A statement from the North Carolina Writers’ Network
We at the Network are happy and relieved to share The Pilot’s report that power has been restored to all Moore County residents. County officials have lifted the state of emergency and allowed the nighttime curfew to expire.
Life in Moore County can get back to normal, for some.
For some, life may never get back to “normal,” and “normal” may not have been all that great before the power went out.
For all the work and words and progress of this century, LGBTQ+ North Carolinians remain vulnerable and, too often, isolated. That someone attacked two electrical substations, cutting power to an entire county, during a Sandhills Pride-sponsored drag show demonstrates that vulnerability.
In theory the timing of those attacks could turn out to be a remarkable, unfortunate, one-in-a-million coincidence. That hardly anyone believes it was only reveals how much wariness—if not fear—these LGBTQ+ neighbors of ours have to live with.
The staff and board of the North Carolina Writers’ Network stands with them, and works for a day and a state in which they can live with all the freedom and community the rest of us do (or can, or should).
After the events of this week we want to reaffirm that the Network is open to anyone with an interest in creative writing. LGBTQ+ writers have played defining roles in the Network from our founding to our current board and staff. They will continue to do so as long as the Network exists. We welcome all writers no matter their sexuality, gender, race, religion, or residence.
We hope we will know—not assume—more about the attacks soon. We hope for justice, the redress of harm and restitution of damage. We hope, this holiday season, for peace on Earth, goodwill toward all.
We work toward equity, inclusion, community—creative and affirming—and we are proud to stand with anyone else who does the same.