wfn.org | People of faith rally as Klan comes to Cleveland

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

Aug. 23, 1999	News media contact: Thomas S.
McAnally*(615)742-5470*Nashville, Tenn.    10-21-31-71B{433}
 
By Kay Panovec*

CLEVELAND (UMNS) -- Days before a Ku Klux Klan rally came to the city of
Cleveland,  Saturday, Aug., 21, people of faith gathered in large numbers to
oppose the racist group. 

As city officials argued about the right of the Klan to assemble in
Cleveland, church officials rallied together in support of peace.

Even as parking bans went into effect and security fences were put in place,
a parade of
people walked through the streets of Cleveland Heights encouraging passers
by to "beep for
unity."  People of different races, nationalities and religious groups held
hands. They smiled and
talked with each other.  One little girl, walking with her parents and
younger siblings held a sign
that said "help people be nicer."

Children and youth from the Church of the Redeemer, a United Methodist
congregation in Cleveland Heights,  brought banners made in Vacation Bible
School two weeks before the parade. City residents applauded as the banners
passed by. Cleveland District Superintendent Julius Trimble and his wife Rae
were among those marching in the peace parade held  at the same time as the
KKK rally.

Charles and Barbara Freeman, members of Redeemer Church, brought their
children, 13
year-old Jason and 4 month old Adam, the youngest peace advocate.  A
bi-racial couple, the Freemans wanted their children to see a community
coming together in support of one another. "It's a terrible thing to hate
for no reason at all," Charles said.

Others shared his opinion. "The thought of people hating each other makes me
really
uncomfortable," said 13 year-old Hallie Majewski another Redeemer member who
marched in the unity rally.  "God made all of us.  In many ways we are the
same.  Our differences just make us interesting," she said.
"In many ways the Klan has been helpful to us," said the Rev. Rosa Clements,
pastor
of the Werner United Methodist Church in East Cleveland. "If nothing else,
the rally has brought the religious community together.  It has caused us to
dialogue with each other."  Clements, who is black, is chairwoman  of the
church's East Ohio Commission on Religion and Race.  She and Bishop Jonathan
D. Keaton, of the East Ohio Area,  sent letters encouraging pastors and
congregations to attend one of the many anti-Klan rallies held throughout
the city and suburbs.

The Rev. Kenneth Chalker, pastor of  First United Methodist Church, said he
felt the need to be downtown during the Klan rally. About 300 anti-Klan
supporters were present.  Cleveland will be the site for the denomination's
General Conference May 2-12, 2000.  Chalker is chairman of the host
committee and a member of the commission planning the 10-day, international
event.

"Jesus didn't stay in the Upper Room," Chalker said.  "I'm a downtown
pastor, when the
streets of the city are threatened, I'm going to be in the streets as a
peace keeper. We have to
stand up against hate. Meet it where it is and deal with it face to face."

Members of First Church joined with members of NAACP in the peaceful
protest. Chalker,
who is white,  was asked by city officials to serve as a "peace keeper" to
keep the crowds from
crossing barricades. Anyone who attended the rally downtown had to pass
through a metal
detector. Each person was allowed to carry one key and an identification
card or driver's license. 
Objects that could be used to harm people or could be thrown into the crowd
were not permitted. 
This included belts, jewelry and money.

According to Chalker, the peace keepers job was to speak to rally
participants before they
went into the area guarded by the police.  The peace keepers informed rally
participants what
they should expect when they encountered police. "It worked very well, said
Chalker.  "It disarmed a lot of anger." Chalker expressed alarm at the young
age of the Klan supporters, most of whom were in their thirties. 

Other peaceful protests included a rally at Mt. Sinai Baptist Church where
an estimated 600 people praised God through word and music, prayed for the
city to come
together in peace, and encouraged  Klan members to go to area churches to
learn love, not hate.  

Brooklyn Memorial United Methodist Church hosted two events to educate
participants about hate groups and how to take action to cure racism.
United Methodist-related Baldwin Wallace College was the site for a
"teach-in" entitled "Specific Actions You Can take and Dances for Universal
Peace." These events were sponsored by United WE-CAN, a community
organization that focuses on economic, social, and environmental justice. 

Veteran civil rights leader, the Rev. C.T. Vivian,  was the featured speaker
for the event.  Vivian organized his first non-violent direct action
protesting segregation in 1945 during a series of lunch sit-ins in Peoria,
Ill.  Through the years he organized protest marches in Nashville,
participated in demonstrations in Albany, Birmingham and Selma.  In 1979, he
helped found the Anti-Klan Network, which later became the Center for
Democratic Renewal, where he currently serves as chairman. 

The Klan rally in Cleveland lasted about 80 minutes. In the end, the
Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper reported 40 Klansman, 25 Klan supporters,
300 anti-Klan supporters in downtown, 600 police officers and more than
5,000 participants in anti-Klan, peaceful protests and educational events. 

#  #  #
*Panovec is director of communications for the East Ohio Annual Conference
of the United Methodist Church. 
     
                           		

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