I shouldn’t have to critique the story on the anti-hate vigil in Laconia (Laconia Daily Sun 10-4-22), but there are too many falsehoods. With apologies to Tom Lehrer: I just hate vigils like that.
On one hand, people can gather all they want. Enjoy the fellowship. On the other hand, the thought that these sorts of gatherings will actually accomplish something is mostly sad.
In addition to the swastikas at Opechee Park were words, faces, and genitals. So, of course, it was hate directed at Jews. Uh-huh. Thus the Human Relations Committee (HRC) swung into action, organizing a vigil to show support for the Jews in the area. A noble thought, unless it was used to tie the graffitists to the “extremists” in the Lakes Region. Of course it was.
Chair David Stamps repeated one of the most easily debunked lies about former President Trump’s comments on Charlottesville. His “there were good people on both sides” comment was directed to the pro- and anti-statue & park-renaming protesters, not the small group of violent actors. (Check YouTube). One protester caused the death of a protester on their side and is serving a life sentence in prison. Good enough? Apparently not. This lie will never die.
The history of the use of the hooked cross goes back perhaps 7,000 years, from “svastika”, which means “good fortune” in Sanskrit. Look it up. While, in modern times, it is most often associated with the National Socialist Worker’s Party (NAZI) and the racism so prevalent in the 1930s, I find it notable that its use is automatically linked with hate and the far-right. Another possibility could be that the symbol was drawn to elicit a reaction. (Success, there.)
I agree with John Moriarity of the Laconia library in that making a bigger deal than necessary would potentially encourage more vandalism. I am skeptical that this vigil will effectively send the message that “they’re not welcome in Laconia”. Is Mr. Stamps planning to run the vandals out on a rail? Tarring and feathering? Just asking.
Per the article, the president of Temple B’nai Israel told the HRC of people supposedly “walking in and out of [a Franklin restaurant] with guns on and that sort of thing”. I would ask what is inherently wrong with carrying a firearm and what other things were allegedly occurring? Funny that I couldn’t find anything online about this issue. One would think that if this was viewed as harassment that a story or two might have made it into area newspapers. Also, if the owner preferred not to allow customers to open carry, she could have easily posted her wishes on the door. It may be a surprise to many, but most lawful gun owners are very considerate.
The near-automatic assumption that gun carriers are “far-right” ignores groups such as: Pink Pistols (LGBT), John Brown Gun Club, National African American Gun Association, Huey P. Newton Gun Club (black), Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders Gun Owners (Asian) and Liberal Gun Club (obvious).
Food for thought.
