Clearly anti-hate signs are needed in La Crosse

There are things that are clearly political. Whether we should spend tax money on defense or domestic issues. Whether to raise taxes or cut them. Whether we choose to vote Republican or Democrat. But there should still be things we can all agree on. That should be universal, not political. Among them is love triumphs over hate. That we should love all people, regardless of their ethnicity, their religious affiliation, their sexual orientation or their age. So it is shocking that something as simple as spreading a message of love and inclusiveness would be seen as being political. But that is the case, as the La Crosse Park Board has now reversed itself and ordered signs reading “Hate Has No Home Here” to be removed from La Crosse’s Weigant Park. A neighborhood group had gotten the city’s permission to put up the signs in the park following racist comments made to some walking there. But now the city says the signs must go because some have complained the signs are political in nature. And worse yet, some even installed their own signs offering a counter message. So some people are pro-hate? So pro-hate they are willing to put up a sign to proclaim it. In a city park, where all should be welcome. I don’t know if the signs should stay or go, but it is clear that La Crosse needs the signs to remind people that hate is not to be tolerated in our community.