|| By TAYLOR BROWN || I will start by saying I love my beautiful Palmetto State. I love its cosmopolitan cities like Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville. I love being able to wake up as a South Carolinian.
But I despise the hate.
I am heartbroken, despondent, livid, outraged – I don’t know which word to even choose – following the news of the Charleston shooting. I’m sure the rest of South Carolina feels the same way. I’m sure every citizen of America, today, is a South Carolinian. The world, today, is composed of Sandlappers.
I do not know the motives that drove Dylann Storm Roof to commit such a heinous crime against nine human beings. I cannot fathom what drove him to commit such blind acts of hate and slaughter. I cannot empathize. I have to force myself to pray for him.
I also pray he is held accountable for his crimes. But above all, I pray for his neighbors, friends, and family who must be flabbergasted and shocked that they had a monster living amongst them.
We, as human beings, need to learn to love before we hate. We need to hold everyone accountable for their actions. We need to help those in trouble, and reach out to those in need.
We need to show kindness, compassion, and brotherhood to those who are different than us. We all bleed the same color blood. We all hurt.
I ask that today, we pray – we pray for Senator Clementa Pinckney, the others who lost their lives, for their friends and family who are grieving beyond comprehension. I ask that we pray for our General Assembly as they mourn the loss of a fellow legislator. I ask that we pray for the congregation of Mother Emanuel AME who feel as though one cannot worship in peace anymore. I ask that we pray for the City of Charleston who is trying to fully understand what happened and why. I ask that we pray for South Carolina who now has the world’s eyes on her and a 24-hour news cycle.
I ask that we call our friends and loved ones today, because it could have just as easily been you, me, or a loved one who was murdered. Call your parents, children, siblings, friends—tell them you love them and appreciate them. Life is short.
Finally, I ask that we all remember the motto of South Carolina – While I breathe, I hope!
Taylor Brown is a 20-something Wofford College graduate who somehow got sucked into politics at an early age. She is easily won over with Rush’s fast food, wine, and spirited political arguments.
30 comments
Columbia is a “cosmopolitan” city?
Lulz…thats the funniest thing I’ve heard today.
Please take your Columbia hate and exit stage left. You’ve been expressing on here for years.
We get it you don’t like Columbia. Columbia doesn’t like you either. Take your big dick and shove it up your ass.
How do you know it’s big?
It’s call playing back on his stupid screen name. Sound it out, are you fucking we todd did?
You seem like the kind of guy who likes to confirm things.
Well, at least he said I have a big dick!
Years? I’ve been here for years? Who knew?
I think she means cosmopolitan as in full of vapid women who read Cosmo and get drunk on cosmos at crappy bars.
Well then sign me up.
Well there is that one store in 5 Points and the little strip mall that has Zas Pizza, does Columbia need more than that?
compared to Spartanburg where she went to school it is
Heh..yeah probably so.
I always heard growing up “if you like Spartanburg, you’ll LOVE Columbia!”
Taylor, many of us in the old city are shocked today. Do you think you could come down and console us, maybe share a bottle of wine, some fine Charleston cuisine, and spirited political debate. Or maybe an evening walk south of Broad? We need a hug.
Fuck that you have T-Rav and his girlfriend to console you. That should be plenty.
The girlfriend – I’ll take her maybe for a few nights – but T-Rav – no thanks. Trying to send him upstate.
I’d suggest you have a makeup artist handy, if you see her without makeup you’re boner is going to crawl back inside you. Might want to bring a box of TicTacs unless you enjoy licking an ashtray.
Or, Taylor, if you’re heart broken, come on down, and we’ll give you a hug. Sorry Taylor, you’re just to cute to let that one skip by.
God I’m striking out.
Taylor, how about this, a lovely beach with a setting sun behind us, the shadows growing longer, a nice French red wine, some brie with honey, a baguette, melon wrapped with prosciutto, the sound of the gulls and the gentle swish of the waves breaking on the shore. Lamenting the tragedy – the wounds our state suffered last night, how we can move forward. The celebration of life for those lost.
You sound like a woman, Are you a woman?
Buzz off – I’m waiting for lovely Taylor’s reply.
10+
If Florida is the penis of the country, Charleston comes in somewhere the taint.
We already know Columbia is the asshole.
Well Columbia is slightly above Charleston.
Thank you, Taylor.
The queen of inane has spoken. Feel the healing.
Anybody else tired of all this shit? A fucked up kid shoots nine people. Scoop up the bodies, clean up the brains and blood and fucking move on. I don’t give a shit what Al Sharpton, Rob Lowe, the Kenyan in Chief, Judy “wide eyes” Gadson, or ol’ Enos has to say while mugging for the cameras.
Now the dipshits Gadson, Sellers and someone else are fucking talking about the Confederate Flag. Yeah, it’s the flag’s fault.
I’ve noticed, did all the news teams send their black reporters to Charleston to cover the story? The white reporters couldn’t cut it?
It’s all a huge crock of shit.
Give it 1 or 2 weeks tops and it will be on to the next story.
Sure Ms. Brown, based upon what you say here, I fully expect you in coming months and years to support and reach out to those in need, such as those needing Medicaid, unemployment insurance, and quality schooling. As a very conservative Republican, you do support these issues, don’t you ?
What are your solutions? The kid was given a gun by his dad I think for his birthday. To me that is basically saying, “Son, now go shoot someone.”
tyronemamacollards you cause division when we should unite. Taylor, like all of us, want what’s best for the state and her citizens. We are not guaranteed happiness, only the right to pursue it. Venezuela adopted policies very similar to the ones you advocate. Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the world, yet the policies similar to what you advocate has caused disaster for its citizens.
Thank you Taylor!