In light of president's steadfast refusal to condemn the vile bigots who murdered 32-year-old Heather Heyer while she peacefully protested white supremacy and neo-Nazism in Charlottesville, it has not been a banner week for public displays of great moral courage. Heyer's family laid her to rest at a memorial service today, and the astonishing eulogy delivered by her mother, Susan Bro, helps a little.
You never think you’re going to bury your child. You never think to
take those pictures. They asked me for pictures for this, and I
struggled. I have pictures from her childhood, but I had to go to
Facebook to find pictures of my child, because we were always
together... Take pictures of the ones that you love, because you never know when they’re not going to be there.
She continued:
Although Heather was a caring and compassionate person, so are a lot
of you. A lot of you go that extra mile. I think the reason that
what happened to Heather has struck a chord is because we know that
what she did is achievable. We don’t all have to die. We don’t all
have to sacrifice our lives. They tried to kill my child to shut her
up. Well, guess what? You just magnified her.
Heyer's mother wrapped with a reference to her daughter's poignant final Facebook post and a powerful call to action:
Remember in your heart: If you're not outraged, you're not paying
attention. I want you to pay attention. Find what’s wrong. Don’t
ignore it. Don’t look the other way. You make a point to look at it
and say to yourself, “What can I do to make a difference?” That’show you’re going to make my child’s death worthwhile. I’d rather have
my child, but by golly, if I have to give her up, we’re going to make
it count.
