The Klan will rally on the north side of the Madison County court-house in Edwardsville May 6 while Klan opponents stage a counter-event at the SIUE campus.

Linda Stromberg, chairperson for the committee on racism for the Illinois chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, said her first impulse was to ignore the event, but many people approached her about opposing the Klan’s rally.

This is such a strong and emo-tional issue that we felt we should let people know that there are people who feel the other way, Stromberg said.

Stromberg is organizing a march Friday to raise money for groups which oppose the Klan’s’ teach-ings. To avoid a direct confron-tation, the group plans to march in a different part of the city, she said.

Initially, Stromberg said she did not want to have the march the same day as the Klan rally, because she did not want to provide extra publicity for the Klan.

I support their first amendment right to have a rally, but not to spread hatred and violence, she said.

Stromberg hopes the march will provide a way for people to show opposition to the Klan’s message without physically attacking its members.

Not only do we want to end racism, we want to end violence, she said.

The anti-Klan rally was designed to follow a strategy similar to the organization Project Lemonade, which donates money to national organi-zations that teach against prejudice.

Project Lemonade began January 7, 1994 when the Klan rallied in Springfield. Organizers obtained pledges from companies and individuals who donated money for each minute the Klan rallied.

The benefit was designed so the longer the Klan rallied, the more money was raised. The January Klan rally was 65 minutes and the group collected more than $10,000.

The money went to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Southern Poverty Law Center Teaching Tolerance Project and the Anti-Defamation League.

Michael Sandberg, Midwest Civil Rights director for the league, said he often sees people inad-vertently assist the Klan when they attend rallies.

It plays right into the hands of the Klan, he said. It gives them added attention and turns them into martyrs for free speech and the First Amendment.

Staging anti-Klan rallies at different locations, however, prevents violence from occurring, he said.

Many times groups come in with the thinly-veiled purpose of provoking violence, he said.

When confrontations arise, police officers must defend the Klan, and Sandberg said he often has seen Klan members use this as propaganda for their group.

They often will carry signs stating, Cops and Klan go Hand in Hand, he said.

The league uses donations to fund monitoring of extremist hate groups, to work on hate crime laws and to create tolerance programs for children, he said.

Pledge sheets to support Project Lemonade and groups such as the Anti-Defamation League may be obtained at the Interfaith Center, located at 913 S. Illinois in Carbondale.

Marty Brunner, a volunteer with Project Lemonade, said the Klan usually brings only a small group of supporters to rallies.

They don’t bring crowds, she said. They get their crowds from the people who show up.

When violence occurs at Klan rallies, it often receives nation-wide media coverage, Brunner said.

Although the march against the

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Klan will raise awareness about hate groups and will help raise money for groups fighting prejudice, Brunner said she wishes the event were not needed.

We’d be just as happy if they never showed up and we never made a dime.

Stromberg said she anticipates 1,000 participants to attend the anti-Klan rally. The event will consist of a march across the SIUC campus, to be followed by guest speakers and music.

When Stromberg initiated the trip, she rented a 15 person van which filled almost immediately. People needing a ride or willing to offer one should contact her at 457-3927.

Stromberg said she has walked into a Carbondale restaurant and found white supremacy literature. She said this is just one indication that white supremacist groups are increasing. When she asked the restaurant owners about the literature, she said they encouraged her to remove it.

In other Southern Illinois stores, however, Stromberg said she has been refused service because of her ethnicity.

Stromberg, a Native American, was attired in traditional dress when she entered a Belleville restaurant and was told by the waitress the booth she was sitting at was reserved. Stromberg moved to another booth, but was told all booths were reserved and she would not be served.

Although Stromberg was shocked that such prejudice still exists, she said she now is determined to fight it.

Something has got to be done, she said. The situation’s worse than people know.

Stromberg said she does not believe the Klan should not be allowed to assemble, but does oppose their actions.

Anything that hurts or degrades or makes you feel less of a human being is wrong, she said. If they want separation, they have that right but they don’t have the right to hurt other people in the process.

Stromberg also is planning a free workshop titled What to do and not to do when the KKK comes to your town on June 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Mt. Vernon.