BY AARON WALKER
White Rock

How do we move forward?

This is the big question after all the issues with the rock.

It’s not an easy question to answer, because tensions are still very high. Things always get especially toxic during/after Pride, and I personally won’t stop standing up for people that are still fighting to exist.

The calling out of specific names on the rock, especially in the manner it was done is wrong and should not happen again. In order to attempt to de-escalate tensions I am making sure I state this publicly.

What must happen next:

It is painfully clear to me that the gaslighting, hate, and bullying from some conservatives helped get us to this point. They MUST take steps to acknowledge this and condemn it, just as many of us have condemned the calling out of individuals on the rock.

If we want to resolve this and lower tensions, this is the path forward. No personal attacks, no whataboutism, no gaslighting, no snide comments. I’ve acknowledged and agreed that conservatives have a reasonable sense of anger about what happened. Now the ball is in their court. Will they acknowledge and condemn the retaliation, gaslighting, bullying, and hate that was involved in the covering up of several Pride/Juneteenth murals?

If they are unwilling to do that, then there is no resolution. It’s that simple. Tensions will continue to rise until things boil over again. That’s not what I want, and I hope it’s not what others want.

This is where we START.