Newspaper Page Text
May/June 1985 The Wolverine Observer
r NAKN DIRECTOR WELLS Hi
SAYS KLU KLUX KLAN
L IS GROWING IN NUMBERS J
Editor's Note
The following was done with Lyn Wells, Nat’l Coordinator, Nat’l Anti-Klan Network in April.
Is the Ku Klux Klan growing
today?
We are still in the midst of a
resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan
and similar white hate groups in
our country. In the early 70s
membership in various Klan
organizations was down to
around 1,500 mostly inactive
members. Their leadership and
organizational apparatus had
been decimated.
But in the late 70s, new and
more charasmatic Klan leaders
emerged to reorganize the
Knights of the KKK and the
Invisible Empire groups. They
appeal to an existing white
backlash to modest gains
produced by the black freedom
movement. The "new" Klan
groups garnered widespread
media attention and sent a
message to white that the Klan
was simply "their NAACP."
Today, we estimate Klan
membership to be around 9,000
members. For every dues-paying
Klan member, there are at least
10 active sympathizers who give
money, read literature or attend
rallies. Public opinion polls show
that sympathy for the KKK and its
program has increased in the
past 10 years.
Has there been a problem of
widespread violence associated
with this Klan resurgance?
Absolutely. We have been
able to document 1,100 serious
acts or racially or religiously
motivated violence between
1978-83. Over 600 of these acts
were committed by known
Klansmen. These include death
threats, cross burnings, beatings,
bull whippings, shootings, and
murders. In 1981, 18 year old
Michael Donald was beaten shot
and then hung by members of
the United Klans of America in
Mobile, Alabama.
Those of us who live in major
urban centers just do not realize
what terror this can mean for
people in small towns or subur
ban situations. Families often
dedice they have to move from a
home they’ve just purchased.
The Klan has sent armed patrols
conduct vigilante actions at
public schools. When terror like
this reigns, no other “rights” -
such as voting, employment, free
speech - can be freely exercised.
Many Klansmen and nazis
participate in paramilitary train
ing. Mostly alarming is the
development of a new white
supremacist Underground, The
Order. This is a small army
committed to an overthrow of
democracy by armed force and is
replacing it with a "White
Republic." They have no interest
in a return to formal segregation.
They don't believe in "putting
blacks back in their place." They
believe that there is NO place for
black people, Jews or other
people of color in America - that
God has promised America to
the white race. You may have
heard of the arrests, recently, of
some Underground members in
Idaho, Washington, Alabama,
North Carolina and right here in
Georgia.
Why do you believe the Klan
and other hate groups are grow
ing today?
First, there is Washington.
Of these 1,100 cases of
violence, very few have been
thoroughly investigated or
prosecuted. The Justice Depart
ment has at its disposal, the
"Anti-Klan Statues" of 1871 and
1965 under which perpetrators
can be brought to trial - and
under pressure from our
organization and others they
have now taken roughly 50 cases.
But this is only a drop in the
bucket and a green light has
already been sent to the Klan
that very few acts of violence will
be dealt with.
But there is also the promotion
of a new "Klan mentality” com
ing from Washington. When you
have a President that tells
Americans that the root cause of
our nation’s economic woes are
too many people on welfare -
most whites can ready this coded
message. The current ad
ministration has openly
promoted the theory fo social
and economic "Darwinism."
Simply put - survival of the fittest.
The powers-that-be openly
foster the notion among whites
that blacks have their freedom
now and if they aren’t doing well
it is their own fault."
We must consider that there
are a growing number of whites
who are doing worse than they
were four years ago. Due to the
stagnation in basic sections of
our economy, these white face a
very insecure future. Family
farmers are going under and
many whole industries face
elimination. Political frustration
among these whites is high and
many are being radicalized - and
unfortunately many who are
repulsed by the two major
parties are being organized by
the Klan and new nazi groups.
This is the soil producing a
resurgence of hate activity.
What can students do about
these developments?
First, don’t be complacent.
The civil rights advances won' by
the women and men of the
1960’s are under tremendous
attack. The Justice Department
has filed numerous legal actions
to rescind affirmative action
programs that are in place in
cities across the country. The
KKK and nazi groups are simply
the shock troops for a much
more major drive to repeal
progress towards a more in
clusive society.
Second, get involved. Our
organization is always in need of
volunteer help and service
organizations on campus are
needed for support efforts.
