On March 29, 2003, a Ku Klux Klan rally was held in Greeneville, Tenn.
For those who do not know, Greeneville is right in ETSU’s backyard.
With the war going on halfway around the world, most students and faculty are concerned for peace, tolerance and a safe return home for our troops.
What about peace at home?
The city of Greeneville had to allow the rally to take place. It is the Klan’s right to gather and demonstrate.
They have the same right that we have to gather and protest our feelings about the war or in support of our troops.
I was pleased to find out that a few ETSU students went to the rally in protest or out of concern. By a few, I mean a few.
Maybe the campus community was unaware of the rally. Maybe the idea of a rally in Greeneville isn’t as disturbing as the thought of a rally here on campus.
But then again, should it matter where it was held?
Maybe the students, faculty and staff need to know just how close this hate is to our campus.
The Knights of the Invisible Empire, Realm of Tennessee is headquartered in Erwin, just off 1-81, 20 minutes from campus. Their national office is in Hartsville, Ala.
The Grand Wizard of the Great Tennessee Knights of the Ku Klux Klan makes his home in Limestone, which is outside of Jonesborough.
There are also militia groups in Elizabethton that have associations with the Klan.
What if these people were to hold a rally in Johnson City?
Would this campus be outraged then?
One student participated in the anti-Klan rally where they were positioned outside of the recreation center separated by caution tape and barrels put in place by the police.
Almost 200 state, local and federal police were present at the rally, some in riot gear, to ensure that the protestors remained non-violent.
These officers were FBI, U.S. Marshals, Special Operations, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Greeneville City and Greene County.
Other officers from neighboring communities also were present just in case they were needed.
How much did this KKK rally cost taxpayers?
The mayor of Greeneville said that the expected cost for Greeneville is about $10,000 in police overtime and associated costs.
The state’s share of the rally’s cost is estimated as being as much as $80,000.
The KKK has wasted $90,000 in OUR resources to have their opinion heard.
But hey, freedom isn’t free, right?
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