U.S : Alabama newspaper calls on the KKK to ride again.

The Alabama Press Association cannot give credibility to media outlets who call for white supremacist violence.

Demand the Alabama Press Association revoke the membership of the Democrat-Reporter.

Dear friend,

The Alabama Press Association must take immediate steps to denounce white supremacist terrorism and revoke the membership ofThe Democrat-Reporter now.

The Democrat-Reporter, a newspaper in Linden, Alabama, recently published an editorial calling for the Ku Klux Klan “to night ride again” against lawmakers in Washington, D.C. who are “plotting to raise taxes in Alabama. ”When confronted about this editorial, Goodloe Sutton, the paper’s publisher, admitted that he wrote it, doubled down on his idea to lynch federal lawmakers, and compared the KKK to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.¹

More than 340 Black people were lynched in Alabama between 1877 and 1943, a period of 66 years.² To invoke the memory of such horrific acts in such a cavalier manner is more than insulting — it’s down right dangerous. At a time when white nationalism is on the rise, and white supremacists are marching in the streets of Charlottesville, VA and Portland, OR, this newspaper’s longing for the days of the KKK is inexcusable.

Endorsements of white supremacist violence have no place in our media. The Alabama Press Association needs to kick out The Democrat-Reporter now!

This isn’t the first time Sutton and The Democrat-Reporter have been openly racist. In an editorial from May 2015 titled, “Black cops arrest black — riot,” Sutton stated that the mayor of a city “up north” had “displayed her African heritage by not enforcing civilized law” and referred to President Barack Obama as “Leroy Obama.”³ In another editorial commenting on the NFL national anthem protest led by Colin Kaepernick, The Democrat-Reporter stated : “That’s what black folks were taught to do two hundred years ago, kneel before a white man. Is that it ? Let them kneel !”⁴ Explicit racism is running rampant in this small town Alabama newspaper; two state lawmakers stated they weren’t surprised by the editorial calling for the Klan to lynch lawmakers, and that the constant racism from the paper is the main reason why they don’t subscribe. Other lawmakers, including Alabama Senator Doug Jones and United States Representative Terri Sewell have called on Goodloe Sutton to resign.⁵

Public outcry and condemnation is even more reason for the Alabama Press Association to revoke The Democrat-Reporter’s membership. When asked about the Klan editorial, the APA said that while they don’t agree with it, they are “not a policing agency” and “have no authority over what [their] member newspapers publish.”⁶ This response is unacceptable. As a member of the APA, The Democrat-Reporter is provided with credibility and access to professional resources and spaces. The APA should not be a safe haven for this kind of unabashed racism coupled with historical ignorance, which inevitably leads to increased physical violence towards Black people.

It's 2019 and enough is enough. It’s time for the Alabama Press Association to denounce white supremacist violence by revoking the membership of The Democrat-Reporter and adopt strong policies that reject media outlets that endorse white supremacy.

Until justice is real, 

Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Future, Mary, Saréya, Samantha, Eesha, and the rest of the Color Of Change team

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References :

1. "Alabama newspaper editor calls for Klan return to 'clean out D.C.'", Montgomery Advisor, 18 February 2019 https://act.colorofchange.org/go/122390?t=9&akid=23314%2E1942551%2EE-VzmM
2. "More than 300 African-Americans lynched in Alabama in 66 years", AL.com, 26 April 2018, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/122391?t=11&akid=23314%2E1942551%2EE-VzmM
3. "Black cops arrest Black - riot", The Democrat-Reporter, 21 May 2015 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/122392?t=13&akid=23314%2E1942551%2EE-VzmM
4. "Let football boys kneel", The Democrat-Reporter, 19 October 2017 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/122393?t=15&akid=23314%2E1942551%2EE-VzmM
5. "Two Alabama congressional members : Man who wrote editorial calling for Klan’s return should resign", AL.com, 18 February 2019 https://act.colorofchange.org/go/122394?t=17&akid=23314%2E1942551%2EE-VzmM
6. "Alabama newspaper editor calls for return of the KKK to ‘clean out DC’", The Hill, 18 February 2019 https://act.colorofchange.org/go/122396?t=19&akid=23314%2E1942551%2EE-VzmM

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