Third, stay informed. Some
nazi groups, strange as it may
seem, are now aiming their
efforts at black recruitment.
LyndonLaRouche’s group is one,
often operating under the name
of the SCHILLER INSTITUTE.
They will induct black members
but request that they give up
their "beastial culture" for
LaRouchian culture. The pur
pose of this drive is to undercut
progressive black leadership.
Already LaRouche has con
ducted campaigns to discredit
Rev. Jesse Jackson and Tran-
sAfrica.
Message
Continued from pg. 13
Brown ain’t done nuthin for
me," she made it on her own.
She has not been seen or heard
from since she stormed out of
the business office X number of
years ago. You would like to say
good riddance, since she con
tinues to downgrade the school
and speak of it in a negative light.
But you can’t - she still owes the
school $5,000.
Level 2 Alumni
I like to call him the “side
straddler." You all know him.
He’s the one singing "I’m so glad
I’m from Morris Brown” while
he has earphones on listening to
the Georgia game. He attends all
the games he can get free tickets
to. When things are going good,
he boasts of being from MBC.
But when the news media gives
one of their negative comments,
he’s quiet. Morris Brown knows
where he is, but only by chance.
He does not want the school to
know his address-they might ask
for money. You would not want
to say good-bye to him, afterall,
he donates a whopping $100 to
the school every ten years. That is
equivalent to a modest $10 a
year, or an embarrassing amount
of 83$ a month.
Level 3 Alumni
I would like to call them the
"cream of the crop." They can be
easily identified. They are wear
ing purple jackets at the games
and belong to the local alumni
chapters in their areas. They
proudly put Morris Brown
College on job applications and
let everyone know they
graduated with a degree that is
just as good as one received from
a large university. They buy
season tickets to the games or
pay the $5 to get in. The school
knows where they are at all
times. When their addresses
change, they contact the school.
We will not say good-bye to
them; they won’t let us. They
may not give much but they give
regularly each year.
There you have it; you know
which level you are. Let’s not
have any "bottom of the barrel"
alumni or "side-straddlers.” Let’s
all strive to be the “cream of the
crop." Afterall, our alma mater is
the pride of earth. The one who
gives us another birth. A mother
who greets us with the warm coat
of knowledge to protect us from
the cold world. Don’t let the
mother of your achievements
suffer with financial straits. You,
her sons and daughters, are
being nurtured by Fountain Hall,
Furber Cottage, Griffin-
Hightower and the John Lewis
Gymnasium. They are going
through the pains of labor to
deliver teachers, doctors,
lawyers, CPA’s, business
managers, home economists,
journalists, politicians.
Page 14
professional athletes, and of
course the list goes on. Don’t
stand by with the evidence of her
teachings - fine cars, big homes
and hefty bank accounts - and
deny her loyalty. We owe it to
her. Not Level 1, leaving with a
balance of $5,000 or Level 2,
giving a mere 83c a month, but
Level 3, giving regularly each
year.
If I may paraphrase John F.
Kennedy, "Ask not what Morris
Brown can do for you, ask what
you can do for Morris Brown.”
You know the situation. Now
you must choose your level of
loyalty.
Poet’s
(Eorner
»
Anguish of Change
As time passes on
Working its miracles on you and I
There comes a change full of
Hellos, Love,
Hate and Goodbyes.
The Hello we said,
just a minute ago,
Agree both sweet and true;
Memories Hello bring tears to dry eyes
In love with each other we both knew.
The Love that was once there,
just a moment ago.
Lies dormant in our hearts
Shackled in obstinate binds.
Love long gone
Left alone we are.
Each accuse the other of Hate
Unfeeling
Uncaring
Fools we are.
Both caught up in the river of progress
Now drowning for a fruitless cause.
The Goodbye has also come and gone
Minds now hurt and confused
Blindfold of illusion blown away
True emotions never used.
A Change I wish I never knew.
aa-.HL,
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Her images are sharp. Her words
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chosen. Sister Damali pulls no
punches and plays no games; she
calls the shots and hits the target
accurately. Her message, I Am
Natural, is a positive affirmation
of a collective self. It is a universal
message that speaks to black
people in specific, and humanity
as a whole. I Am Natural, is a
book full of Natural feelings
from the heart and soul of a
woman who is all Natural, all
Black, and most of all, Beautiful.
I Am Natural, can be obtained
by sending $4.50 to the following
address: Blackwood Press, Box
115311, Atlanta, GA 30310.