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John, In the Commonwealth of Virginia, we celebrate the life and legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by practicing civic engagement, speaking truth to power, and advocating for the issues most important to us. Historically, Virginia’s Lobby Day is a time for citizens to speak their minds and discuss important issues with their state representatives in the General Assembly. This year threats of violence and extremism have trampled on this important tradition – changing our annual opportunity for dialogue and accountability into a state of emergency. People across our communities are concerned as we’ve already witnessed multiple arrests of those who intended to bring their hate and extremism to Richmond. The strength of our democracy lies in our ability to debate, disagree, and advocate for our priorities. In the shadow of Charlottesville, threats of violence and intimidation are silencing many of those who had intended to participate in our Commonwealth’s tradition of citizen advocacy. I am committed to protecting the constitutional rights of all our citizens, which is why efforts to intimidate or sow divisions are completely unacceptable in our country. I am thankful for the Capitol Police, State Police, FBI, and all the other public safety professionals who have been working around the clock to address the threats and secure Capitol Square.
As Dr. King so famously said, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." Let his words be on our hearts this week as threats of violence and division come again to our Commonwealth. |
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