Carl explained to Daniel that the neighborhood conflict did not begin with the light rail proposal. $$It really began three or four years ago when a public housing complex opened on the edge of the neighborhood. At first everything was fine, but then the teenagers from the complex started hanging around the neighborhood and causing trouble. When a few of us complained to the police, our neighbors decided that we were being prejudiced and stopped talking to us$.$ I don$$t think it was bigotry$$ I was just concerned about unsupervised kids."

Daniel took notes as Carl spoke. Carl continued, $$After that, a lot of people stopped talking to each other in the neighborhood. It really caused a divide. Then I admit I did something dumb. I put a really mean rant up on the web about how I was being treated. I regret it to this day, but I was so angry. After that, all but a few close friends decided that if I was for something, they had to be against it$.$ When the announcement of the light rail came out, only a few people were in favor of it$.$ Then people found out I was against it$,$ and they started demanding that it be put in$.$

Daniel said, $$I see. So there$$s a larger conflict at work here.$$

In talking with Carl, Daniel was able to determine that Carl's online rant may be a$($n$)\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_$ of the current conflict surround the light rail.

consequence

cause

conflict spiral

escalation