Democrats denounce candidate’s KKK past; Crawford offers no comment

Salisbury Post (NC) ^ | Friday, March 16, 2012 12:00 AM | Karissa Minn

[lwd]

SALISBURY — State Democratic party leaders are denouncing Carrol Crawford, candidate for Rowan County commissioner, for views he advocated as a Ku Klux Klan leader.

Crawford resigned in 1987 after two years as North Carolina grand dragon of the Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. He estimated at the time that he had led more than 200 street walks in communities all over the Carolinas.

Earlier that year, Crawford was sentenced to 30 days in jail and fined $500 for burning a cross at a Charlotte Klan rally.

North Carolina Democratic Party officials also are condemning the comments of Bivins Hollar, a candidate for the state Senate from Catawba County.

Both Hollar and Crawford filed as Democrats.

Hollar posted a video in which he talks about shooting and starving black South Africans and kidnapping the country’s president. Hollar denied making the video, which soon disappeared from YouTube, according to a report from the Charlotte Observer.

“The North Carolina Democratic Party believes that hate based, violent, racist positions are fundamentally anti-American,” wrote state party chair David Parker in an emailed statement Thursday. “While we support an open democracy and the freedom of eligible citizens to seek elective office, we condemn any individual who uses his or her candidacy to spread fear and advocate violence regardless of their Party affiliation.”

Crawford would not acknowledge his past Klan leadership to the Post. He stated in February that he has “no affiliation with them whatsoever.”

In a phone interview Wednesday where the Klan was not mentioned, he said, “About 26 or 27 years ago, I was in a different place in a different time. The only people I stand behind now is the American Legion and God.”

When called for comment about the party’s statement, Crawford repeatedly hung up on a Post reporter Thursday before any questions could be asked.

Walton Robinson, a state Democratic party spokesman, said “we just don’t know” whether Crawford’s views have changed.

“Other than avoiding questions, we haven’t seen a strong rebuke or repudiation of his past,” Robinson said over the phone Thursday.

In interviews as a Klan leader, Crawford said the group was not about hatred or violence.

His speeches focused on what he saw as social and economic injustice, including perceived favoritism toward minorities, according to past Salisbury Post reports. Crawford opposed racial integration in schools.

Veleria Levy, chair of the Rowan County Democratic Party, said Crawford is welcome to come to party meetings and share his political stances, but the group does not currently support him. “As a party, we disassociated ourselves from him because of the bigotry and hatred,” Levy said. “As an African-American woman, I personally in no way support him.”

In Parker’s statement, the state chair called on local Republicans to join in its “condemnation of any racist and violent views.”

Local Republican chairman Greg Edds called this “a positive stand that we can all agree on.”

“We are pleased to see that the North Carolina Democrat Party is taking steps to distance itself from Democratic candidates who promote racial hatred, violence and bigotry,” Edds said.

Contact reporter Karissa Minn at 704-797-4222.

Twitter: twitter.com/postcopolitics

Facebook: facebook.com/ Karissa.SalisburyPost

[BlueLancer]

"“As a party, we disassociated ourselves from him because of the bigotry and hatred ... the North Carolina Democrat Party is taking steps to distance itself from Democratic candidates who promote racial hatred, violence and bigotry."

As opposed to the support and close association the Democratic Party gave to ol' "Sheets" Byrd, he?

[treetopsandroofs]

KKK Kleagle Robert Byrd paved the way for KKK Democrats everywhere.

It’s always OK when you’re a Democrat.

[treetopsandroofs]

By FOUR SECONDS..... Have a great day!

[BlueLancer]

"he" = "eh".

I hate my morning dyslexia ...

[wbill]

A Democrat? As a bigot? Whod've thunk it?

At least NC kicked him out. Usually Dems re-elect their garbage.

[Wurlitzer]

I see no difference what so ever in letting a KKK member run for office vs a Muslim. Both have a goal of killing off those who are not like them. Both are the mindset of extremely low IQ sub-humans not fit to breath the air in the USA.

