I am no stranger to Stone Mountain Park and have memories of going there ever since I was a toddler--school field trips, parades, laser shows, hikes, etc. I'll never forget when I was 9 yrs old, my family and I just finished playing mini golf and a man told us that we needed to-- https://twitter.com/QuickTake/status/1279782870219923457

leave ASAP because white supremacists (the KKK) were arriving for their yearly gathering. We hurried to our car and left the park and I remember not speaking a word or even looking back at the massive rock the entire ride home because I was scared that if I did, they might kill-

me and my family. Jump forward 4 years to 8th grade Georgia history (yes, we spent a whole year learning about Georgia history), we learned about the Confederate soldiers who were etched into the face of Stone Mountain. Up until that point, it had never crossed my mind whose--

faces were carved into the mountain, these bearers of hate and white supremacy. And we were taught to celebrate this! I've only been to Stone Mountain a few times since then, but I see it exactly for what it is: a white supremacy theme park. A memorial to the Old South.

The fact that I just now learned that the Confederate soldiers were etched into the mountain as a response to the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's further confirms this. It is a ginormous, realized symbol of hate and needs to be destroyed. Additionally, the commercialization--

of the entire park is also racist because it erases important history. This goes without saying, but Stone Mountain is on Native land, specifically that of the Creek and Cherokee peoples. Maybe the park can find a way to honor them, erect a statue or educate visitors on the--

Native American history of the area. Idk. Anything to reclaim this park and give it dignity.

Here's a link that discusses the dangers of commercializing Stone Mountain: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/Cascade/index.html?appid=695684ed6d1d47e8a7b33418907cf1ce