Heather Heyer died after she made a conscious choice to stand against injustice. “Friends described her as a passionate advocate for the disenfranchised who was often moved to tears by the world’s injustices.”[1]

Here in Portland, Oregon, neighbors rallied for her and for the brave folks of Charlottesville.[2] We met as mourners and as celebrants—three-thousand miles removed from the latest hate crime. Every one of us harbored our own pain. Yet we stood. We gathered. We wanted to erase the hate. We would smother it with love. We were there. We will return.

Our forgiveness and patience were tested. For many of us, they attempted to retreat! But the story of Heather Heyer inspired us. We reeled in our kindness. The innocent champion forfeited her life when a hateful man crushed her with his murder car. How can we idle the night away when we know?

Heather’s future and all the kind deeds she would have done—gone, stolen by an American terrorist. Reports say that he admired Hitler and Nazi Germany. His crowd supports white nationalism and fictional supremacy. They have no nation. They are supreme over nothing. Carrying torches and guns, crashing into people and claiming superiority over others are not behaviors that pave the higher road. No.

Heather’s smile, her sparkling eyes and her happy glow are now immortal. Her poor mother found the strength to go on TV where she recalled her daughter’s conviction, “It doesn’t do any good to be strong and independent if you can’t stand up when it’s needed.”

We honor Heather Heyer, our latest hero. She has claimed her place on the long roll.

We hold her life dearly. Her future lives within us!

We remember. We stand up when it’s needed.


Photo by Benjamin Brink for “The Oregonian/OregonLive”

[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/13/us/heather-heyer-charlottesville-victim.html
[2] http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2017/08/residents_rally_against_hate_o.html#incart_river_index