Kentucky Equality Federation today called a newspaper article in the Middlesboro Daily News on Wednesday inflammatory and irresponsible because the veracity of the article could only be confirmed online from an ambiguous group. The article, written by Andrea Schneider, a staff writer for the Middlesboro Daily News stated the Appalachian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan and several associated groups planned to rally outside the opening of Middlesboro Little Theatre's spring production "The Diary of Anne Frank" between April 11 and April 13, 2008.
The article contained no information as to whether the reporter attempted to speak to anyone from the organizations listed, how long they have operated, or if they actually still exist in Kentucky. "The website in question could simply be operated by one person with a computer attempting to ignite the community," stated Kentucky Equality Federation President Jordan Palmer.
"The Diary of Anne Frank" is the powerful story of a group of Jewish people attempting to survive the bigotry and persecution of the Nazis in Holland during World War II. Anne Frank, who was a teenager at the time, kept a diary detailing the hopes and dreams, fears and strengths, of eight people who hid from the Nazis for over two years with the help of Christian friends.
"Kentucky Equality Federation stands united with the Jewish and Black population of the Commonwealth in fighting racism and hatred," stated Kentucky Equality Federation Political Advisor James-Clifton Spires. "This type of rally and the attention it draws serve no other purpose than to re-segregate our communities; I challenge citizens in the surrounding areas to deny them an audience."
Kentucky Equality Federation condemns the so-called "Aryan Bash 2008" and believes it was irresponsible of the paper and the writer to publish an article listed by the Anti-Defamation League(R) as "the first annual event of this kind." Palmer stated that first annual events of this nature have a way of falling apart, especially since the newspaper itself stated the planned event could only be confirmed through the website of one of the groups.
