Peace promoters gear up for Aryan rally

Last week, the Aryan Nation announced their application for a permit to demonstrate at the site of the Old Cyclorama Center on June 19th, during the Gettysburg Festival. According to Katie Lawhon, management assistant for Gettysburg National Military Park, “Denying the permit would be a violation of the first amendment. The park is not organizing the rally, nor do they support the views of the Aryan Nation.” 2011 marks the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War and Gettysburg has begun plans for a 5-year commemoration. This year’s festival is certainly a well-calculated time for a demonstration of this sort.

On May 16th, community members met at the YWCA Gettysburg and Adams County to discuss various community alternatives to the rally if the National Park Service approves the permit. In attendance were area residents and several representatives from the NAACP, Pennsylvania Human Relations Committee, Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice, and Battlefield Harley-Davidson. Issues of concern are security precautions and crowd control, as well as, avenues to divert attention from the rally.

Community members will meet again at the YWCA on Tuesday, May 25th at 5:30 pm. Further discussion of avenues to peacefully handle the rally are planned and anyone interested in promoting peace is encouraged to attend. Those who cannot attend, but wish to be kept informed of the planning process, may contact Andyshak Hayes at (717) 334-9171 ext. 113 or aahayes@ywcagettysburg.org

"We cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work, which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced." ~ A. Lincoln, November 19, 1863