The Northern Westchester Examiner

Vigil Held in Yorktown in Wake of Charlottesville Tragedy

Rick Pezzullo
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By Anna Young

With the horrific events in Charlottesville, Virginia shaking the nation, communities throughout Westchester are standing in solidarity against fear, violence, hatred, and bigotry.

With white nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of alt-right groups storming the streets of Charlottesville last weekend, killing one and injuring 19, the First Presbyterian Church in Yorktown held an interfaith vigil Tuesday night where the crowd of nearly 50 people walked the churches labyrinth praying for peace, clarity and healing.

Church members Gwen Glazer and Abigail Cross led the vigil where attendees sang, “This Land is Your Land,” and recited a verse stating how they stand against those who fear the beautiful diversity the world is made up of.

“We stand with people of every color and of all faiths, people of every orientation, nationality and native tongue,” the group narrated. “Our diverse, unified, multi-colored chorus declares that your racism and your terrorism will not with the day.”

Following their walk of meditation in the labyrinth, where attendees carried signs and candles, several wrote thoughts and prayers on small flags hanging them on a wire around the labyrinth.

“My heart is so full and so pained that this is happening today in our country,” Cross said.

Cortlandt resident Suzanne Dropkin tearfully expressed the disappointment she feels seeing how people haven’t learned from mistakes made throughout history.

“You think that so many people have learned from the past and learned to try to fix the mistakes of history, then you hear your friends, neighbors and people on social media saying things you can’t even fathom,” Dropkin said. “There are actual Nazis marching in the streets and it’s so important to stand up and let your voice be heard when there’s so much hatred and evil out there and people getting hurt.”

“Being silent is not an option,” Rockland County resident Ronni Schwartz said. “The evil that came out this weekend was all there, it just gave them an excuse to make themselves known.”

Gail Yerkovich, who also traveled from Rockland County, said she joined Yorktown’s gathering as a way to stand against the terrorism that took place in Virginia.

“It feels like we’re going backwards, everything we have fought for. Fascism and Nazism, it’s all rearing its ugly head more than ever before and we have to try to come out against it,” she said. “I believe in freedom of speech, but not at the expense of lives.”

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