A holiday message from Front Royal Unites

Each year the Holiday Season reminds us that we have much to be thankful for. Beginning with Thanksgiving and extending through New Year’s we remember and are thankful for many things. In our hearts, we honor and celebrate those who have impacted our lives in positive ways. In the past we have had celebrations with family, friends and co-workers. But during this pandemic year we are urged to limit our time spent with others, especially in enclosed spaces. The strain on our social and interpersonal wellbeing cannot be overstated. We face unprecedented insecurity as questions grow concerning our nation and world in regards to health, safety, and well-being.

2020 has also been a year in which we have witnessed a growing call from people of all races to look at and examine the harsh realities of both past and present racial injustice. Black people as a whole in the United States suffer still from knowing that a sizable group of individuals view them as “less than.” Worse, violence directed towards people of color is often due to only one thing: the color of their skin. We at Front Royal Unites have a deep desire to work with you in decreasing racial tensions and in building bridges of friendship and understanding. We earnestly desire peace for all people. The work “Unites” in our name reflects our sincere desire to be with you and to come together and engage in dialogue in hopes of building those bridges. Our goal is not to divide, but to unite. We believe that all people should be treated with respect and dignity. We are also realists, however. Not all people receive respect from others. Sometimes this is due to individual decisions, sometimes due to societal beliefs that enforce an “us versus them” mentality. Some troubling realities that fill us with sadness: from the offhand racially motivated putdown to the video evidence of brutality from citizens and from law enforcement– black people find themselves unsafe and afraid, marginalized, or worse, beaten, even killed.

We thought it helpful to share some of our goals with you:

1. Many have lived in the Shenandoah Valley for several generations. Exploring history together helps us to grow in understanding, respect, and sympathy for one another. “But we’ve been here, we know what our history is,” many might think. History that is based on fact, that is not colored by strong emotion or personal bias, but stands on its own objective merit, can open windows of understanding and bring people closer together. A strong goal of ours is to have educational forums to look at where we have been, where we are now and where we would like to be. Our goal is for a strong Front Royal and Warren County where all are welcome to come to the table. As citizens, we are more alike in our hopes and dreams in life than we are different from one other. We all hope for a safe and welcoming space in which to raise our children. We all desire to prosper and grow and to be fulfilled in the work that we do. People need to feel safe and wanted and to have friendships in order to thrive. We wish that same grace, that same freedom and hope for ourselves, but also for all the citizens in Front Royal and beyond. As we live together in community, our goal for a prosperous and peaceful Front Royal are genuine and heart felt.
2. We have a goal for integrity and courage from our elected officials and from the law enforcement community. Actions such as written statements condemning hate speech and calling out facial profiling are very important. An example of where town officials took positive action would be the immediate public written statement issued by the Luray Council in August 2020, stating that they rejected racism. Their words were in response to the unfortunate Facebook posting by Mayor Barry Presgraves. In the post, Mayor Presgraves compared African American women candidates for Vice President to Aunt Jemima. Such a comparison would have been deeply painful to those who understand history. Council members in Luray rejected such obvious racist statements and later sanctioned the mayor for his words. Remaining silent in the face of abject wrong is not an option for a healthy community. Silence ensures such wrongs will only continue. Calling them out allows for accountability and fosters positive change.
3. Holding a forum concerning racial injustice and working towards community understanding is a strong goal that we have for Front Royal. Again pointing to Page County—they have held forums for its citizens to explore the topic of race relations. Discussions are ongoing and the goal of exploring objective truth and increasing commonality and friendships are in process. Other towns and cities in our nation are exploring or have already begun similar initiatives. To be together, to see each other, even if only on Zoom helps dispel the myth that “the other” does not measure up, or as has even been taught, “is less than human.” Being together allows people to relate as people, as individuals, one to another, for we believe that all people have inherent worth.

In posting this holiday letter, we wanted also to thank the leaders in Front Royal for being willing to engage with us this past year. We have appreciated Front Royal Council members and the Warren County Board of Supervisors for the time they have spent with us. We look forward to continuing the conversation and hope to grow and learn together. And our heartfelt goal at this time, is to wish the people of Front Royal and Warren County and beyond our best wishes and sincere greetings this holiday season. Our hope for you is that you are blessed in the New Year with all that you need and that you would experience peace and grace and love amidst the stresses of life. Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, from the members of Front Royal Unites.

Front Royal Unites
Front Royal, Virginia