To take this one logical step further, the entire democrat party should be banned as it is nothing more than Marxist communist who have as their agenda the utter and total annihilation of the USA as we knew it before this Mudslime alien president “Fundamentally Transformed” our country.

[Savage Beast]

As Rush Limbaugh says: "We can't make this stuff up, folks."

The Party of Slavery, Jim Crow, Segregation, Racial Discrimination, Lynching, and the Ku Klux Klan now wants to distance itself from the Ku Klux Klan???

The Democrat Party's U.S. Senate Majority Leader into the 21st century (Robert Byrd, in case somebody's been in a cave in Tibet for the past 50 years) was the Grand Dragon (or somethingorother) of the Ku Klux Klan, f'cryin'out loud!

You sure can't beat the Democrats at chutzpah!

[Vince Ferrer]

Good for them, but if his association with the kkk in 1987 is relevant, then so is Obama’s association with Bell, Write and Ayers.

[cport]

Local Republican chairman Greg Edds called this “a positive stand that we can all agree on.” “We are pleased to see that the North Carolina Democrat Party is taking steps to distance itself from Democratic candidates who promote racial hatred, violence and bigotry,” Edds said.

Perfect opportunity for the GOP to say, "Look who's party have the racists, not ours" but no, once again snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

[muir_redwoods]

The KKK was the paramilitary arm of the democrat party in most of the south and much of the north (see Indiana) for years. MLK was a registered republican for a good deal of his life unlike Bull Connors, George Wallace and other segregationists who were democrats.

[lwd]

Be sure to read some of the facebook comments at the source link that appear to be in support of this guy.

[lwd]

“We are pleased to see that AFTER 150 YEARS the North Carolina Democrat Party is FINALLY taking steps to distance itself from THE MULTITUDE OF Democratic candidates who promote racial hatred, violence and bigotry,” Fixed it.

[Eagle of Liberty]

In case you guys haven't seen this making the rounds yet, liberals are posting THIS pic:



and using it to re-ignite the TEA PARTY = RACIST mantra even though this pic was first produced by a known Neo-Nazi.

Racist Obama “Don’t Re-Nig” Bumper Sticker Photographed

According to Technorati, this slogan originally appeared on a T-shirt on a website called “Zazzle.com” back in 2010. The website sells customizable T-shirts, mugs, and other paraphernalia. The author of the slogan, reportedly called “XUBERALLES,” took his name from the Nazi slogan “Deutschland Uber Alles” or “Germany Over All” — so you already see where this is going. Back then, there was a backlash to the shirts and the subsequent Facebook page that cropped up last year.

Tee Hee Hee! FUNNY Zazzle Racism!

[TribalPrincess2U]

isn’t 0bam’s/holder’s ‘citizens army’ (or whatever it’s called these days) that he is getting together or already has gotten together a reversed KKK?

Another group I can think of is the black p******.

[muir_redwoods]

Not to nitpick, and I agree with you but I have a pet peeve about the use of terms like “reverse racism”. There is nothing reverse about it; racism is racism.

Holder’s Citizen Army is a case in point and I think you’re on to something. It is still a bit of a mystery but apparently it is the SEIU, Acorn and assorted Black Power lunies who have been given the go-ahead to threaten people at the polls. If they want to escalate the matter, they will find out what the second amendment is all about.

Remember, one can arm the Left but it is the Right that has spent time at the range.

[treetopsandroofs]

“MLK was a registered republican for a good deal of his life...”

I spent some time a few months ago trying to find proof of MLK being a Republican (which makes sense) but was unable to find a single source that did anything but half-Hussein suggest he was one, guessing they didn’t want their website attacked.

Can anyone give me a source that says it with any confidence so I can use it against the disgusting racist leftist freaks next time?

[muir_redwoods]

Try,

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=16500

Human Events is a pretty well-respected source.

There is a link at the bottom of the article if you want to contact Frances Rice. She is (or was when this was published) the chair of the National Black Republican Association

[treetopsandroofs]

Thanks very much.

[eyeamok]

Hilarious! this coming from the very party that CREATED THE KKK.