05/20/2007

Letters to the Editor

At Issue: Klan Flag

Repulsed by flag

Recently I attended the annual Rapid City Business Owners' steak cookout. Congratulations should be in order to the proprietors who sponsor the event.

However, someone took the shine off the festivities when they chose to fly the flag of the Ku Klux Klan over the picnic area. I'm sure that most of the sponsors don't subscribe to the philosophy of the KKK nor would they tolerate its activities. The few who do have now sullied the efforts to build something positive for this community.

I'm embarrassed since I encouraged a number of friends to attend. I'm concerned that with our attendance we may have seemed to approve instead of being repulsed by those who were responsible for this flag.

I don't think that the overwhelming majority of us, whether rich or poor, old or young, working or retired, liberal or conservative, would condone the actions or feelings of Klan members.

If the Klan wants to hold a gathering, they should be up front and advertise their event as such. But to masquerade under the guise of business owners striving to build rapport with their community does a huge disservice to the rest.

Bill Bockstahler
Alden

Flag decision appalling

I am quite certain that I am not alone in being deeply disturbed by the group of Rapid City businessmen who, while sponsoring a picnic for their local community, allowed a Confederate flag to fly over the event that had the words Ku Klux Klan and White Power printed on it.

It is truly astounding they would choose to have a KKK flag at a local picnic because they couldn't fly the "tattered American flag” that came with the pole. If the American flag was in such poor condition and all you happen to have at hand is a Ku Klux Klan flag, I think most sensible people would give it a miss altogether.

That they allowed this flag to fly for the duration of the picnic, long after they understood what was actually written on it, is an extremely offensive act.

If Rapid City businesses are content to be perceived by northern Michigan as tolerant of vicious groups such as this in the name of "free speech,” you may find that your neighbors also exercise their "freedoms” by choosing not to shop in your town.

Sally Vander Wall
Glen Arbor

KKK flag no big deal?

The Ku Klux Klan has always thrived on silent tolerance, anonymity and ignorance. If the flag owner was proud enough of it to fly it for all to see, why protect his/her anonymity? Name every business present; better yet, name those businesses not represented at the May 6 Rapid City Businessmen's picnic.

My family's summer address is Rapid City. Skin tones among my children adopted from five continents range from red, brown and yellow to black and white. I am nauseated to think we have been supporting businesses that would congregate under a flag proclaiming "white power.” We will make it our business to no longer frequent Rapid City businesses.

As Kalkaska County Commissioner Rob Crambell commented, citizens in this country may have the right to "fly what they want to,” but leaders with conviction and integrity have an obligation to complain and leave!

No big deal? Tell that to my kids!

Karen Grettenberger
Traverse City

Downplaying KKK flag

I am appalled to find out our county commissioners will downplay the Confederate Ku Klux Klan flag.

"It's no big deal” to whom? Those who are white? What about other Americans who are different nationalities?

Also another county commissioner is going to claim he never saw the flag, which was right in the center of the picnic and next to the table of food. Hmm. He must be either gullible or assumes if he denies he didn't see it then it's OK for his actions. Again, these are elected officials.

And lastly, business owner Stuart McKinnon is another one who rather not say who owns the flag. I will make sure I put the word out what type of businessman he is. "Fair and equal” to all his patrons. Not.

Michelle Smith
Kalkaska

Hoist just any flag

Interesting article ("Klan Flag Flies At Picnic” May 13). I found the response from the local businessmen refreshingly open-minded: "I don't have a problem with any flag you fly.”

I guess I can look forward to a cheerful greeting from all the picnickers next year, when I hoist up my "Kill all Christians!” flag, or the "Go al-Qaeda, on to Victory!” banner.

I guess it's possible though, that no one will look higher than the base of my flag pole, as seemed to be the case this year, so it might just be a waste of time.

This sure is a welcoming, live-and-let-live place, eh?

Tom Pixley
Traverse City

Backyard horrors

I appreciate your giving the Rapid City racism story proper attention by placing it on the front page! This is not, as some of the people who were interviewed for the article supposed, a small or unimportant happening. This incident matters a great deal and should not be downplayed. So I am grateful for your letting people know about the horrors happening literally in their own backyard.

David Johnson
Kalkaska

Symbol of hatred/racism

I don't know which I find more disgusting, people who aren't bothered by the presence of a Ku Klux Klan flag at an event they attend, or people who are bothered by it but don't do anything about it. The lame excuses for tolerating that flag given by some of the attendees interviewed by your paper are appalling. The "if it's OK with NASCAR, it's OK with me” excuse deserves particular derision.

Didn't anyone try to remove the flag? The Confederate flag alone is bad enough. It stands for treason against our country. But the KKK symbols on the flag are obviously much worse. They symbolize the type of hatred and racism that the vast majority of Americans abhor. It's a shame that no one stood up against those symbols.

A lot of good people in Rapid City would probably feel better today if they had confronted whoever raised that flag and saw to it that it was removed.

Sean Palmer
Traverse City

Racism is not dead

For those who think that racism is dead in this country and no longer an issue for its residents, I ask them to open their eyes to the ugly realities of our society. What occurred in our backyard is a shame and disgusting. For someone not to have the guts to stand up and have the Ku Klux Klan flag removed from a community event is shameful.

I am not sitting here playing the race card, but simply pointing out that since 9/11, groups like the KKK and other racist associations have grown in tremendous numbers around the state and our country. Don't they see a societal problem in this? Doesn't it disturb them that the newest white fraternity fad is to throw race parties, where white kids are showing up dressed in black face, as thugs, landscapers, pregnant teens or farm workers? Stereotyping and profiling is something we should be beyond, but we are not and that is my point.

If we don't discuss these issues they will continue to be a problem and swept under the rug — a rug protected by "freedom of speech” but offensive to thousands, if not millions, of this country's citizens.

Amador Diaz Jr.
Traverse City