Please take and share our pledge to resist white nationalists, gathering in San Francisco on August 26th, peacefully, without violence, and anywhere but Crissy Field.
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When I moved from my native Texas to San Francisco nearly 15 years ago, I came in search of hippies. Well, if not of real live hippies, at least of the counterculture spirit—I sought artists, activists, gays...anyone of any color or persuasion who cared about civil rights, diversity, inclusiveness. Weirdness, even. Of course, times had changed, and tech was the movement du jour.
But in my time here in SF and as an editor at 7x7, I have, on plenty of occasions, gotten the whiff of that old spirit. Long as I live, I'll never forget the way the city came together to achieve marriage equality, to give voice to Black Lives Matter, and to put on the most magnificent display of unity I've ever personally seen—anyone who braved the rain for January's Women's March felt the power of this city's innate drive to hit the pavement in the name of what is right. Now again, as white nationalists are expected to bring their hatemongering to Crissy Field this Saturday, my adopted city is once again called upon to show not just its values but its grace and character: It is our task now to remember and revive the San Francisco spirit of nonviolent protest, and during the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love, no less.
While there are groups planning to counter-protest onsite at Crissy Field, we at 7x7 wish to urge our readers, and everyone in the Bay Area who stands for peace, to stay away from Crissy. There are groups planning an incredible day of peaceful protest and togetherness elsewhere in SF (and in the greater Bay Area), and 7x7 is proud to be a cohost and media partner of San Francisco Peacefully Unites Against White Nationalists, the group helping to organize and promote these activities.
On Saturday August 26th, you can join Juanita More for her Come Together Rally & March for Equality; be part of a heart-shaped human banner; shake your groove thing in a mobile dance rally; donate to anti-racist nonprofit organizations; and join a family-friendly gathering with music performances and speeches at Civic Center. More events are in the works, and we are working furiously to update our ongoing list of local demonstrations.
However you choose to show your resistance to racism and hatred in SF and across America, we hope you'll do so without stoking the fire that those who oppose our way of life are coming here to light, for the sake of our beautiful city and the safety of its people. We won't stand for another Charlottesville.
Please take and share our pledge to resist white nationalism in San Francisco peacefully, without violence, and anywhere but Crissy Field. (If you are viewing this from a desktop computer, the pledge is located in the top right corner of this article.)
