Spokane7
55°
January 13, 2012 in Idaho
Students encounter racism after King celebration
About 1,300 students from the Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls school districts attended a Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration today at North Idaho College.
On their way back to school, their buses passed a dozen white supremacists demonstrating on Northwest Boulevard in Coeur d’Alene, waving Ku Klux Klan flags and signs supporting segregation. To Tony Stewart, it was a teachable moment.
The students had just been learning about King and the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s, said Stewart, co-founder of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations.
“What the young minds saw,” he said, “is that we’re still not free from bigotry and prejudice in this country or any other country…. They didn’t leave thinking that there are no problems.”
Among the demonstrators was Shaun Winkler, who calls himself the Imperial Wizard of the White Knights of the KKK. Winkler said his group plans another demonstration Monday evening outside the human relations task force’s annual gala.
The gala is the organization’s annual fundraiser, Stewart said. It raises money for programs such as the student’s MLK celebration, which has occurred the last 27 years.
The gala includes live music and an auction. It takes place from 5-8 p.m. Monday at Parkside Towers, 601 E. Front Ave., in Coeur d’Alene. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $40.
Caribou habitat costs studied 
westerly on January 13 at 4:45 p.m.
Sad, KKK is still alive and well in Spokane area….even though 15 miles away..national media groups it all into one geo area.
force_vector on January 13 at 5:07 p.m.
“Shaun Winkler, who calls himself the Imperial Wizard of the White Knights of the KKK….”
Hey Shaun, The Hobbit doesn’t come out until December, and you’re not Gandalf, so what’s with the “wizard” crap.
Diana on January 13 at 5:31 p.m.
Let them demonstrate and wear their stupid white sheets. Let them fly the KKK flag and show the world they are the biggest losers in American history.
Bruce (aka thatoneguy) on January 13 at 5:51 p.m.
Wow – 4 comments so far and nobody has blamed Obama yet? Weird.
Bruce (aka thatoneguy) on January 13 at 5:51 p.m.
^ kidding
gmorton on January 13 at 7:09 p.m.
Article:
“’What the young minds saw,” he said, ‘is that we’re still not free from bigotry and prejudice in this country or any other country…. ’”
Of course not. That will happen when, as they say, Hell freezes over.
Why is this considered news?
misjustice on January 13 at 7:14 p.m.
Ahhh, the Imperial Wizard reminds me of a scene from “Fried Green Tomatoes”
When warned by
Sheriff Grady that she should stop “selling to coloreds,” Idgie defiantly
pokes fun at him and his friends “under those sheets” for “marching
around in one of those parades you boys have… . Howcome they don’t
have enough sense to change their shoes?” She teases him, “I’d recognize
those size 14 clodhoppers you got anywhere, Grady,”
http://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1006&context=umpress_fbc
avocet on January 13 at 7:27 p.m.
Now that I’ve read the article, I realize that that is a loaded headline. It makes it sound like the students were targets of racism when in reality they simply witnessed a racist demonstration as their bus drove down the road.
It might have been a “teachable moment,” but it certainly is not newsworthy. Irresponsible reporting, S-R.
gmorton on January 13 at 8:02 p.m.
avocet wrote,
“It might have been a ‘teachable moment,’ but it certainly is not newsworthy. Irresponsible reporting, S-R.”
I wonder if their chaperons used that “teachable moment” to hold forth on the virtues of free speech, and point out that the First Amendment protects even “speech we hate.”
mrd on January 13 at 8:19 p.m.
It’s too bad we didn’t put more energy into permanently retiring the criminal element (of all color) instead of fighting over the color of good law abiding people.
Diana on January 13 at 8:29 p.m.
Daisy, don’t let your lack of imagination stop you. Keep trying. One day you might actually post something funny.
Bruce (aka thatoneguy) on January 13 at 8:34 p.m.
^ ^ ^ there’s always hope.
(And change)
misjustice on January 13 at 8:41 p.m.
“Daisy, don’t let your lack of imagination stop you. Keep trying. One day you might actually post something funny.”
Or even relevent to the topic…sans a personal attack.
*sigh*
Dazzeetrader11 on January 13 at 8:54 p.m.
Personal attack? How so? You should have a size 14 sack on your head.
Look…laugh a little. This crap has been ongoing for over a century. Some people or groups will never understand that hate or malice will kill us all..including them.
It’s not news. Seems like (well the data shows it clearly) the 17% of the population is unstable and dysfuntional at any given time.
Serenity isn’t one these people want. So they seem to pass craziness around…at least all places I’ve been.
No offense to the hatemongers. I mean seriously who’d elect to spend their minutes in hate? My initial comment wasn’t meant to offend. A hard week’s whimsey I guess….thicken your skin though people. This 2012 run will test everyone.
misjustice on January 13 at 9:23 p.m.
^ see what I mean?
Even when it apologizes it manages a personal attack…
force_vector on January 13 at 9:25 p.m.
I posted an article that referred to a lien on Shaun’s property. That link and post was deleted. Why?
greenlibertarian on January 13 at 10:38 p.m.
force_vector on January 13 at 9:25 p.m.
I posted an article that referred to a lien on Shaun’s property. That link and post was deleted. Why?
Good question. Liens are public information.
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These despicable people are not stupid or mentally ill, typically. They’re racists and bigots, which knows no bounds.
In my day I’ve know some absolutely brilliant people who were total racists.