StephDRebel
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,668 
Location: Ohio
|
Post by StephDRebel on Jul 5, 2014 17:04:33 GMT
We have a little market in our town and it was hopping with the holiday yesterday, we're a tourist area so we get a lot of through traffic, everyone who is camping comes here to grab food/firewood/etc. We've been hearing stirrings that the KKK is trying to recruit around here for a couple of weeks now. In May in the next town over two men in a truck shot a black child with an airsoft gun as he was riding his bike down the street and yelled KKK out the window. link we were pissed but thought it was just trashy rednecks, and it well could've been. But yesterday it went a step further and honestly I have no idea what to do about it. Talking to the neighbors we feel disgusted, violated, scared and angry beyond measure. This trash has NO business in our town, county law enforcement can't do anything until they are caught breaking laws and quite honestly I wouldn't be surprised if the village law enforcement signed up- I don't trust them further than I can throw them and i'll be the first to say I can't even pick them up. They went through and papered the cars at the little market we've got-- probably 40 or so cars yesterday. They were quick about it as we were only in the store for about 10 minutes or so and everything was normal when we walked out but now I can't stop wondering who is behind this. If there are locals participating I want to know who it is, I don't want this to escalate, the idea of them even being near just makes me want to vomit. What can we do? Honestly I don't know why they're wasting their time here. There isn't diversity here. My boys go to school with TWO children that aren't white. Two. It's so boring :/ Sitting back and waiting for something to happen seems so wrong yet I really don't know what should or can be done. This just isnt' something I ever thought i'd see on my vehicle.  |
|
|
|
Post by ~KellyAnn~ on Jul 5, 2014 17:09:50 GMT
That is so vile. I hope they slink back under whatever rock they crawled out from.
|
|
tiffanytwisted
Pearl Clutcher
you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave
Posts: 4,538
|
Post by tiffanytwisted on Jul 5, 2014 17:12:36 GMT
Sickening.
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Jun 7, 2024 21:14:25 GMT
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2014 17:17:49 GMT
I hate racism. We live in a very rural conservative area that doesn't have many blacks, but the good ole boys club still exists around here. I absolutely hate it.
I've never heard of that KKK being around here, and I hope to god that they never show up. I'm so sorry that you have to see that vile, disgusting crap.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lexica on Jul 5, 2014 17:18:21 GMT
OMG, I can't believe they are actively trying to recruit like that. That's scary. I don't know what I would do in a case like this, but I would sure feel uncomfortable. There must be something that can be done. If you don't trust your local law enforcement, can you contact a newspaper or TV channel to give light to this story. Hopefully enough light that they pack up and leave your town.
|
|
|
|
Post by scrapqueen01 on Jul 5, 2014 17:18:34 GMT
Wow. Just. Wow. I live in the south so I've seen these guys attempt to spread their crap. Unfortunately they have a right to exist and pass out their trash. People have a right to join. They need to be treated like Westboro Baptist. Don't give them the attention they want and that is what they want, attention. You can talk about this group with your boys and tell them their ideology of hate. We can strive to teach the next generation to know better and be more accepting of others.
|
|
|
|
Post by pierkiss on Jul 5, 2014 17:19:56 GMT
I don't think there is anything you can do beyond ignoring them, and reporting them to the local police when/if they violate any laws. Hopefully no one will decide to join their ranks in your town.
I remember they came to our dinky little town in MI when I was in middle school. They decided to hold a rally in our downtown area. Almost everyone stayed away, I think only the newspaper reporter and photographer showed up for our paper. Nobody signed up. They went away after a few weeks.
|
|
|
|
Post by my2apps2 on Jul 5, 2014 17:23:47 GMT
Disgusting. They are likely in your town because it isn't diverse...it's easy to be a jerk when there isn't anyone to fight back. they are vile cowards. I just don't understand hatred.  |
|
|
|
Post by Belia on Jul 5, 2014 17:25:09 GMT
I think I would throw up if I came out of a random store and found that garbage on my car. I don't think there's anything you can do, though. Freedom of speech and all.
