Alabama newspaper editor calls for the Ku Klux Klan to ‘night ride again’

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KKK Ku Klux Klan

The editor of an Alabama newspaper has come under fire for penning an editorial calling for the mass lynchings of Washington Democrats by the Ku Klux Klan (KKK).

Editor and Publisher of the Democrat-Reporter, Goodloe Sutton on Monday confirmed he wrote the editorial titled “Klan needs to ride again,” in a Feb. 14 print edition of the weekly newspaper that covers Marengo County.

In the editorial, Sutton wrote, “Democrats in the Republican Party and Democrats are plotting to raise taxes in Alabama. They do not understand how to eliminate expenses when money is needed in other areas. This socialist-communist ideology sounds good to the ignorant, the uneducated, and the simple-minded people.”

“If we could get the Klan to go up there and clean out D.C., we’d all been better off,” he told the Montgomery Advertiser.  When asked to clarify what he meant about “cleaning up” D.C., Sutton said, “We’ll get the hemp ropes out, loop them over a tall limb and hang all of them.”

Alabama’s D.C. Democrats react

Sutton’s editorial has caught the attention of both Democrats in the Alabama delegation in Washington.

U.S. Senator Doug Jones took to twitter to express his disgust and called on Sutton to resign from his post.

“OMG! What rock did this guy crawl out from under? This editorial is absolutely disgusting & he should resign -NOW,” tweeted Jones. “I have seen what happens when we stand by while people-especially those with influence- publish racist, hateful views. Words matter. Actions matter. Resign now!”

7th District U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell did as well.

“For the millions of people of color who have been terrorized by white supremacy, this kind of ‘editorializing’ about lynching is not a joke — it is a threat,” Sewell tweeted. “These comments are deeply offensive and inappropriate, especially in 2019.”