In my 19 years of living in the Newnan community, our small town has always been quiet and fairly innocuous. Aside from the rush hour traffic on Bullsboro and the depressingly early time that the downtown square shuts down on Sundays, there has never been much conflict or turmoil in our little corner of Georgia. Therefore, when news broke of the National Socialist Movement, a white nationalist group, obtaining a permit to rally in Greenville Street Park, citizens in Newnan and neighboring cities were shocked.

As the April 21 rally drew near, I was overwhelmed by the response from the community, as those opposed to the group’s message banded together in support of love and equality - directly targeting the Neo-Nazi movement and their ideals. As downtown businesses braced for the possible violence that the day would bring, most business owners opted to close their shops for the afternoon, to stay at home or to protest the rally.

The citizens of Newnan refused to let the rally to dismantle their way of life, and declared that the Friday before the rally should be a community day - hundreds gathered to support their local economy, and help local businesses earn some of the revenue that would be lost due to Saturday’s circumstances.

As authorities laid down barricades and braced for the rally and its attendees, locals took to the sidewalks with chalk drawings, sharing messages of love, hope, and compassion. Quotes from Martin Luther King, Jr., notable Bible verses, and trending social media statements were carefully scripted across bricks and benches, tagged with #NewnanStrong.

Thankfully, the day of the rally came and went, with little conflict. The turnout for the National Socialist Movement is reported to have been only a couple dozen - meanwhile, hundreds of Newnan community members showed up, vastly outnumbering the controversial group, and making it clear that their message was unwelcome in our town.

I am astounded by the overwhelming outpour of love and support from all of my Newnan neighbors, and am thrilled to see their message continue to thrive; on social media outlets, many are coordinating to send thank you notes to the authorities and community members that helped coordinate such an effective afternoon of activism, keeping those involved safe, and our beautiful downtown square standing strong.

I hope this atmosphere of unwavering love and support will continue to uphold our community - and based on what I have witnessed not only this weekend but in all my life here in Newnan - I am sure that our city and all of its citizens will continue to stand Newnan Strong.

(photo credits to various Facebook users)