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A Community Response to Hate Crimes and Resiliency
“Commit to acts of kindness, and taking care of each other.”
Michael Jesse, San Diego Jewish Federation
April 30, 2019 (Poway) One of the things that a hate crime expect to create is terror. Communities under attack are supposed to hide in their homes, not attend houses of workshop, or schools, movie theaters, or other places. In other words, they are expected to hide and cower in fear.
However, this is not what happens generally speaking. Poway in particular and San Diego, in general, have not been an exception to the rule. The people have come together to a few Virgil’s to memorialize the victims, both living and death fo a senseless act. The weather was not precisely the best for this either. It was a cold April afternoon, with the sky threatening rain at any moment. The winds from the east were cold and biting. And for San Diegans, accustomed to the sun and fun, this was cold.
That did not stop people from coming, four thousand strong plus. By my count, the number likely reached close to the five thousand mark. They huddled with each other and visited with each other before the proper ceremony started. They came from nearby, and they also came from afar. Three hours on the bus and trolley is what it took Jeannie Columbus to get to this event. She came from South East San Diego…