Someone mentioned the KKK in another thread, and I recall that recently they had put out a few pamphlets in Hagerstown recently. Anyone have any insight into this? I assume it is just a very few poorly educated, hate-filled people who were trying to get some attention, but maybe I'm wrong. Anyone know what the status of this group is now locally or nationally?

They're not nearly as powerful as they were in the 50's & 60's, and I think they're national membership is like around 5,000 or so. They used to have some big HQ or something in Frederick. There are plenty of other hate groups though like the neo-Nazis.

Go to Thurmont and ask that question! LOL! When I was in the Army up at Ft. Ritchie, we were not allowed to go to Thurmont because the KKK is very prevolent over there. There was a black guy beaten to death at the Sheetz there in town, and they used to come to Ft. Ritchie and stand right outside the gates to hand out pamphlets....They're still around...

That sounds like a urban legend to me...McGruppy you full of crap???j/k LOL

This thread reminds me of a good Ramones song.

The KKK took my baby away they took her away...

the KKK is WT...that is all

When I read the Herald article on the KKK fliers, I had the immediate suspicion that it was a hoax. The Oak Hill area seems like a bad location to solicit members, no one has heard of the supposed "minister" who authored the pamphlet, and that author's name can't be found in the phonebook.

Does anyone else suspect it's a hoax? Did any of the members of this group receive a flier, and can share details about it with the group?

LOL!!! Nawww, unfortunatley not...Of course they always picked a holiday like July 4th or something to stand outside the gates, so they could get a lot of people's attention. Nerdy little bastards! LOL

Boonsboro and Rohersville has alot of Klu Kluxers I think the Grand Poobah use to live in Rohersville.. they use to pass out fliers in the square in Boonsboro

LMAO! That's what my Dad always called them!

Folks,
Carrol County had an active chapter, at least into the '80's. A friend of mine owned a small farm adjacent to a pasture they would occasionally use to burn crosses. Their literature was/is pretty hateful stuff. Does Boonsboro/Rohersville still have an active klan presence?

Auburn,AL had an active chapter, but before anybody says something negative about Alabama, the whole 4yrs I was there I never saw a KKK member giving out pamphlets or really anybody supporting the Klan.

Huh? When? I've spent most of the last 30+ years in the Boonsboro area, and have several relatives who lived there full-time for longer, and never saw this stuff nor can I recall hearing about it.

The KKK is like PETA in a way -- they have a good idea or stand every now and then that gets completely overwhelmed by a much greater amount of the stupid stuff they do and say.

[QUOTE][Boonsboro and Rohersville has alot of Klu Kluxers ]


oh this doesn't surprise me one bit. In fact if I'm not mistaken the fliers in question that were handed out came from a group in Sharpsburg. I lived in Sharpsburg for over 10 years & there are definitely quite a few in the town who are racist. I remember when I attended elementary school, there was a black family that lived in town but they eventually moved because of the prejudice against them.

In the book Confederates in the Attic two guys venture into a bar in Sharpsburg called Pete's where the men complain about the feds, and how nobody around here likes the Federal gov.

A few flyers (which might be more hoax than anything) are supposedly from a Sharpsburg PO box, and some guys in a tavern complain about the Feds. This is proof that the areas around "Boonsboro and Rohersville has alot of Klu Kluxers"???

One thing's for sure: if there are any in the Boonsboro & Rohrersville areas, they must be AWFULLY BORED.

'Cause there ain't no more than maybe two or three colored families in the entire Boonsboro school district.

Im Born and raised in Boonsboro area, and what rock you been hiding under that area is full of racist and card carrying Klan members. try going down town to the local confectionary one morning and have a talk with a few locals. And I myself have been handed propaganda that they passed out in the square. Don't expect to see them standing out there in that outfit with the pointed hat. You say 30+ years, did you ever wonder why you don't see many people of color living in that area? Be a little more Snoopy. Ask a few black people about that area..

Last time anyone was passing out those flyers in Boonsboro, it was a big media event I thought. The Mayor spoke out against it, and acted all shocked and amazed.

Then again, there's that guy in a trailer out on Burnsides Bridge Road who flies the Confederate flag. Gives me a good laugh every time I drive by.

Not to say I ain't a good Southern boy myself. Me great great (or is it 3 greats I forget) grandpappy fought in the war of Northern Aggression - 4th Virginia Infantry if I remember correctly. Heck, those **** Yankees even took over the family plantation for a time while he was away! But the KKK? C'mon now. Like I said, they've got to be awfully bored.

Snoopy -

I grew up in Boonsboro and when I was a kid, a friend of mine would watch the KKK burn crosses and have meeting from their tree house. And every so often, you would hear about different things going on with the KKK.

Also, have you ever noticed many African-Americans in Boonsboro? I graduated from Boonsboro High School and there wasn't one African-American kid the whole time I was in school. I'm pretty sure that the last African-American students (brother/sister - twins) graducated in 66 with my sister. I graduated in 88. One time we had French exchange students in high school. They were from a French speaking providence and were black. Kids threw things at them, cussed at them, etc. They didn't come back.

There's apprently at least a couple of them there now - based on the latest school report card from the standardized testing they do. I think one "Asian" too. But that's it for minorities, true.

Yeah I have seen the blue family and the green family but who's the other...

you dope.

Maybe not so bored but very successful.

I think you will find that most of them come from SanMar

Yes, from what I've heard, more African-Americans have moved into the Boonsboro area. There were several Asians when I was in school.

Then there's the commie PINK family. But wait - you don't live there after all, do you!

bite me.

Well I think the KKK can think of lots of other stuff to holler about -- if, of course, they are there to begin with and not too cowardly to come out in the open and say it...

