Linden Newspaper Editorial Comes Under Fire for Supporting the KKK
The publisher and editor of The Democrat-Reporter newspaper in the Marengo County town of Linden is coming under fire for an editorial he wrote that calls for the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan as a way to clean up politics in Washington.
The editorial begins with the line: “Time for the Ku Klux Klan to night ride again.” It says Democrats and “Democrats in the Republican Party” are plotting to raise taxes in Alabama, so the KKK should raid the “gated communities” where they live.
The editor and publisher of the paper, Goodloe Sutton, told the Montgomery Advertiser that he wrote the Feb. 14 opinion piece and stands by it. During an interview, Sutton suggested lynchings as a way to clean up Washington. Sutton also questioned whether the KKK is violent, saying it “didn’t kill but a few people.”
Image provided to Alabama News Network by Chip Brownlee. Used with permission.
Some Alabama politicians are speaking out against Sutton’s views.
Sen. Doug Jones said on Twitter: “OMG! What rock did this guy crawl out from under? This editorial is absolutely disgusting & he should resign -NOW! I have seen what happens when we stand by while people-especially those with influence- publish racist, hateful views. Words matter. Actions matter. Resign now!”
U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell said on Twitter: “For the millions of people of color who have been terrorized by white supremacy, this kind of “editorializing” about lynching is not a joke – it is a threat. These comments are deeply offensive and inappropriate, especially in 2019. Mr. Sutton should apologize and resign.”
Auburn University and the University of Southern Mississippi have decided to rescind previous honors they had given Sutton in response to the editorial.
Alabama News Network has a crew in Linden. We will have reaction on our newscasts.
(Copyright 2019 The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
