The campaign of Donald Trump has been fraught with racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, and bigotry. Is it any wonder then that we would see a resurgence in hate groups like the Ku Klux Klan? The KKK, though a shadow of it’s former self in it’s heyday — the days Trump refers to when he longs to make America great again — still boasts some 5,000 to 8,000 members, split among warring factions that use the Klan’s name. These members, no doubt emboldened by the Republican party’s nominee for President’s hate-filled rhetoric, have been organizing recruiting efforts throughout the U.S. In addition to sending out recruitment fliers, it seems the Klan has decided that holding rallies to raise interest in their cause is another useful tool. Fortunately, the students from my alma mater, Hanover College, in Hanover, Indiana, had other ideas…
On Saturday, September 24, 2016, the Ku Klux Klan held a rally in Madison, IN. Madison is a charming community of around 12,000 people, situated on the Ohio River in southern Indiana. (Not only did I graduate from Hanover College, Hanover being a tiny hamlet right next to Madison, but I lived in Madison for several years after graduation.) The goal, to recruit new members to their "cause":
Our American flag was purchased by the blood of suffering of American heroes. If you're tired of all this foreign garbage going on in America, you're tired of all this drug overdose and this bullying going on, the Ku Klux, Klan is for you.
could not have come at a worse time, since that weekend Madison was celebrating the Chautauqua Festival of Arts, which was expected to draw some 60,000 people to town. Fortunately, Hanover College faculty and students banded together with local clergy and community members to show the Klan what their community stands for.
Hundreds of counter protestors gathered to make it clear to the handful of Klansmen that showed up that their message was not welcome there.
After arriving around 12:30 p.m., Klan members spent about 40 minutes speaking on topics including drug abuse and bullying, all while claiming race wasn’t a factor. For those on the south side of Vaughn Drive, it’s likely that nothing much of what KKK speakers had to share was heard due to the overwhelming sound of music and chants coming from the crowd.
The Klan rally ended peacefully and, perhaps left a few parting gifts in it’s wake. When I was in school, the relationship between the student body and the local community was one of tolerance. Perhaps something like this will bring the two groups together in more of a true spirit of community. And, the students who participated in this action will likely be forever changed by it. They have found their voices and now know how powerful those voices can be when speaking out with others for peace and justice. It is my hope that they will nurture those voices and continue to use them for good in this world.