Our View: Klan should crawl back under their rocks

Leaflets extolling the virtues of the United Klans of America landed on front lawns — and, in some cases, appropriately in the gutters — throughout Havre this weekend.

“You can sleep well tonight knowing the UKA is awake,” the leaflet assures us.

Excuse us, but we think some people lost sleep in Havre this weekend because the UKA is around here.

As discouraging as the Klan leaflets are, the reaction of the Havre community has been very encouraging.

People took to social media this weekend, and there was nearly uniform condemnation of these crazies. Some people talk about organizing a group much like “Not In Our Town,” a group that formed after incidents of hatred in Billings several years ago.

The kind of hatred the Klan represents isn’t what Havre is about, and we hope the community continues to express its revulsion. Like any community, we have our racial tensions, but the kind of hatred expressed by the Klan over the last century and a half is something that makes most Havreites sick.

Just what the Klan’s leaflet drop means no one knows.

Is this a serious effort to organize a Klan chapter in Havre?

Is this an effort by the Great Falls chapter to move into Havre?

Or, is it just a local nutjob out to get people upset?

In any event, it’s clear that the hatred expressed by the Klan is on the wrong side of history.

Way too slowly and with too many bumps in the road, the United States is making progress in fighting bigotry.

What disturbs the Klan members the most is that we have an African-American president. Instead of looking forward to the tremendous potential of having a multi-cultural country, they are fighting to return to out-of-date white-only lifestyles.

Some have suggested that the hate mongers should be ignored and denied the publicity that they crave.

But the Southern Poverty Law Center, a group that has monitored and fought hate groups for more than four decades strongly disagrees. Lifting up the rocks and letting the sun shine on maggots is an effective way of getting rid of them.

It’s been heartwarming seeing Havre lift up the rocks and let the sun shine on the purveyors of fear.

If the Klan keeps up its efforts in Havre, we’re sure Havre will continue to spread racial understanding.

As for the Klan, Havre has made its position clear. You ought to leave Havre alone and crawl back under your rock.