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KKK group leaves recruitment fliers in area

PARKERSBURG – Several area residents, including a local pastor, are upset with what a group calling itself the “Loyal White Knights of the KKK” plastered their neighborhood streets with late Thursday night.

The Ku Klux Klan historically has advocated extremist reactionary tactics such as white supremacy, white nationalism and anti-immigration, often expressed through terrorism.

Dave Chittum, a resident on Market Street, said he woke up Friday morning to the fliers displayed in his yard. He said at first he thought it was a newspaper section but quickly determined what it actually was.

“I thought it was shameful and it’s not representative of the public opinion – and certainly not mine,” Chittum said. “I imagine they are a very small fraction of people but apparently they’re organized enough to put this out.”

Jim Sallie, pastor with Redeemer Parkersburg at 813 Market St., said he was less than pleased with the discovery.

“I found it disturbing how they misquote the Bible to promote their agenda,” Sallie said of the organization.

“Jesus paid the debt for sins for all who will believe. Christ enables one to be accepted by God the Father. In response to this grace which is found in Christ one lives out of gratitude and desires to love God and his neighbor,” Sallie said.

Sallie said the group, claiming to be Christians, propagates righteousness but is not familiar with it.

“Such groups littering our streets with their propaganda should do it in their own name and leave God’s out of it,” he added. “He is calling people here in Parkersburg to seek Him.”

Sgt. Greg Collins with the Parkersburg Police Department said the KKK fliers appeared to have been disseminated overnight. He said the city police are monitoring the situation closely.

“At this time it doesn’t appear that any criminal laws have been violated,” Collins said. “We will continue to monitor this.”

Chittum said as a resident in Parkersburg he wanted to let people know that is not how he feels and shouldn’t be how the majority of the public feels.

“I found it very disturbing and felt the need to bring attention to it,” he said.

President George Rutherford with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s Jefferson County branch said the NAACP is “definitely against any action like that and feels it is inappropriate.”

The flier reads:

“Neighborhood Watch

“The law abiding citizens of Parkersburg can sleep in peace tonight knowing the Klan is awake! Are you tired of the drug dealers keeping you from sitting on your front porch at night? I am. Are you tired of being disrespected by people that don’t know what work is? I am. Are you tired of the government taking away your rights and giving them to immigrants? I am. Are you tired of people taking advantage of you? I am. We’re not who you think we are. We want equal rights for whites. We want to be allowed to have pride in our heritage without being called racist. We’re just TIRED of all the crap!”

The flier goes on to read: “We are the loyal white knights of the Ku Klux Klan realm of West Virginia. If you’re not a part of the solution you’re part of the problem!”

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