Local man grabs up groups’ signs, shouts profanities before event begins
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Photo by Becky Long/Clay County Progress: Those attending Tuesday night's vigil carry candles as a symbol of mourning for those who died unjustly and as an encouragement for peace among all citizens. More than 100 people attended the event.
As people started to gather on the Hayesville town square for a Tuesday evening candlelight vigil, shouting was heard across the square from a man who opposed the event. He eventually grabbed up signs that had been placed along the steps to the gazebo. When Clay County Sheriff’s deputies arrived, he insisted they arrest him because he did not plan to back down.
The incident occurred around 5:30 p.m. before the vigil got underway. The event was coordinated to “mourn the loss of men and women killed by police as well as trying to have some unity,” said organizer, Talley Breedlove.
The man protesting the event was Andrew Phillip Blankenship Jr. who told officers he was not going to allow this.
Andrew Blankenship Jr. tells Clay County Sheriff's office Lt. Steven Evans, left and Deputy Steven Smith, right, to go ahead and take him in because he had no plans to calm down. Blankenship was not charged.
“Nobody’s gonna come in this county and do this. I ain’t putting up with it. You may as well arrest me because I’m gonna get him,” Blankenship said referring to a male participant who had been recording him on his cellphone.
The five or so officers who arrived on scene explained to Blankenship that the people had the right to be here, but so did he. He was told if he wanted to protest the event, he could, but he would have to do it peacefully.
“Everybody’s got the right to say what they want,” one officer told him in trying to calm him down.
Signs were eventually returned to the gazebo and Blankenship was taken in to custody, but no charges have been filed as of Wednesday morning.
“Nothing like this has happened in any other towns,” said Breedlove. “This is not the Hayesville I know.”
The vigil got underway around 6 p.m. without further incident. More than 100 people were in attendance, most holding candles.
Fort Hembree Baptist Church Pastor Hal Holbrook was among those giving opening remarks. In his speech, he encouraged people to pray for everyone, all victims of injustice. Looking out at the audience, Holbrooks said he saw different races, genders and ages. “It represents heaven to me. American is a great country; a melting pot of cultures and races, but we are not without our problems,” he said.
Pastor Holbrooks’ words
We are here to remember those who have had their lives abruptly ended by police violence - George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks, Breonna Taylor, and the other 172 Caucasian men and women, 57 Hispanic men and women whose names are not trending on social media, but the loss is still the same. I encourage you to pray for the families that have been impacted by the senseless acts. but not only for the victim’s family but the families of the officers as well. The family members have become victims as well. I ask that you pray for the offending officers that God would work on their hearts and that they would come into the full knowledge of Him and His love and that they would learn and embrace the words Jesus spoke in Matthews 22:36-39 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
I would also ask that you pray for the good and brave men and women who wear the uniform and badge as they serve to protect us, and put their lives on the line for us
Fort Hembree Baptist Church Pastor Hal Holbrook gave a moving speech during the vigil.
daily. Pray for their safety and that God will bless them and their families with the same passion that we ask him to bless ours as well.
I have lived here in Hayesville for the past 6 years and have not personally experienced any racism, but I’m not naïve. I know it exists here. As wonderful as this city is, it cannot flourish in love, peace and unity without each of us making a commitment to building relationships with each other. Hopefully, as we build relationships, we can learn how to respectfully discuss different viewpoints and work together to positively impact our community. Peaceful protests, rallies and vigils are fine. They show the world and our communities a united front for a couple of hours. But then what? Do we go back to our respective neighborhoods, hangouts, and friends? Do we listen to or engage in the same conversations? Or do we put into practice our beliefs and convictions daily?
In order for real and lasting change to occur, we must practice the convictions that have brought us here this evening on a daily basis. We must look at these issues as relational. We all have spheres or groups that we influence. I see current and future leaders as I look out of over this crowd this evening. We must use our influence for good and to promote peace and unity within this community.
What do we do when our friends say demeaning or negative things about other people, other races, and cultures? Do we speak up and out in love or do we remain silent? Our silence in reality is agreement to those statements by proxy. Do we engage our friends and family members in conversations about the root of their feelings? Do we ask why and how they feel it’s OK to speak these words? Do we try to educate them in the truth?
To fight the disease of racism and injustice, we must become intentional in our encounters. We must purpose to be a catalyst for change and that can start here with each one of us on today. Parents must start at home teaching love and respect for all people to their children. Young people, young adults must do the same in their groups, on their social media pages, in their schools and on the campuses.
Those that we are connected to must know where we stand. Martin Luther King Jr said in the end we will not remember the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends. We cannot afford to remain silent in the face of injustice on any level ANY longer. We must become the catalyst for change starting here in Hayesville, North Carolina and Clay County. We must model the change that we want to see in our community, our county, our State, our Nation, our World.
I’ll leave you with this thought. Genesis 11:1-6 says this: Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2 As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. 3 They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” 5 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. 6 The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.
Imagine if we become one people regardless of race, regardless of age, regardless of gender, regardless of socio-economic position, regardless of physical abilities, and speak one language...the languages of peace, love, and unity. Just imagine what we would accomplish. Nothing is impossible with God who works through us. God bless you.