Listen to David’s Story

“If my voice will always be muted, but my face is what you want, then you can't have my face. And you damn sure can't have my voice.”

- David Vaughn Straughn

David Vaughn Straughn 

Hello. My name is David Vaughn Straughn. And I believe that this is–I want to say that this is the Sunday after everything. Take in mind that during this photo that there are a number of white supremacists are still in the area of Charlottesville at that time. So not only are all of the people here traumatized and heartbroken by the recent events, but they are still on high alert and under high vigilance that this could happen again at this public setting. So not only is there grief in this picture, but I see a lot of tension and a lot of fear. So I think that needs to be expressed. 

The question of community…I didn't really have a strong, like, community basis in Charlottesville. I mean, Charlottesville is my home. It is, you know, you know, the place where my musician friend would play and the Battle of the Bands competition in that parking garage right behind you in that photo. Drink beer at the local taverns in the mall. But not really embedded in the community, you know. Didn't know who all my, you know, civil leaders are, didn't know who my police chief was. But I knew that I needed to defend my city against Nazis. I mean, right???

I grew up on ‘80s cartoons. And, you know, if there's if there's evil in the world, you stand up for the people who can't defend themselves. You defend justice, you defend goodness, you defend righteousness, you defend safety, you defend equality. You defend all of the, all of the bullsh*t that you told that you were told that America is about. And I thought I would be doing the same thing that everybody else was going to be doing. I thought that this was a no brainer. And just to feel that that wasn't a big thing for everybody, wasn't a big deal… 

And then after it happens, you know that one lane underpass of Fourth Street that used to be so chill and pleasant. Now all I think about when I walk up that street is the the blood in the street that day. The bones jutting out of bodies. The people crying. Heather's body. And…and I don't know what to think about community. 

We don’t even believe in community anymore, we don’t believe in the institutions that make up community. We don’t believe in our schools, we don’t believe in church. We don’t believe in our police force—why should we? We give them all this taxpayer money, they’re armed to the teeth, and when we ask them to defend us, they can’t even go in? And I don't know what to believe about the Charlottesville community when the Nikuyah Walker gets shoved out. I don't get it. Where are we as a community? We aren't. And that's why I'm not in Charlottesville anymore, I'm in Atlanta. I don't want to be a part of that community anymore. I don't believe in it. I don't believe that that community cares about Black people. I think you care about Black faces, but not about Black voices. And there's a difference. And if my voice will always be muted, but my face is what you want, then you can't have my face. And you damn sure can't have my voice. You don't deserve it.

Music credit: Brendon Moeller / Dub Caravan / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com