a shameful organization filled with hatred and bigotry since it was formed in December 1865, the Klan has typically seen itself as a Christian organization, how shameful for them to be classified as Christian.

People armed with rifles and guns, dressed in army combat gear, as if going to war. Flags blazoned with Swastikas to deliberately taunt those looking on, waving at them with prideful chants in the streets. Violent eruptions at every corner, fights breaking out with those opposed to such demonstrations of hate, bigotry and racism.

Fascists, bigots and white supremacists hopefully trying to instill fear, to dictate their beliefs of hatred on all the American people and those who care to listen. Some were standing across the street from the Jewish Synagogue armed with rifles. No different than what was demonstrated by Hitler in WW2. This was followed by anti-sematic chants, and threats of violence toward the Jewish community, with the intent and threat in destroying their Synagogue.

While protestors were assembled on Main Street, unsuspectingly, a car was slowly approaching the gathered crowd. Like a Cougar sifting out its prey, all of a sudden, with wheels screeching and as smoke filled the air with the burning of rubber from the car's tires. The driver puts his foot to the gas pedal, within seconds, the car goes burrowing through the crowd, scattering bodies into the air like bowling pins as the car deliberately rams the crowd. Used as a lethal weapon, many people were seriously injured and one young female died of her injuries.

The car descended upon innocent protestors, aimed at anyone who was objecting to the fascists, bigots and racists who were demonstrating hatred within their own supremacist groups. They attacked innocent people and bystanders with whatever weaponry was available to them.

The car was used as a battering ram, with intent to injure, maim or kill whoever got in the way. This was all done with no respect for the lives or safety of those on the streets.

Skirmishes broke out on just about every street corner including some popular parks within the area. Fists were flying, people being kicked on the ground, and others being beaten with flagpoles.

It was literally, a bloody mess.

I still think of that beautiful old song about Virginia. Country roads, take me home, to the place I belong………..Blue Ridge Mountain, Shenandoah River.

Written by Chris Turner

August 16, 2017.