I'm just so sorry your community is facing this.
|
|
StephDRebel
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,668
Location: Ohio
|
Post by StephDRebel on Jul 5, 2014 17:25:57 GMT
I thought about making a big deal about it but then thought, that is exactly what they want. Attention. I would worry that more attention from the media would lead to increased exposure and helping to promote their organization and that's exactly what we don't want but then again pretending it doesn't exist just seems so wrong.
My boys gave me quite the talking to about it yesterday and then spent the day trying to think of people that could be targeted so they can keep their eye on them to make sure they're safe. We'll definitely have more discussion about what exactly this is :/
Man, the things I didn't think i'd have to protect them from.
|
|
|
|
Post by CarefreeSadie on Jul 5, 2014 17:26:01 GMT
It's the United States, those people have the right to assemble and they have the right to put papers on your car in a public place. You have the right to throw the papers away. I wonder if this group was watching to see how many people took the papers home and how many found a trash and threw them away, so they could tell if there was active interest for recruiting in your area?
Finding those papers on my car would make me feel violated but unless your town has laws against public distribution there is nothing you can do except throw the papers away. Looking at it from another angle, it's interesting that they are trying to recruit in other areas because I would assume that means their numbers are down.
i am sorry this happened in your area. I hope it doesn't happen in my little area, cause I would be upset too!
|
|
|
|
Post by Skellinton on Jul 5, 2014 17:27:40 GMT
It just boogies my mind that this kind of ignorance and hate exists. I don't know what you can do, I would be worried that if any attention is brought to it it will escalate, but on the other hand ignoring it seems wrong too.
|
|
|
|
Post by M~ on Jul 5, 2014 17:32:49 GMT
Wow. I have to say I'm impressed that everything on that flyer is spelled correctly. SMIRK.
Well, quite frankly, I'm not shocked or outraged. I mean, I see some of those views expressed on this board on a regular basis.
Unfortunately, there's really nothing anyone can do; they have a right to assemble as much as anyone else does.
Blech.......2014 (mid 2014) and this mindset is still around. As I said, I'm really not surprised, shocked or outraged. I think a lot of folks feel that way. Most keep it to themselves but a lot of them put it out there. I've met people at work that feel this way.
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Jun 7, 2024 21:14:25 GMT
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2014 17:35:10 GMT
That's horrible. I think I would feel sick if I was presented with a flyer or information like that. Your post reminds me of this episode of Drunk History: Stetson Kennedy infiltrates the KKK. |
|
|
|
Post by junebugz on Jul 5, 2014 17:37:32 GMT
That is so disturbing!
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Jun 7, 2024 21:14:25 GMT
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2014 18:04:41 GMT
This happened in June in our small town in Alabama, too. Our neighborhood didn't get the flyers, but my good friend's neighborhood did. They flyer said, "You can sleep well knowing the Klan is watching over you." No. Just no. Our local law enforcement came out very strongly denouncing the flyers but couldn't do anything until someone was caught trespassing. Since the flyers were found in driveways and yards, it could be considered trespassing. I was actually impressed at how the local police department in our town and our neighboring town handled it, telling the Klan they weren't welcome. There was a Freedom Rider bus burning in our town in the 60's, so there's a history of racial violence here.
|
|
GiantsFan
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,299
Site Supporter
Jun 27, 2014 14:44:56 GMT
|
Post by GiantsFan on Jul 5, 2014 18:37:02 GMT
I hate racism. What difference does it make what color or nationality you are?
|
|
|
|
Post by ~summer~ on Jul 5, 2014 18:39:10 GMT
I can't read what it says - so don't know if this is relevant - people are saying people have the right to put those papers on cars- what if they were pornographic? Or advocating child sex? I'm confused where the line is drawn.
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Jun 7, 2024 21:14:25 GMT
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2014 18:46:06 GMT
I can't read what it says - so don't know if this is relevant - people are saying people have the right to put those papers on cars- what if they were pornographic? Or advocating child sex? I'm confused where the line is drawn. I would have thought most propaganda coming from the KKK would not be permitted under hate speech laws? |
|
|
|
Post by traceys on Jul 5, 2014 18:51:05 GMT
The last time they came to my town was probably about eight years ago or so. Honestly, I think the best thing that could happen when they come in is for absolutely no one to show up at their rally. No one to interact with them, or even look their way. What they want is to create a stir. They want the press to come out and report on them...they want hecklers....they want all the attention they can get. I understand how difficult it is to try to convince people not to give them the attention they seek, but I really believe that's the best way to be rid of them.
|
|
pixelated
Junior Member
I like carrots! No carrots for you!
