I appreciate your point of view, Joe…and I believe I understand your frustration. Yesterday's General Assembly spent a lot of time reviewing the situation, including lessons learned and planning for any future incidents like this. I believe it was a learning experience for all, and am confident that we will be able to move forward from this.
I also personally believe that we need to pick our battles, and this (for me) wasn't one worth fighting. Yes it was chalk, that would wash away at the next rain, but the defacement of the building had been discussed earlier in the night and the people involved were told that would cause the movement more grief than it was worth, yet they chose to do it anyway. So, when one willfully does something that they know has consequences, they must accept the consequences, in my opinion.
I also think that face-to-face discussion on topics of frustration can accomplish so much more than written ones. Nuances, attitudes and meanings get lost in the translation of written words, and things can get away from us quickly. Hopefully we can get together and chat over coffee or something…I think we all want what's best for this movement, and sometimes it's the "getting there" that is the hard part.
With love and solidarity,
~Susan