Dear supporters
Our post with the petition link has been taken down by Facebook - we suspect someone reported it to silence our voice and derail our campaign for justice. We do not know who, but we know for sure they do not support the cause.
A new post with the petition link has since been made, but they may try the same tactic again in an attempt to silence our voice. We will make sure they do not succeed in silencing your voice and the community voice on this movement for justice and fairness. Please consider posting the text suggested below on your own facebook page.
We also take the opportunity to urge you to remain respectful to all in our community, especially when engaging in conversations with people who do not share the same view. Conversations can be helpful in creating new understanding and it is perfectly fine to end one by agreeing to disagree.
Fundamentally, this is an issue of principle and our objection would remain exactly the same regardless of which religious figure's name had been chosen. This is not about any particular faith, but rather about maintaining the community identity of our area. We have lived peacefully and respectfully in an inclusive community and that is how we wish things to remain moving forward.
Let's direct our efforts to securing more signatures for the petition. That will expose this sad episode in our history and create the impetus for the change we are seeking to achieve - the reinstating of the Berwick Springs Lake.
Below is the suggested content:
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Community's Voice Matters
A key democratic principle is that communities need to be heard on matters that affect them. It thus stands to reason that it is wrong to rename something the community holds dearly without their knowledge or consultation. I stand against this overreach and lack of transparency.
A name is an identity; this is not about the new name chosen, but about the principle and our community's sense of identity.
Some have tried to silence the voice of our community, but we will not be silenced.
This case sets a dangerous precedent for 6000+ places the government seeks to rename across the state.
If you agree, please consider signing and sharing our petition: https://www.change.org/p/stop-berwick-springs-name-change
#CommunityVoiceMatters #BerwickSpringsLake #IWillNotBeSilenced
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Thank you!
Sincerely,
The Berwick Springs Lake Petition Team
P.S.: Amazingly, we have already exceeded the 1000 signatures. Thank you and let's keep the forward momentum.