The Ann Arbor City Council should grant the KKK a permit to hold a rally on May 9 in accordance with the guarantees of the First Amendment. The right to free speech is one of the foundations of United States' citizens' civil liberties. All types of ideas, popular and unpopular, are protected under this fundamental liberty. While the KKK certainly falls into the unpopular category, its members should have every right to freely speak their minds in a public forum. Once the government starts denying groups of people the right to express themselves freely, it begins to restrict freedom, and this could lead down the slippery slope toward censorship. Most rational people may not agree with what the KKK has to say and may be deeply offended by its views, but the group's members have the right to voice their opinions nonetheless.
Members of the University and Ann Arbor communities should take advantage of their individual liberties as well and peacefully protest the KKK if the group come to town next month. Local efforts by an association of clergy deserve much praise for training "peacekeepers" willing to put themselves between the Klan and any violent anti-Klan demonstrators that come to the rally. The best and only acceptable way to fight the Klan's speech is with more speech. Violence against the KKK is not the answer, nor is the suppression of their ideas. Knowing that the KKK is active in Michigan and throughout the United States and educating society as to why hate is wrong are two effective ways to fight the group's message.
The Ann Arbor City Council and Ann Arbor Police Department should examine the rally held two years ago and learn from the mistakes that resulted in a violent riot between members of the KKK and rock-throwing citizens outraged at the group's presence in Ann Arbor. In addition, the police department must have a plan of action to implement if conditions deteriorate during the rally, something that did not exist after the Ohio State football game or during the affirmative action discussion with State Sen. David Jaye (R-Macomb). Based on the experience two years ago and the intents suggested by members of organizations rallying against the Klan, a greater and better organized police presence will be necessary at the rally to maintain peace.
The Ann Arbor City Council has the difficult task of upholding one of the basic principles of American society for a group that, ironically, would like to deny these same rights to many Americans. All the same, the city council should stand up for the First Ammendment and be prepared for the rally.