The Forgotten 'Charlottesville' of Plainfield

Not surprisingly, the City will be holding their own candlelight vigil for the victims of Charlottesville see here. Let us remember the counter protests in Charlottesville were to defend the removal of Confederate statues. Monuments that remind us of the harshest moments in American history, slavery.

But what is happening in our own town? Especially since we just hit the 50 year mark after the 

 Photo by David Rutherford

Plainfield Rebellion. What we see are monuments going up in all empty and underdeveloped areas in our city. Luxury apartments, high-priced retail space, etc. Who will benefit from all this? Will we? Our youth? Those that are still here living below the poverty line. But yet everyday, we have to see these monuments that didn't include us in their decision making. They didn't offer our youth an internship to show them how to lay a brick, much less offer them an entry-level job in the process of development that is now taking over our town.

What use is it to us that racist statues are coming down in the South when the latter is being erected here? We are the Plainfield Anti-Violence Coalition (PAVC), and our name says it all. We are against any forms of violence and we have been on the forefront on gun violence that has plagued our city. Why the city would not include PAVC in their upcoming vigil shows us that their interests lies in their own selfish capitalistic interests. Smoke and mirrors at the end.

Here at PAVC we ask the community to join us in standing firm to reflect on the vision and mission that we can unite on the one issue that unites us all. Which is standing up against all forms of supremacy and hate. Hate that robs our brothers and sisters of opportunities and a just life. We will not allow the Forgotten 'Charlottesville' to exist in Plainfield. These are the words and heart of PAVC.

#BUILD - Being United & Involved Local Development !

Plainfield Anti-Violence Coalition