Local civic group cleans itself up

January 19th, 2005 at 9:01 am by Preston Taylor Holmes

The U.S. Supreme Court sides with Missouri Ku Klux Klan, allowing it to take part in Missouri’s “Adopt-a-Highway” program.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court let stand on Monday a ruling that the Ku Klux Klan white supremacist group can take part in Missouri’s “Adopt-A-Highway” program in which volunteers pick up trash along the road and the state puts up a sign thanking the group.

Without comment, the high court rejected Missouri’s appeal of a U.S. appeals court ruling that declared the state had violated the Klan’s constitutional free-speech rights by rejecting its request to adopt a portion of a highway.

Missouri cited the Klan’s history of violence and said the group’s application showed it “denies membership on the basis of race, color or national origin.”

Under the highway cleanup program, volunteers agree to collect litter at least twice every six months and put it in bags that state employees pick up. The state puts up signs acknowledging the help at both ends of the section of the highway the group has adopted.

“Given the KKK’s reputation as a hate group, it is reasonable to anticipate that taunts, jeers, insults or objects would be hurled at KKK members picking up trash near the road,” they said.

The original Reuters headline – White Trash Permitted to Clean Itself Up In Missouri – had to be modified due to editorial cold feet.

(via Say Anything)

Other WTW posts today… Riehl World View finds an icon, Cranky introduces you to Ladell Alexander.

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5 Responses to “Local civic group cleans itself up”

1. Carnivorous Conservative Says:
   January 19th, 2005 at 11:02 am

   Dear Bass Pro Shops
   I knows ya got lots a xperts on yer staff ther so’s I wuz hopin ya might be abel ta hep me with mah boy, Deke! I likes ta fish bucketmouths down ta the lake, mostly with shiners as bait.

2. Confederate Yankee Says:
   January 20th, 2005 at 2:27 pm

   I just don’t see it working.

   Sure, they’ll pick up styrofoam cups and paper, but won’t they refuse to pick up any dark trash?

3. Preston Taylor Holmes Says:
   January 20th, 2005 at 3:24 pm

   And I’ll bet they didn’t think of that before they gave ‘em that stretch of highway. Excellent point, CY.

4. moflicky Says:
   January 23rd, 2005 at 11:27 am

   This story has been in the courts for a couple years I think – maybe it was another state – when I heard it, the state legislature introduced a bill to rename the stretch of highway to the “Rosa Parks Memorial Highway”.

   now THAT’S creative activism!

5. Beautiful Atrocities Says:
   January 23rd, 2005 at 12:12 pm

   
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