Michal Gray-Schaffer, of the Congregation B'nai Abraham Synagogue, right, gives examples of how to promote more positive messages in the community in response to the billboard placed on Route 422, as Leigh Benish, of the Hill United Presbyterian Church, writes ideas down. EDDIE TRIZZINO/BUTLER EAGLE

About 25 people gathered at the YWCA of Butler Wednesday night to discuss community action in the face of hateful speech and rhetoric.

Elizabeth Short, executive director of YWCA Butler, started advertising the meeting Tuesday night after a newly erected billboard in Summit Township displayed messages including “Whites are under attack stop it now!!” and “Stop teaching critical racist theory.”

The turnout to the meeting Wednesday, which also included more than 25 people attending virtually via Zoom, gave Short hope that a majority of people in Butler County do not want messages containing or bordering on hate speech in their community.

“Sometimes people use this speech to goad people,” Short said. “We want to think of constructive action for moving forward, not a reaction or fire for fire.”

Short said the purpose of the meeting was also to unite people for forward action, and take a stance that promotes unity instead of having an immediate reaction to the billboard’s messages.

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