‘Helltown’ and race

I take offense to Warren County and Front Royal being referred to as racist, full of white supremacy, if your born white you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth. There is racism in some people no matter what color or nationality. Maybe one day in the future this will change. One can march, hold festivals, or whatever to stop racism, but it will not change some minds who do not want the change for now.

I saw a post on one of the local Facebook pages stating Front Royal was known in the past as “Helltown” because of the slavery here. Nothing is further from the truth. In the late 1700s, livestock traders and boatmen coming through on the Shenandoah River, stopped here for the local saloons and yes, you guessed it, raise “hell”. It had nothing to do with slavery. Let’s keep non-truths out of this.

The following is what I see in this community. People of a different color, different nationalities letting other people of a different color or nationality go first at a four-way stop sign. Not racism.

I see people of different colors or nationalities hold a door open for another of a different color or nationality. Not racism.

I hear the words “excuse me” at a store from one person to another no matter what the color or nationality. Not racism.

I see and hear the word “hello” or the words, “have a good day” from people of different colors or nationalities. Not racism.

I see good conversations taking place, with not caring about color or nationality. Not racism.

As I said, racism may come to an end in the future in all societies, but you can’t force it to end. It lies in whites, blacks, and all nationalities. But what I see here locally is people living, working, shopping, playing, and dining out together no matter the race, color, or nationality. We need to look at how far we have overcome racism from people of all colors and nationalities in this area if we want to continue, not condemn. To blame a certain color of people as the problem for racism only fuels racism. It is not a wise judgment for one to say all people of one race or another are racists because of the actions of a few.

Paul Gabbert
Front Royal, Va.