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EDITORIAL
Villagers should come together
Yellow Springs will be the scene of a major event
in a little over a week when a faction of the Ku Klux Klan comes to town
to distribute literature. A number of scenarios could take place, some of
which are frightening, others empowering. Just how Yellow Springs reacts
will say a lot about this community.
An obvious concern is that the Klan’s activity
here — which, according to the Village, will involve Klansmen handing
out literature downtown on Saturday, April 17 —- will turn violent
as the group’s presence leads to an ugly confrontation. Police Chief
Carl Bush and other Village officials have said that public safety, for
everyone involved in this situation, is their top priority, and the chief
noted that the Village will have “additional resources” in town
that day. But you cannot control everyone in a crowd, and surely the Klan
will attract a crowd here on April 17. Law enforcement officials will be
challenged to allow the Klan to exercise its right to free speech and assembly,
while maintaining order during what is likely to be a couple of tense hours.
Another likely scenario involves the Yellow Springs
community coming together, not downtown around the Klan’s activity,
but through an event or gathering that unites Yellow Springers of all races,
ages, religions, sexual orientations. That was the message several people
suggested during Village Council’s meeting Monday, when Council and
approximately 50 Yellow Springers spent about 90 minutes discussing how
the Village and the community can address the KKK’s plans. Such a
positive activity, focused on what the Klan opposes, could counterbalance
the group’s presence.
A number of people, including several Council members
and Chief Bush, also have urged local residents to ignore the Klan’s
activity here and deprive the group of the attention it craves. Downtown
businesses could respond by placing signs in their windows on April 17 promoting
diversity and community unity. This would send a message that the KKK is
not welcome here. In addition, the Village could declare April 17 or another
day after the Klan’s activity here “Unity Day in Yellow Springs.”
The Ku Klux Klan is a hate group that thrives on
fear and intimidation. The group’s list of targets is long and includes
African-Americans, Jews, immigrants, homosexuals and Catholics, the Southern
Poverty Law Center reports. As their numbers have dwindled, the Anti-Defamation
League reports on its Web site, Klansmen have tried to mainstream their
message and image. The Klan may try to promote a more “positive”
impression by participating in government activities like adopt-a-highway
programs, but such actions cannot hide its underlying purpose of advancing
white supremacy.
April 17 will certainly be a test for the Yellow
Springs Police Department, other law enforcement agencies and our community.
The best thing to do is to counter the Klan’s hateful message with
a positive one. As Joan Chappelle, a member of the Village Human Relations
Commission, said at Monday’s meeting, April 17 ought to be a day to
remember that everybody counts and people of all backgrounds are welcome
in Yellow Springs. The real key is that we do not limit our celebration
of these values for just one day.
—Robert Mihalek |
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