The reason I'm in Canada this birthday: I'm FINALLY tracing the Old Yale Road from Vancovuer to Yale. While not quite Canada's version of the Oregon Trail, it was a major old wagon road from New Westminster to Yale and Beyond.
I found an 1880s era map that showed the road, and found the reamnants on a map, and have started driving it. There's not much left of the old road between Vancouver and Abbotsford other than a few historic signs and a building here and there, but I'm hoping to find more as I get out of the urban areas....
It is dissapointing to see the city remove a symbol of the kindness of this city just to remove a symbol of hate. It is also sad to see the advertisements of businesses and celebrations of the people of Duvall removed from sight in the same fell swoop. We have all lost today because of a symbol of hate.
The winners are the people who put up the symbol of hate. They now know the city is willing to remove anything that the hate groups are against, by simply putting up more hate next to it. Policies for the removal of hate speech must be enacted that do not end of also harming the character of the city.
It is my hope that the voices of this town, and clarification of policies, will once again allow Duvall to become a beacon of hope in a quickly darkening sky. But for today, this is not the "unconditional support" I've been led to believe from the town.
We can do better. We must do better. And I hope we will do better.
Sometime between 4AM and 5AM, City of Duvall removed the Pride Wall. That wall was the reason I didn't move out of town when I had a chance, because it was a sign that I was welcome in this town.
I do hope that other businesses in town step up to make us feel as welcome now that the city has let let us down.
Artist for Closetspace and A Wish for Wings
Creative Text Writer for MTG: Universes Beyond
Writer for Sea of Legends
One enchilada short of a Mexican Platter