If there is one indelible truth gained from the bloody and arduous civil rights movement of the 50s and 60s, it has to be this: Candy and intolerance are the perfect pair. After all, nothing takes the edge off a hard day spent spreading bigotry quite like a rainbow lollie. It's catnip for racism, and, boy, does it make the hate crimes go down smooth.At least, that's the impression left by the extremely odd packages numerous residents of Cullman City, Alabama, have been finding on their stoops as of late. Local authorities are now on the search for an unknown person or persons who have eerily taken to leaving plastic bags containing KKK fliers and pieces of candy.We've reported before that a tried-and-true tactic of the KKK is to leave bags of candy along with their racial propaganda. Well, they're at it again, and their starting gambit is the same: hate literature sweetened by a sack of Tootsie Rolls, Cow Tails, and Dum-Dum lollipops.
Local news sources in Cullman County, Alabama have reported that on Sunday and Monday, people living in the city of Cullman as well as outlying areas woke up to find bags of candy along with notes that say "Our Race Is Our Nation" and "Save Our Land … Join The Klan."Sheriff Matt Gentry said that the packages were found on driveways and porches. At least one was left inside one person's car.Local authorities believe the packages are not coming from a source in their community. Gentry says that the tactics appear to be some sort of KKK recruitment process spreading from other neighboring states such as Virginia, South Carolina and North Carolina.The Sheriff had this to say: "I'm a supporter of our First Amendment. I believe in freedom of speech, but there's a right way and a wrong way to do it. If you want to stand out on the street corner and pass out any literature, hey, that's your First Amendment right. But you do not go [onto] people's private property and pass out literature. You do not throw literature in people's yards, and you do not go into people's vehicles and put literature in their vehicles. That's violating the law."According to reports, a North Carolina phone number is listed on the flyer. WTVM reports that when they dialed the number, they heard "a recording in which black Americans are referred to in derogatory terms. The message also says, 'America is becoming a jungle just like Africa. This has been a message of the Royal White Knights of the KKK.'"Sheriff Gentry is hoping to get fingerprints off the numerous flyers being left behind. Additionally, his office is awaiting test results on the candy itself for any possibly harmful substances.One Cullman resident, Bridget Richardson, says that despite being appalled by the fact that the KKK were actively trying to recruit community members, she found it even more disturbing that the ploy seems to be geared towards enticing children."There shouldn't ever be any of the 'save our land' and their race 'is our nation,'" she said, referring to the fliers. "There's too many races, genders, whatever. People need to just worry about their own things and not the sex or skin color. And whatever they're trying to accomplish with this is just ridiculous."Although it's doubtful that anyone—even a child—would be impressionable enough to fall for the recruitment attempt, it's certainly disturbing as its methodology.Where are the golden days of yore when candy was only used for poisoning hapless trick-or-treaters and abducting wide-eyed toddlers?
Advertisement
Advertisement