The only place I've ever heard of 'em is in Thurmont. And that's the real deal, as I have it from a reputable source. (No not my neigbbor the Klansman )

In the early 80's there were a few in BHS and no problems that I knew of. And in the 1998-2003 ballpark timeframe there was at least one young man on the football team who was black and again, I never heard of racial issues. No, not lots of minorities but is that due to the KKK????

Well I did go to BHS and I did have one of the "Rohrer's" (That's was thier last names) hand me a pamphlets while I was with a good friend who happened to be African-American.

Full of “card-carrying” KKK members???? I eat at the local confectionary from time-to-time, and growing-up I spent lots of time there eating sundaes as well as time up at Hinkle’s store hanging around and never heard anything but the occasional idiot (which every town has) say truly serious racist stuff. Jokes would be made from time to time about (every) race, religion, citizenship, etc. but serious racism and hate of the KKK type I did not see, certainly not enough to make me remember it. But I will ask a few folks who hang out there much more than I what they see…

Since you brought it up do you rember BHS and the playoff game a couple of years ago? and what use to be the "Dog pound" it was since dismantled. The opposing team was mostly black.. it made the headlines in the paper... I was at that game... it was ugly ALOT of racist comments....

You got it right Greedy!!!

GMAN we probably know each other...
or atleast friends of friends...

Wow that is shocking, AND obviously very recent.

P.S. - There are numerous Rohrers all over the County. Their patriarch and his sons owned huge portions of it back in the mid-to-late 1700's.

I guess the KKK is still around, but I can't say they're obvious. I guess I shouldn't go planning an NAACP rally anytime soon?

When I was 15 almost 16, I got a job at a local establishment in the Boonsboro area (I'm not going to name names.) This job required some simple training. During my first (and only) training day, an inter-racial couple came in. The owner hedged and made excues so they would leave. After they left, you should have heard the racist comments that flew out of his mouth.

I bet we do.. but I might be older (44) I also have a name that is pretty old in that end of the county ( all farmers)

I have to say that I'm more than a bit surprised to learn that the KKK is active enough to warrant even a mention nowadays. While racism still abounds, the KKK is about as relevant to today's world as Jimmy Carter. I dare say, even less relevant than he (and that's saying a LOT)!

Not really...happened about 16 years ago.

I bet there's a road that shares your last name.

You got it.. and a few historic properties one right in the middle of the Battlefield

Football playoff? Recent --as in the last time Boonsboro played a home playoff game? The second round game they lost after taking an early lead? (The first round game was played near Ocean City.) Like 2001 or 2002? Yeah, I was at the game, and do not remember any racist incidents making the headlines, or even being a subject of the conversation of the BHS players. In fact, one of the best BHS players was black, so how would that have went over???

No Snoopy you got to go back a few more years 96 or 97 I think, if you don't remember the "Dogpound" then you weren't there. It was a fenced in area on the visiting side of the field it's only purpose was to intimidate the visiting team. And yes it did make the papers. I happen to know the black player you speak of and boy could he tell you some stories.

Would that be the ***** memorial outhouse?



Sorry 'bout that - I couldn't resist.

That's sad. I would like to which establishment this was. I hate to patronize places like that. Care to drop any hints???

Lordy, this is 2004 and some businesses still don't want to serve blacks? Ugh!

In my neighborhood all the folks are white, I think, but I know some black folks I wish would move in in place of some of my current neighbors.

Judging by what mstubble has said, that incident took place about 18-20 years ago. Even if the place is under the same ownership, I doubt they have the same attitudes. In any event, we're not talking 2004.

Did not know his age. Hope you are right!

Snoopy - Did not know his age. I'm female The only hint I'll give is that it's not a place you would keep going to again and again, like a restaurant or grocery store.

As far as I know the place is still owned by the same person and from my experience, attitudes like that don't change easily.

My dad will say he isn't prejudice, but I'm embarrased to be with him at times due to some of the racist remarks he makes in public.

I've also see the looks given to African-Americans in stores in Boonsboro and have heard people make statements that they wish "those people" would leave. This is recent stuff.

Sorry - it wasn't about her age. She said she graduated in 1988, in this very thread.

One thing that's comin to mind: There are definite differences from one generation to the next. Some of it not necessarily the person's fault, as each preceeding generation was raised in a different culture. Today's kids could very well look back on us as a bunch of racist pigs one day.

And then there will always be the odd ignorant jerk here and there. But we have laws, which should be vigorously enforced, to keep them from doing much harm.

I saw proof that the younger generations are learning not to be prejudiced just last week. We were discussing a tropical vacation one of us had just returned from, and this fellow (who is less than 30 years old) was talking about the progression of his suntan. Well, he used a descriptive term that the older members of the staff totally misinterpreted, and when we asked him to clarify what he had just said, we embarrased him to death. He had not meant what we interpreted at all!

So, perhaps each generation is getting a bit better; maybe we'll actually get to a point where it's not an issue before I die (I expect to be around at least 30 more years!).

mstubble -- Sorry - did not mean to mix-up your gender.

sheash -- I think you are right -- we do get better each generation in dealing with racism, and people can change. I do not say some things I might have said 20 years ago and I think I am more tolerant of all races now than then, though I was never a potential KKK member!

We could all do well to simply judge people on their actions and the content of their character over their race!

Apparently, though, the KKK members around here, if they exist as some here say, don't have too strongly held racist convictions else they would not hide as they do.

I don't think it gets better with generations because these kids practice what their parents teach them about other people. Let's use Austria as an example, they elected a president a few years ago who said that the Holocaust really wasn't that bad at all. The people voting in Austria were not around for the Holocaust, and if they were they were too little.