It should come as no surprise that a proposed neighborhood-watch group, formed by members of the Ku Klux Klan, is worrying some residents in a southern-Pennsylvania township. However, according to Reuters, whether or not the Klan watch is wanted in Fairview Township, there's little evidence that a crime watch is needed in the first place. After all, it's not as if the targeted towns are riddled with crime.
As The Root previously reported, a string of break-ins in the area got the Klan’s attention, prompting the local chapter to come up with the bright idea—which was backed by the national organization—to start leaving fliers announcing the new neighborhood watch.
"You can sleep tonight knowing the Klan is awake!" the fliers read. "Are there troubles in your neighborhood? Contact the Traditionalist American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan today!"
Researchers from organizations that study the notorious hate group, however, such as the Anti-Defamation League and Southern Policy Law Center, believe that the effort could be more a case of the Klan searching for some relevancy in modern-day society than a response to actual concern about safety. Increasingly, experts say, the types of members who usually congregate to the group are flocking toward newer hate groups.
"We do not have a high crime rate," local police Chief Douglas Hockenberry said. He encouraged citizens to call 911 in the event of a problem rather than the "Klanline."
Read more at Reuters.