WILLIAMSBURG – More than five decades ago, the nation was urged in song to get together and love one another.
At Williamsburg’s Meekins Library, library director Katie Krol is trying to remind her neighbors of those words.
“Cmon people now Smile on your brother,” reads the lawn sign once reserved for library hours.
The lyrics of “Get Together,” a song made semi-popular in 1967 by the Youngbloods found their way to Williamsburg following the violence at an Aug. 12 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, that resulted in numerous injuries and the death.
“It was appalling that in this day and age we have to hear stories of Nazis and white supremacists and that someone got killed,” Krol said.
Krol said following the events of Charlottesville, it was time to beg people, and she put the first line of “Get Together” on the library’s sign.
“To beg them for a call for respect,” Krol said. “It’s not political, just human.”
On Thursday, Krol added a second line to the sign in an effort to make sure everyone understood the sign.
“If they don’t get it, they are not going to stop and ask. With the first and second line, it might ring a bell,” she said.
Inside the library, Westhampton resident Sean Mallari said he drives by the library daily and enjoys the sign.
“It makes me very happy to be from here,” Mallari said.
The sign typically displays the library’s hours – which are still posted on the opposite side. Krol said there was a brief discussion to take down the sign and return to the regular posting, but for now, it’s staying.
“We decided maybe the message is going to make a difference in someone else’s life,” she said.
The message has struck a chord with many in town who are aware of it. Posts on little library’s Facebook page about the sign have been shared and liked by people from around the community.
“We are too quick to hate these days and should be quicker to love and respect,” Krol wrote in an email. “This is not a political statement, it’s a call to respect and understanding.”
Emily Cutts can be reached at ecutts@gazettenet.com.