In what Colorado Mesa University President Tim Foster called, “what appears to be a sick publicity stunt,” the Ku Klux Klan sent out Valentine’s-themed flyers arguing against interracial and same sex relations.
The Valentine’s cards, found spread across the Redlands in Grand Junction, featured two heart shapes interconnecting with the phrases, “love your own race” and “stop homosexuality and race mixing.” It also invites recipients to join the hate group and visit their website.
The Daily Sentinel reported that this type of recruitment campaign occurs on a national level. The Southern Poverty Law Center reported that similar flyers have been distributed over the last month.
A number of residents who received the notes turned them over to the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office. Some of the flyers were found in baggies with candies on door steps, and others were found in mailboxes and on driveways.
Foster sent a mass email to all CMU students on Mar. 2 describing the incident and what the university had to say about it.
“We’ve been in close contact with law enforcement to monitor the situation, and at this time there is no information that would indicate any concerns of a threat to our campus community,” Foster wrote in the email.
Foster also wrote earlier in the email, “while we have not received reports of any activity from this hate group on our campus, it is sickening nonetheless.”
While a campus incident seems unlikely, it is not out of the question. The Denver Post reported that the Klan left similar messages on the CMU (then Mesa State College) campus back in 2001.
In response to the flyers being distributed, CMU Gay Straight Alliance coordinator, Ashli Alderman, sent a text message to the Criterion.
“It is time to dig our heels in and ensure that hateful groups know minorities are not going anywhere, and we are not afraid to stand up for ourselves,” the statement read in part.
Colorado has had a tumultuous relationship with the KKK. An online Denver Public Library article, “When the KKK Ruled Colorado: Not So Long Ago,” discussed a strong Klan presence in the mid 1920s when the state and many local governments were controlled by Klan sponsored politicians.
This also included former Denver Mayor, Ben Stapleton, for whom the now-decommissioned Stapleton airport was named before the opening of Denver International.
In Grand Junction, the story is similar. The Post Independent in Glenwood Springs and Rifle recounted the time when city council members in Grand Junction were being replaced by Klan members in 1924. In that same year, the Klan had control over the city’s entire council and administration.
While Klan presence in Colorado quickly died out almost as fast as it came in, the group is still attempting to recruit Coloradans into joining them.
Foster’s email condemned the type of rhetoric the Klan was trying to spread.
“Let me be clear: This sort of abject bigotry and ideology has no place in our community, our state, or our country,” Foster wrote.
Foster’s email included a link to report any possible incident and the numbers for the non-emergency line of the Grand Junction Police Department and student services.
