I am deeply concerned about the upcoming event "Freedom Rise of the Statesmen," organized by Grace City Church Wenatchee's Stronger Man Nation and scheduled to be held at the Gorge Amphitheater. This event creates a profoundly misleading impression about the values of our community and the spirit of one of the Pacific Northwest's most beloved venues.

The Gorge Amphitheater is more than just a concert venue — it is a landmark. Nestled above the Columbia River amid sweeping basalt cliffs and open sky, it has long been a place where people from all walks of life come together to share in the transcendent power of music and collective human experience. For decades, it has symbolized the beauty of the Pacific Northwest and the inclusive, open-hearted culture that defines this region. That legacy deserves to be protected.

The organization behind this event — Grace City Church Wenatchee's Stronger Man Nation — has a well-documented history of promoting a Christian white nationalist agenda. This is not a matter of political disagreement or differing religious beliefs. White nationalism is an extremist ideology that dehumanizes people based on their race, faith, and identity. It has no place in civil society, and it has no place at the Gorge.

This group has openly and repeatedly endorsed homophobia, racism, and misogyny — not as fringe positions, but as central tenets of their platform. They advocate for a world in which LGBTQ+ people, people of color, women, and religious minorities are treated as second-class citizens or worse. These are not values we share as a community. These are not values the Gorge Amphitheater should be lending its name, its stage, and its reputation to.

We must be clear: this is not about silencing religious expression or shutting down political debate. People of faith and people with conservative values are welcome in our community, as they always have been. This is about drawing a firm and unambiguous line against hate. There is a meaningful difference between a difference of opinion and an ideology that calls for the exclusion, degradation, and marginalization of entire groups of people. "Freedom Rise of the Statesmen" crosses that line.

The Gorge has hosted artists and events that have brought joy, healing, and connection to hundreds of thousands of people over the years. It has been a place of wonder — where strangers become friends, where music dissolves the barriers between us, and where the natural beauty of the Columbia River Gorge reminds us of something larger than ourselves. Allowing this venue to be used as a platform for hateful and divisive ideology is a betrayal of everything it has come to represent.

We are calling on the management of the Gorge Amphitheater, Live Nation, local authorities, and community leaders to take action. Cancel the "Freedom Rise of the Statesmen" event. Review and strengthen the venue's policies regarding events that promote hate speech and extremist ideologies. And send a clear, public message that the Gorge — and our community — will not be a stage for movements that seek to divide, demean, and endanger vulnerable people.

Our community is home to people of every background, every faith, every orientation, and every identity. The strength of this place lies in that diversity. When one group is targeted, we are all diminished. When we stand together, we are stronger.

Sign this petition and stand with your neighbors. Stand for the values this community has always held dear — dignity, inclusion, compassion, and unity. Together, we can ensure that the Gorge Amphitheater remains what it has always been: a place where all people are welcome, and where the human spirit is celebrated rather than condemned.

The Gorge belongs to all of us. Let's protect it.