RUSHVILLE, Ind. -- Fliers that some claim were distributed by members of the Ku Klux Klan were found in a small Indiana community that has its first African-American candidate for mayor.
Rushville residents said they are curious about whether the fliers are just a coincidence, 6News' Ericka Flye reported.
Several fliers placed inside little orange bags were left in Ralph Kiefer's neighborhood.
"I definitely don't like it, and I don't agree with it at all," Kiefer said.
The fliers got the attention of Billy Ray Goins. He's the first African-American candidate for mayor of Rushville.
Goins said he doesn't know if the fliers were just a general distribution of KKK literature or if they are tied to his candidacy.
"It was just disheartening, and it was sad," Goins said. "I'm going to pray that it was a coincidence, let's put it that way. I don't have any suspicion in my heart, nor do I feel any grief about it. I just want it to end as quick as it started."
Goins said he was glad to learn law enforcement caught up with a person in Morristown suspected of passing out the fliers. The man suspected of leaving the fliers was ticketed for littering.
Goins said he doesn't want one person's actions to give outsiders the wrong image of Rushville.
Of Rushville's population of about 6,000, just about 100 residents are African-American. Goins said he was council president for years and that he's never had any threats or backlash because of his race.
"For a small town, we think we're pretty diverse," Goins said.
Posted By: Siebra Muhammad
Thursday, April 28th 2011 at 12:24PM
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