Advertisement

After This Same-Sex Couple's House Was Vandalized, Their Neighbors Fought Back With Love

From Cosmopolitan

When Massachusetts couple Cari and Lauri Ryding returned from a vacation to find that someone had egged their front porch and torn down the rainbow flag they'd put up after the Orlando massacre, they were heartbroken.

"It was our first experience in Natick of having any type of prejudice," Cari Ryding told the Boston Globe. "We hadn't experienced it at all, and it kind of broke open our little cocoon."

"It's really hard to feel someone hate you," she added in an interview with WSVB.

Photo credit: Getty
Photo credit: Getty

However, the Rydings had some major backup: Rather than turn their heads the other way and let the family deal with this act of hatred alone, the entire neighborhood decided to show their love and solidarity by fighting back with a few rainbow flags of their own.

On Sunday, a group of kids ages 5 to 16 delivered rainbow flags by bike to houses in the Natick area, and, by the end of the weekend, over 40 houses had hung them up. The flags came from a local organization called the Rainbow Peace Flag Project, which aims to provide the flags "free of charge, to anyone who wants one in Natick, Massachusetts, and surrounding areas." After the Rydings's home was vandalized, they were flooded with requests and donations.

Photo credit: Getty
Photo credit: Getty

"One person's act of fear and maliciousness created such a powerful statement of love," Lauri Ryding told the Boston Globe. "We are very blessed, very fortunate ... Somebody's fear called them to action, but our neighbors support and love called them to action, and love conquers hate."

Photo credit: Getty
Photo credit: Getty

Follow Gina on Twitter.