Posts: 89
|
Post by pixelated on Jul 5, 2014 18:53:53 GMT
That's just wrong. I think I would have grabbed up as many as I could from other windows and hope that no one who saw me thought that I was the one putting them there.
Maybe a small group of friends/families could get together and brainstorm ideas on how to deal with it if it happens again. Like, if someone sees them doing it again, text everyone and they can be removed as fast as they were put there. I know that's not realistic.
|
|
61redhead
Full Member
Refupea #1938
Posts: 456
Location: South Carolina
Jun 28, 2014 11:27:52 GMT
|
Post by 61redhead on Jul 5, 2014 19:15:53 GMT
Sorry to hear your town is dealing with this. They show up here (SC) periodically. It's just disgusting. But what can you do if they are not breaking any laws? Just try to ignore them, educate your boys and keep an eye out for anyone being targeted.
|
|
|
|
Post by Sparki on Jul 5, 2014 19:22:46 GMT
Was there a phone number on the flyer? I remember when I taught school in north GA, there was a klan office with a listed phone number. I would be tempted to go online and fill out every piece of spam I could find using their address and phone number.  |
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Jun 7, 2024 21:14:25 GMT
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2014 19:29:21 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by JBeans on Jul 5, 2014 19:32:03 GMT
I can't read what it says - so don't know if this is relevant - people are saying people have the right to put those papers on cars- what if they were pornographic? Or advocating child sex? I'm confused where the line is drawn. I would have thought most propaganda coming from the KKK would not be permitted under hate speech laws? Ashley, we have particular hate speech laws that the US does not. |
|
|
|
Post by birukitty on Jul 5, 2014 19:46:34 GMT
Sitting here in my comfort zone in Maryland I'm shocked to the core to realize the Klan still exists and is active down where you are. No, you all know I'm not a Republican who thinks racism is over with-not by any means. I'm a Democrat who leans independent. I know racism is still alive and well. It disgusts me and infuriates me.
Steph, I'm so sorry you had to go through this experience and I completely understand the frustration and anger you are feeling. On one hand you want to call them out, shine the light on their miserable sorry ass*s and let everyone in town know who they are. On the other hand attention, (and we know this from dealing with toddlers) any kind of attention is what they crave. So hard as it is I think the other Peas are right-ignore them completely.
What you can do is what you mentioned doing-education. Teach those sweet sons of yours that we are all alike (children especially) even though we may look different.
BTW, I'm glad to see you here and I love your new avatar.
Debbie in MD.
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Jun 7, 2024 21:14:25 GMT
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2014 19:58:37 GMT
Wow. Just. Wow. I live in the south so I've seen these guys attempt to spread their crap. Unfortunately they have a right to exist and pass out their trash. People have a right to join. They need to be treated like Westboro Baptist. Don't give them the attention they want and that is what they want, attention. You can talk about this group with your boys and tell them their ideology of hate. We can strive to teach the next generation to know better and be more accepting of others. That's what I think. |
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Jun 7, 2024 21:14:25 GMT
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2014 20:03:59 GMT
I would have thought most propaganda coming from the KKK would not be permitted under hate speech laws? Ashley, we have particular hate speech laws that the US does not. I know our hate laws are different, but I thought the US has some? No? Or do you have no laws against hate speech in the US at all? |
|
|
|
Post by lovetodigi on Jul 5, 2014 20:05:01 GMT
Truly disgusting!
|
|
|
|
Post by SunnySmile on Jul 5, 2014 20:06:13 GMT
Maybe I've been living under a rock, but I didn't even know the KKK was still in existence. That is so wrong. I don't have any ideas about what you should do, especially if you suspect or don't trust law enforcement. Maybe a state agency would have an answer.
|
|
