Since early August 1999, the members of the Farmington, IL community have been concerned about a local Ku Klux Klan (KKK) group that is hosting the Klan in their town.  The people have been searching for answers or a direction of action to follow. Around 50 members of the community and local business owners gathered in mid-December to converse about concerns.  Since the notice of the Klan, 6 churches in Farmington have united against the KKK.  They have divided into 3 subgroups the first to plan events, the second to provide education, and the third for steering the direction of the community. 
Two symbols of the KKK.  
The group has come up with slogans such as “Homes Without Hate”, “Not in Our Town”, and “The Community of Concerned Citizens.”  They feel that they need to do more than just one thing to make a difference.  They also feel that more communication is needed with the children; acting out on prejudices and differences in people is not the American way.  The group hopes that that in the future a march for racial equality shall be conducted.
           After reading and researching this article our group has expressed their own feelings and thoughts.  We feel that the members of the KKK do not have a right to justify themselves by acting out on people not of their race.  They need to accept the people of all races. Our group also feels that the Farmington community should be able to live in a non-race oppressed society.  Yet we can see where the KKK members are coming from feeling that they have a right to be there, because they do; but their hate and cruelty have no right to be anywhere. 

A KKK banner.
By Mandey Memken, Kevin Kwater, Ashley VanLaningham, and Sara Leadly
Sources- Pekin Daily Times
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