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A tale of two rallies Americans on all sides want change, but don’t want to change BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER lack lives matter. All lives matter. Defund the police. Back the badge. Take it down. Leave it up. Heritage. Hate. Reopen. Stay closed. Biden. Trump. For the eighth straight week, protests, rallies and demonstrations continued in Western North Carolina, with no signs of stopping any time soon. Regardless of the cause behind them, these events have at least one thing in common — Americans are angry, and they’re taking to the streets. Despite the commonality, two separate rallies held on the same day last weekend showcase the widening gulf between competing ideologies that both want change, but both point accusing fingers at the other when asked who’s to do the changing.
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efore the Saturday, July 18, Black Lives Matter march in Maggie Valley began, several local business owners made known through signage that while protestors were welcome, their cause wasn’t. “If this group wants to come to Maggie Valley and walk down our sidewalks and hold their signs, I absolutely welcome them, if they do it peacefully because our Constitution protects that right of protest,” said Robert Edwards, owner of A Holiday Motel on Soco Road. “I haven’t individually talked to anybody representing that group, but the group that they call Black Lives Matter at large, there are probably a lot of people that are marching with that group that have good reasons, but the group in my opinion is not exactly having the best intentions across our nation.” The sign outside Edwards’ motel said, “BLM incites racism & violence. All lives matter. One love — all humanity.” Dylan Davis, who helped organize the BLM march — he’s also been out in front of similar events in Waynesville and Canton — wouldn’t quite admit that the sometimes-
Smoky Mountain News
July 22-28, 2020
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violent actions of BLM protestors nationwide give business owners like Edwards ample cause for concern, but did say his group has proven through previous marches that they’re not out to riot, loot or damage local businesses. “We’re just here trying to be peaceful. We’re all here for the same cause, but we don’t follow some of the same principles [as other BLM groups], said Davis. “People can have their own opinions, but we’re here for a good cause and we’re here to do it peacefully.” As a torrential downpour took shape, Davis and about 30 others began their march from Town Hall up the sidewalk on Soco Road, with Maggie Valley Police Department officers in tow. Inexplicably, their route took them right past the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds, where perhaps a hundred counterdemonstrators had lined up, waiting for them, within arm’s reach. Waving Confederate flags, Trump banners and “all lives matter” signs, counterdemonstrators shouted, screamed and spat on marchers. Several heated exchanges were observed and racial slurs were uttered. “I’m not sure who he was, but he ended up saying ‘nigger’ a couple times, and the officers heard him and didn’t say anything. I was scared,” said marcher Karley Simmons, of Canton. “Being a Black woman, I knew that things could get physical fast, but there would not be a lot we could do about it.” The march continued east on Soco Road for a few more blocks until crossing the street and heading back from whence it came, again inexplicably right past that same seething gauntlet of counterdemonstrators, who had already crossed the street and were waiting for them. This time, there was a lot more engagement between the two groups, as bullhorns blared and thunder rumbled and rubberneckers in traffic stopped to watch. As the BLM group marched on, beneath the dark grey skies, several counter demonstrators attempted to follow the group. One man took to harassing media covering the event, chal-
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More than 200 people turned out to an Armed Patriots/pro-Trump/Second Amendment rally in Bryson City on July 18. Cory Vaillancourt photo
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A counter demonstrator who gave his name as Todd Barone addresses BLM protestors in Maggie Valley on July 18. Cory Vaillancourt photo
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