Ku Klux Klan robes auctioned for up to $1,425 in Howell, MI

[UrbScotty]

HOWELL, Mich. (AP) _ A Ku Klux Klan robe sold for one-thousand-425 dollars tonight during an auction of robes and other K-K-K items that's attracted a high level of interest and criticism.

Another Klan robe sold for one-thousand-150 dollars at the auction in Howell.

One person in attendance was seen wearing a K-K-K pin, and another wore an arm band with a Nazi swastika.

One of the robes was bought for 700-dollars by the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia at Ferris State University. Museum officials hope to use the robe -- designed for a woman -- as part of its efforts to teach tolerance.

http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=35928

[Stop_the_War]

1. racist idiots....n/t

[spanone]

2. Just as offensive as a Nazi uniform. Shameless.

[Skidmore]

3. These people have been emboldened in a climate that

permits the alienation and intimidation of people who don't fit in the narrowly defined characterization of those who are worthy now.

[Rowdyboy]

4. Just a note...This is happening in Michigan, not Mississippi....

Racial bigotry and hatred is a national disgrace, not a southern disgrace.

[gollygee]

5. My husband and I saw a flyer for this auction

the flyer had a picture on it of a guy modeling a robe. We were really shocked.

We hadn't heard any negative press about the auction, but I'm glad to see this. I was afraid it was seen as no big deal.

[shugah]

6. they were mannequins

i just posted about the auction in LBN http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1196786

2 articles, one from the free press, and one from the local paper.

some of the robes were on display for about 2 weeks with mannequins - i don't think any were ever (publicly) modeled with real people wearing them.

to the credit of some - there were 50 to 100 white people standing out in the cold with signs that said "hate has no home here" for the duration of the auction.

it was seen as a big deal in howell - the city council passed a diversity resolution because of it. i have no idea what the resolution is intended to do, but the city council would really like to be able to separate howell from it's racist history. this auction did not help.

but there were people protesting, and some of the robes were won by people who hope to use them to teach tolerance (one was won by a representative of the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia).

[gollygee]

9. I'm glad to hear that

The flyer I saw had been photocopies so the quality wasn't good enough to tell it was a mannequin. We thought a person was wearing them, which we thought was pretty nasty.

But that's all I heard about it. My husband sometimes goes to auctions and we got on a mailing list or I probably wouldn't have even seen an ad.

[Massacure]

7. Those robes are a part of history, no matter how dark that history may be.

I can only hope that the people who are buying them are doing so for their historical value and not because they support what the KKK does.

[Swamp Rat]

8. I'd like to auction the MEMBERS of the KKK!

... but of course no one would want them.