The one year anniversary of the terrible shooting at the AME Church in Charleston is upon us. I think back on that day and the days following as being the saddest days in Charleston’ s history, as least during my 68 years as a Charlestonian.
I have always loved Charleston. It has always been home for me and I have never been so proud to be a Charlestonian and a South Carolinian as I was last summer.
Charleston had every opportunity to explode into violence after the shooting but the citizens of our city rallied together and decided love was stronger than hate. We, the people of South Carolina, set an example for the rest of America to follow.
On Friday, I will be wearing blue and white, the colors of the state flag. I will be wearing my Palmetto State tie and I will proudly fly the South Carolina State flag outside the office of C. T. Lowndes & Company. There is only room for one flag so Old Glory, flying since September 12, 2001, will just have to come down for a couple of days. I am sure she won’t mind a bit!
Let us all come together this Friday and remember the great lessons of last summer – love is stronger than hate and forgiveness is a great virtue. Are we each practicing these lessons in our daily lives?
Henry Lowndes Jr.