The blog posts I will deal with are:
Virginia Flagger Barry Isenhour claims the group denounces the Ku Klux Klan despite their promoting a Klan organized rally -- dated Nov 3I will deal with parts or all of these blog entries as I have time. This post deals with the first one dated October 22.
I don't think so Connie No-Brain, you're not going to come onto my blog and call me a liar -- Nov 2
Hoods Off: The Virginia Flaggers are promoting a White Power Klan rally at Stone Mountain -- Nov 1
The Invisible Empire rides again: The International Keystone Knights of the Ku Klux Klan are claiming that 76 Klansmen are planning on attending a "Confederate Heritage" styled rally at Stone Mountain, Georgia on November 14th -- Oct 28
Hoods Off: Ku Klux Klan and Confederate Heritage activists to converge on November 14th at Stone Mountain, Georgia for joint rally -- Oct 22
On that day, De'Stroy uploaded a post that claims "Confederate heritage activists" were going to "converge" with the KKK for a joint rally at Stone Mountain. Yet nothing he posted proved that.
The Southern Poverty Law Center's document he pasted into his blog entry will be dealt with at the end of this post; for now, suffice it to say the rich lawyers at the SPLC have given zero proof of KKK involvement in the planning of the rally.
Now back to De'Stroy. Following a graphic depicting comments between Billy Bearden and Southern Rebel Patriots, one group claiming to be the planners of the event, De'Stroy wrote this caption: Georgia Flagger Billy Bearden converses with the Klan rally organizers.
But to the best of my ability to determine, Southern Rebel Patriots are not the KKK and are not planning or organizing a KKK rally, and De'Stroy offered not a dab of proof that they are. The Facebook event page, Defend Stone Mountain" is the work of a group called "Protect the South" which also claims to be planning the rally.
DeStroy then linked to the event page, "Defend Stone Mountain," which contains no confirmation whatever that either the group or the event have any connection to the KKK.
Following that is a pic of Shaun Winkler in KKK garb with an excerpt from the SPLC document: "The protest demonstration is being promoted by the International Keystone Knights of the Ku Klux Klan and one of its leaders, Shaun P. Winkler." Winkler has posted a couple of comments on FB about the rally that could be considered promoting it, but neither that, nor the picture, prove he or the KKK are PLANNING and ORGANIZING it.
Next, a graphic meme of Nathan Bedford Forrest posted by Winkler that says "White man rise November 14 noon where it all began - blood may be shed - 1000 Robert E Lee Blvd Stone Mt GA 30083"
This is certainly an offensive and outrageous prediction, but not guaranteed, and it certainly doesn't prove the KKK is planning and organizing the event.
Next we have a Facebook screenshot about the event, wherein someone asks, Is it okay to wear my klan shirt?
Southern Rebel Patriots replies: I want to keep this just about the flag and stone mountain. I don't want to give the media any fuel to use against us. ...And.... That's Thor saying that. They will be looking for any reason to get what they want, NAACP will. So we aren't going to let they (sic) have it that easy. Thank u for asking.
Now look at this. Patriots spokesman clearly thinks a KKK shirt would be "fuel" the media could use against rally-goers ... i.e., heritage folks. Also suggests the NAACP would use it to try to get what they want (presumably, Patriots spokesman thinks a King monument on Stone Mountain is what the NAACP wants although right now, it appears to be the Stone Mountain Memorial Association pushing the monument).
That statement is the closest thing in the entire blog post to indicate familiarity between Confederate Rebel Patriots and the KKK, but could indicate little more than Patriots' Facebook acquaintance with a couple of individuals who are KKK members, or purport to be.
But the real point is to see how De'Stroy, in his caption, distorts what was said: The Southern Rebel Patriots would prefer that you not wear your Klan shirts. You know, so they can fool the public. "Wink, Wink".
There is nothing in the statement that even comes close to the meaning De'Stroy is trying to give it. The caption gives us a lot of insight into how De'Stroy's mind works.
Next we have a photo of somebody else (Greg Calhoun) in a KKK shirt, but no proof the KKK is involved in planning or organizing the rally. (I mean, really, just posting a pic of somebody in Klan garb is supposed to prove something De'Stroy?)
Following this, De'Stroy posts a screenshot from the Patriots' FB page, which include a post and comments that say:
Southern Rebel Patriots -- Good Morning everyone!! Today is the day the lord has made let's rejoice and be glad in it! Hope everyone's hump day is going well. We are trying to contact the Sons of confederates veterans and any other organization today to see if they would like to stand with us at Stone Mountain. So if anyone has any friends with any of these groups please let us know. Any help would be great. We have to unite together for our heritage and our beliefs.
Armond Watkins --They canceled a public hearing yesterday because no one came. My problem is if it was a public hearing why didn't anyone know about it. Call StoneMoutain Park and find out when the meeting was postponed till.
Southern Rebel Patriots -- Ok i will cause ive not heard about it either.
Note how De'Stroy restates this conversation: The "Southern Rebel Patriots" say they have reached out to the Sons of Confederate Veterans and other Confederate Heritage organizations to see if they will stand in unity with the Klan at Stone Mountain.
