for those of you following the kkk/mlk incident at tarleton state

[jason]

A little background (http://bbs.3adownlow.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=60113&highlight=tarleton)


The first kkk reference (http://bbs.3adownlow.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=60533&highlight=tarleton)

The Traditional Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan (TCKKKK) is planning a rally in Stephenville, TX on March 17th. That's why this interview took place.

The staff of the Tarleton newspaper had a chance to sit down and talk with Steven Edwards, the Imperial Wizard of the Traditional Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan - here are some of his quotes from the interview

"The protest will be called an anti-illegal immigration protest"..."We're not against legal immigration. We're not against people that want to embrace America, go to college and contribute to America, we're against people that come over here and spit on our flag and hoist their flag up."

"We didn't pick Stephenville to come have a rally to defend those college students."..."We picked Stephenville because of that issue an that it would give us a chance to voice our opinion on that issue while we're doing the illegal immigration rally."

"People come and expect to see some kind of dumb rednecks wearing sheets, and that's not what they will see."

{from the article}
Edwards claims the TCKKKK is not a hate group , while still being a racist organization.

"We are a racist organization. A racist is just somebody that loves and stucies racial issues. We to take offence to the term 'hate group' because we are Christian people and I challenge anyone, anywhere, to show one hateful thing that has come out of our mouths in public towards any other race."

{from the article}
--this is in reference to the mlk party pictures that made national media--

"I looked at those pictures, and everybody in my group looked at those pictures, and we laughed. What was the big deal about it? Those kids were just having a good time. If you wanted to have an MLK Day, if you wanted to dress black or whatever, what are you gonna do? If that didn't represent some of the members of the black society, then why was it offensive to them? The only thing that made it offensive to them is that sometimes the truth hurts. And in their case, they don't like being stereotyped . I don't think that that was in any way offensive towards black people. Just a bunch of college kids having a good time."


***

thoughts? opinions? - we have done good talking about this so far - but try to keep it civil

I wish I had an electronic copy of the article, but I don't so I just typed the quotes from Mr. Edwards

[Blastoderm55]

Imperial Wizard eh?

[mustang59]

"We are a racist organization. A racist is just somebody that loves and stucies racial issues.


The dictionary defines "racist " as:
hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.

[jason]

Originally posted by mustang59
"We are a racist organization. A racist is just somebody that loves and stucies racial issues.


The dictionary defines "racist " as:
hatred or intolerance of another race or other races. in the 'letter from the editor' another quote from Mr. Edwards says "[I am] a racist because [I] know about races, much as a violinist is an expert in violins."

I don't know if that justifies his. or the groups beliefs, but it gives some clarity on the way they think.

[Bullaholic]

This was a very poor and unfortunate choice for a party theme by these Tarleton students, especially when they have been exposed to all of the furor that is generated by the media anytime anyone, anywhere, depicts the members of another race in any less than a desirable context. They cannot claim ignorance of racial sensitivities in today's global society. Therefore, they owe an apology to the Afro-American community at the very least, for having poor judgement and questionable tastes.

On the other side of the incident, there were no Afro-Americans in attendance at this party so I question how anyone's racial sensitivities were harmed. This was a private party. If the media had not published the details of this party, there would have been no controversy for us to discuss. No one can control the behavior of persons behind closed doors unless they are breaking laws, just as you cannot legislate morality.

The planned Klan rally will do lot more harm than good. I certainly hope that all of the students realize what stupidity it would be to embrace the support of the KKK and distance themselves from them accordingly.

[spiveyrat]

Originally posted by jason
We're not against people that want to embrace America, go to college and contribute to America,

Speaking of stereotypes (as mentioned in the article), I don't typically think of KKK members as college educated. So, that statement seems to be a little hypocritical to me. :thinking:

[Blastoderm55]

Originally posted by Bullaholic
This was a very poor and unfortunate choice for a party theme by these Tarleton students, especially when they have been exposed to all of the furor that is generated by the media anytime anyone, anywhere, depicts the members another race in any less than a desirable context. They cannot claim ignorance of racial sensitivities in today's global society. Therefore, they owe an apology to the Afro-American community at the very least, for having poor judgement and questionable tastes.

On the other side of the incident, there were no Afro-Americans in attendance at this party so I question how anyone's racial sensitivities were harmed. This was a private party. If the media had not published the details of this party, there would have been no controversy for us to discuss. No one can control the behavior of persons behind closed doors unless they are breaking laws, just as you cannot legislate morality.

The planned Klan rally will cause a lot more harm than good.

No one would have been offended had the party goers not placed the images on Facebook. That's what really opened the can of worms, in my opinion.

[jason]

Originally posted by Bullaholic
On the other side of the incident, there were no Afro-Americans in attendance at this party so I question how anyone's racial sensitivities were harmed. This was a private party. If the media had not published the details of this party, there would have been no controversy for us to discuss. No one can control the behavior of persons behind closed doors unless they are breaking laws, just as you cannot legislate morality.

The planned Klan rally will do lot more harm than good.

I have been told that it was held at an African American kid's house, and there were others there - but the pictures that were publicized did not have them in there.


and I agree, the rally will do more harm than good

[mustang59]

Originally posted by jason
in the 'letter from the editor' another quote from Mr. Edwards says "[I am] a racist because [I] know about races, much as a violinist is an expert in violins."

I don't know if that justifies his. or the groups beliefs, but it gives some clarity on the way they think.

It seems to me these people are their own worst enemies. The more they speak the more you realize how ignorant they really are. This guy doesn't even know what "racist" means and can't give an intelligent analogy. This would be like me claiming that driving a car makes me an automotive engineer.
I've seen members of these groups on television and they seem to made up primarily of uneducated backwoods hicks. No doubt there are exceptions, but I doubt very many.
I would never attend one of these rallies, even out of curiosity because just showing up lends credence to their cause. I wish the media would simply ignore them. It's no fun to throw a party if nobody shows up.

[spiveyrat]

Originally posted by mustang59
This guy doesn't even know what "racist" means and can't give an intelligent analogy. This would be like me claiming that driving a car makes me an automotive engineer.


Maybe they stay at Holiday Inn Express when the are in town having a rally. :thinking:

[mustang59]

Originally posted by spiveyrat
Maybe they stay at Holiday Inn Express when the are in town having a rally. :thinking:

LMAO!! Now, can't you just see THAT commercial? "Nope, I ain't so dang expert on race, but me and the little woman did sleep in that fancy motel last night cause us and the 8 kiddos got a free breakfast!"

[Johnny Utah]

Why are we giving people and groups like this publicity?