A first step: As funerals begin in Charleston, the chance to heal grows

Today is the first day that the Charleston community will gather to begin to say goodbye to some of the victims from the horrific church shooting last week.

Families and friends will remember, mourn and celebrate the lives of those who fell victim to hate and intolerance.

And, hopefully, the community will pause to remember as well.

There have been interesting changes in Charleston this past week. People of all faiths and races have gotten together to share their grief, their concern and their determination not to let one man's prejudice destroy their community.

There could have been riots. There could have been hate-filled rants. And there could have been a community divided.

But that is not what happened.

And it is a lesson for the rest of us.

The topic of racism is one that is not going to go away. It is akin to the many other machinations of hate and intolerance -- and it is disturbing.

But what will defeat the forces that create these divisions among us is not more hate. And it is not the politicized rhetoric that you will hear bandied about in the coming days.

It is people of both races getting together and talking. It is about joint Bible studies, community picnics and gatherings where people from all walks of life get the chance to get to know each other.

And it is about realizing that one man's actions do not speak for all.

The solution to hate is not division. It is love and acceptance. And that can only come with understanding.

The lesson to take from Charleston is how important it is to decide as a community how to move forward when something like this happens.

It is about standing as one.

That is how you fight hatred -- and win.

Published in Editorials on June 25, 2015 11:19 AM