Haters Storm C’ville

Rational people can disagree and debate whether monuments to the Confederacy should be removed. You may align yourself on the side of keeping the memorials, but do you want to stay at the party when the Klan shows up?

Conservatives don’t seem to express any discomfort being on the same side as the Ku Klux Klan. They’re all for preserving memorials, hating big government, affirmative action, voting for Donald Trump, etc.

The city council in Charlottesville, Virginia voted to remove a monument to Confederate General Robert E. Lee. On Saturday, the Klan showed up.

Charlottesville is a beautiful and funky little city. It’s home to the University of Virginia and a vibrant, liberal creative environment (kinda like Austin and other college towns, such as Athens, Georgia). The city was home to two United States presidents, including Thomas Jefferson whose home, Monticello, is a huge tourist attraction (he also founded UVA). UVA is also home to the Center for Politics, which has a really cool newsletter that every political geek should subscribe to. The Dave Matthews Band is from Charlottesville.

One thing Charlottesville is not home to is the KKK. The Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, which turned up in C’ville on Saturday is from North Carolina.

About 30 members of the hate group were escorted to and from the rally by police in riot gear. When has the police ever escorted Black Lives Matter as they protested? The KKK was outnumbered by a counterprotest. More than 100 officers of the state, county, and university assisted city police to keeping the calm, and protect the Klan.

After the rally ended, wearing riot gear and gas masks, the police declared the counterprotesters “an unlawful assembly” and used gas canisters to compel them to leave the area. 22 people were arrested (three people ended up in the hospital).

The Klan isn’t local to C’ville, but many of the counterprotesters were, and they let the hate group know they’re not welcome in their city or the state of Virginia for that matter.

Robert E. Lee fought for the Confederacy and the right for white people to own black people, but I don’t think he would want to be associated with the KKK. I know Thomas Jefferson wouldn’t appreciate their presence in his city.

Virginia is my adopted home state and I’m proud so many showed up to counter the Klan and let them know they’re not welcome here. Virginia is moving forward (we didn’t vote for Trump). The KKK is stuck in the past constantly relitigating the Civil War and making excuses for why it was fought.

This faction of the KKK should go back to North Carolina. I’m sure there are memorials down there they can defend. If nothing else, they can police the bathrooms.

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