The editor of a small-town newspaper in Alabama thinks the Ku Klux Klan should “night ride again” to Washington DC.

Goodloe Sutton, editor of the ironically-named Democrat-Reporter published an editorial calling for the Klan to attack “Democrats in the Republican Party and Democrats”.

“Seems like the Klan would be welcome to raid the gated communities up there. They call them compounds now,” Sutton writes.

Sutton is also the publisher of the Democrat-Reporter, a small newspaper based in Linden, Ala.

In his editorial, Sutton claims that following the Civil War, former slaves took horses and robes from their former masters and rode to scare off evil doers. “Sometimes they had to kill one or two of them but so what,” Sutton states.

When asked by the Montgomery Advertiser what he meant by “cleaning up D.C.,” Sutton confirmed that he was referring to lynching. “We’ll get the hemp ropes out, loop them over a tall limb and hang all of them.”

In spite of his own references to lynching, Sutton stated that he doesn’t view the KKK as a racist or violent organization. In fact, he compared it to the NAACP.

“Well, they didn’t kill but a few people. The Klan wasn’t violent until they needed to be,” Sutton said.

The editorial was first discovered and reported by the editor-in-chief and managing editor at The Auburn Plainsman.

Editor’s Note: As the editor-in-chief at Big Easy Magazine, I find it disturbing that any newspaper publisher or editor would feel that it is okay to print this type of editorial. It is my belief that all forms of journalism, both print and digital, should be held to the highest ethical standards. Editorials are a place to express opinions, yes. But those opinions should be fact-based. If used to express criticism of society or government, that criticism should be constructive, and a means to encourage conversation. To use an editorial to encourage an organization of domestic terrorists to commit violent acts against elected representatives is, quite frankly, reprehensible. While we at Big Easy Magazine welcome all differing opinions, believing that open communication is the foundation of a healthy democracy and society, we will not permit any comments in support of the KKK, other white supremacist organizations, or other terrorist organizations to remain on our website or social media pages. 

Jenn Bentley is a writer and editor originally from Cadiz, Kentucky. Her writing has been featured in publications such as The Examiner, The High Tech Society, FansShare, Yahoo News, and others. When she’s not writing or editing, Jenn spends her time raising money for Extra Life and advocating for autism awareness.