Every week for the past five years I have driven from the very edge of far eastern Chatham County to Pittsboro to volunteer for the Community Lunch at St. Bart’s Episcopal Church. It is the highlight of my week and has become an integral part of an anonymous journey of recovery I started over five years ago. I find the experience dynamic and uplifting, but one of the best parts is the *diversity *of the people I have the privilege to work with and serve. This makes it ironic to me that on my drive each week on Business 64, I pass not one, but two Confederate flags, displayed proudly from their posts, by *known* owners. At first, I found the flags offensive and when the confederate monuments issue and BLM protests began, the flags in Pittsboro got even more attention, but then it all settled down. The flags are still there because people have rights to their opinions and the way they choose to relay those opinions to others. Due to the detour, I haven’t driven past those flags since mid-January, but when I opened the Chatham Chatlist on March 24 and saw the racial epithet, “C**n*s*e Virus” that had been published to the list by an anonymous poster, I was reminded once again that even sweet and kind Pittsboro has an ugly side that just won’t seem to go away.
My problem with Anonymity is its obvious lack of transparency. Non-white people don’t get to hide their color, so why would I hide behind my opinion? When I do, then my integrity must ask, if I have any, “what am I afraid of?” As Maya Angelou said, “when someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time”. But why should we believe them if they won’t show us who they are? Words matter. If you can’t stand behind your words, they’re probably harmful and meaningless. Please, no more Racism on the Chatlist!
Peace to All,
Carmen Hogan
Date: Wed, 24 Mar 2021 21:56:25 -0400
From: Carmen Hogan
Subject: The Ugly Side of Chatham