Patriots did not say that, plain and simple.
De'Stroy finishes his blog entry with this:
We're waiting for the Sons of Confederate Veterans, the Virginia Flaggers, the Mid-South Flaggers, the Alabama Flaggers, the Army of Northern Virginia Mechanized Cavalry, the United Daughters of the Confederacy, and all other Confederate Heritage groups to speak out and send a message loud and clear to the Ku Klux Klan that they are not welcome in Stone Mountain. So far, Confederate Heritage activists seem to be embracing the Klan organized rally.
Obviously, De'Stroy, only you and the lyin' SPLC are calling this a "Klan-organized rally." If it is, you need to provide some proof that Southern Rebel Patriots are the KKK. If it isn't, you need to quit presenting it as if it is.
It's obvious that Southern heritage folks don't believe this is a KKK event. They don't believe the groups organizing and planning it are the KKK. Some of them probably n know that a handful of individual KKK types are promoting the event, or plan to attend it, but that's not the same thing, is it?
The most that's happening that I can see after combing several Stone Mountain event sites is that a handful of folks identified, or self-identified, as KKK, say they are going to attend the event -- maybe six, seven people. But that is a far cry from planning and organizing the event. And it means that those planning the event, and the vast majority planning to attend it, are not KKK. So why does DeStroy and the SPLC focus on that handful, and not on the vast majority? Because their method is to taint the majority with the handful.
Now, to that SPLC document, found here:
https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2015/10/22/kkk-plans-rally-stone-mountain-georgia-park-considered-mlk-memorial
Analysis of the SPLC document:
Title and Paragraph 1 -- unproven assertion that KKK and various pro-Confederate groups are planning the rally.
Paragraph 2 -- Info on the proposed MLK memorial bell.
Paragraph 3 -- background info on Stone Mountain.
Paragraph 4 -- info that the rally is being promoted (PROMOTED, NOT PLANNED) on social media by various groups, some created to promote the event. No info on WHO is PLANNING it.
Paragraph 5 -- SPLC report next includes this passage: “Please stand with us against the traitors who wish to tarnish our Ancestors Heritage by placing a Monument celebrating Martin L. King on Stone Mountain,” a group calling itself “Defend Stone Mountain” says on Facebook." The SPLC gets this wrong. "Defend Stone Mountain" is the name of a Facebook event page, not the name of a group. That group actually calls itself Protect the South. And nothing about that passage indicates the group is affiliated with the KKK.
Paragraph 6 -- Statement that the International Keystone Knights of the KKK and Shaun Winkler are PROMOTING the event -- NOT PLANNING it.
Paragraph 7 -- Info that Winkler and some others of his group protested at the U of Mississippi over their vote to remove the state flag from campus. Info irrelevant to the Stone Mountain issue.
Paragraph 8 -- A quote on a social media allegedly from Winkler urging "hard action" instead of peaceful flag waving, in order to "secure a future for tomorrow." No proof of Winkler or the KKK planning the Stone Mountain event.
Paragraph 9 -- Info on Winkler which is irrelevant to the Stone Mountain event and contains no proof he is planning it.
Paragraph 10 -- Info on a group Winkler was allegedly connected with burning crosses in Mississippi as a fundraiser. Irrelevant to Stone Mountain claims.
Paragraph 11 -- Info on an imprisioned Kluxer that has nothing whatever to do with the current issue.
Paragraph 12 -- More info (yawn) on a KKK group (alleged "racial violence") that has nothing to do with who is planning the Stone Mountain event.
Paragraph 13 -- Yet MORE irrelevant "Keystone Knights" info that has nothing whatever to do with the Stone Mountain event.
Paragraph 14 -- SPLC opinion that Stone Mountain is becoming a "battleground" between Klukers and pro-Confederate groups promoting the "ideas to remove society away from hate symbols..." No proof of Winkler or the KKK planning the Stone Mountain event.
Paragraph 15 -- Statement that the SCV and League of the South "showed up" at a previous Stone Mountain pro-flag rally. No proof... but you know that by now...
Paragraph 16 -- Very lame quote on Stone Mountain background from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Paragraph 17 -- Info that the Stone Mountain Memorial Association wants to place the MKL bell atop the mountain.
Paragraph 18 -- More info (yawn) on the bell.
Paragraph 19 -- Quote from Gov. Deal that Stone Mountain is a Confederate memorial protected by state law.
Paragraph 20 -- Excerpt from NYTimes saying the Georgia SCV may file a suit to stop the bell memorial.
No proof, no hint of proof, not a SYLLABLE of proof, in the entire flippin' document, that the KKK is planning the November 14th rally.
DeStroy writes with the assumption that Southern Rebel Patriots are really a KKK group, but he presents no proof at all ... not even any evidence, or any likelihood. Without proof, we can assume he has been severely duped by the lyin' SPLC, or he's lying himself.
Or both....
The $PLC trying to $care up some more $$$$$$$. Nothing new.
ReplyDeleteI'm still waiting for proof that DeStroy is a real person and not just some anonymous sock puppet that hides the handiwork of several different brain-dead morons.
ReplyDelete