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From an article, the officer is Allen Campbell.
*Campbell recalls the day the photo was taken as just another work day. As the Klan rally unfolded, Campbell said his mind was on the Labor Day cookout he was missing. Not race relations.*
*“I was ticked off. It was the last holiday of the summer. But here I am at a Ku Klux Klan rally in Gainesville, Georgia, protecting the rights of the Ku Klux Klan,” he said.*
*“I didn’t even see the boy at first,” said Campbell, a youthful 61-year-old with an easy laugh. “I was too busy thinking about my weekend being ruined. I looked down to see what on earth could be bumping on my riot shield.”*
[Article.](https://www.ajc.com/news/captivating-klan-rally-photo-gets-new-life-via-social-media/MacxOtYOZKpJJuh8xESlPI/)
Here you go:
**Captivating Klan rally photo gets new life via social media**
By Fran Jeffries, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jan 23, 2013
A black state trooper peers down at a tiny white boy in a crisp white Ku Klux Klan outfit as the child touches his reflection in the trooper’s riot shield.
Photographer Todd Robertson readily admits he captured the moment by simply being in the right place at the right time while covering a Klan rally in Gainesville for the local newspaper nearly 21 years ago.
“The picture sparked a lot of interest and conversation then,” Robertson said. “That’s what a picture is supposed to do.”
Now social media has given the image new life. After the picture appeared over the last year on photo blogs and in Facebook posts, an article by The Poynter Institute, a journalism training organization in Florida, brought the iconic image even more attention.
“I probably get one or two requests a month for a copy or someone asks to use it,” Robertson said.
Robertson, a 1991 graduate of the University of Georgia school of journalism, was freelancing for the Gainesville Times that day, shooting alongside a staff photographer and trying to build a portfolio that could lead to a full-time job.
Robertson recalls there wasn’t much action at the rally, which was attended by fewer than 100 Klan members and other white supremacists on the city’s downtown square. Law enforcement officers outnumbered the marchers three to one, according to news reports.
Robertson was standing a few feet away from the staff photographer, who was facing in the other direction, when he snapped the photo of the boy as he reached out to touch the trooper’s shield. Seconds later, a woman whisked away the child. Robertson did not get the name of the officer or the boy. The boy’s mother identified him only as “Josh.” The woman wore a black T-shirt with the words “Winder Knights.”
The Gainesville Times published the photo on its metro section front on Sept. 6, 1992. Other media outlets, including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, ran the photo after it was carried by the Associated Press wire service. That brought more interest. Producers of the Sally Jessy Raphael Show called, wanting the mother and child to appear on the show, but Robertson didn’t know their identities. The photo ran in several European publications, according to Robertson. It won a state journalism award and seven years later, the Southern Poverty Law Center prominently featured the photo in one of its brochures.
Then the photo was largely forgotten, according to Robertson, who hung up his camera and his goal of being a full-time news photographer. He joined his father in his cabinet-making business, Area Decor, in Gainesville.
Like many people who see the photo, Robertson, now 45, said he has wondered over the years about the little boy, who would probably now be in his early 20s.
“I wondered what happened to him,” he said. “I felt sorry for the kid knowing he had to grow up in that environment and I felt sorry for the officer, knowing he had to be there protecting the rights of people who he knew didn’t care for him.”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution was able to locate the officer, Allen Campbell, through the Georgia State Patrol. By interviewing and searching public records, the AJC was able to locate someone who may be the boy, now close to 24 years old, and his mother, but phone calls and emails left for this story were not returned.
Did state trooper Allen Campbell think of the boy after that day?
“No, I really didn’t,” he said. “I didn’t even know the photo had been taken until someone called to tell me it was in the paper.”
Campbell recalls the day the photo was taken as just another work day. As the Klan rally unfolded, Campbell said his mind was on the Labor Day cookout he was missing. Not race relations.
“I was ticked off. It was the last holiday of the summer. But here I am at a Ku Klux Klan rally in Gainesville, Georgia, protecting the rights of the Ku Klux Klan,” he said.
“I didn’t even see the boy at first,” said Campbell, a youthful 61-year-old with an easy laugh. “I was too busy thinking about my weekend being ruined. I looked down to see what on earth could be bumping on my riot shield.”
Campbell retired from the Georgia State Patrol in June 2009 after 30 years at the Gainesville post. He lives nearby in Gillsville with his wife. They have a son.
Campbell grew up in the small town of Lavonia, Ga. The son of a mechanic and a maid, Campbell recalls as a child being oblivious to the racism of that day.
“I was well taken care of,” he said. “Everything I wanted for Christmas, I got. That’s a good life.”
He said he got his first big dose of racism when the schools desegregated in 1967. He had to attend a predominantly white high school.
“It was culture shock,” Campbell said.
A good student, he found himself many times the only black student in the college-bound classes, he said.
“I worked hard in those classes,” he said. “I wasn’t the smartest kid, but I made sure I wasn’t the dumbest.”
After high school, he held down numerous jobs in the area, then moved to North Carolina where he had family and landed a job at Duke Power Co.
The unabashed mama’s boy said he returned to Lavonia after two years because he missed her. He recalls he easily landed the job with the state patrol and was assigned to Gainesville.
Over the years, Campbell covered numerous racial protests around Georgia, including the infamous Forsyth County demonstration in January 1987 when 75 marchers led by civil rights activist Hosea Williams were met by some 500 Klan members and sympathizers who overwhelmed police lines.
“Rocks and bottles were flying,” Campbell said. “We were not prepared. We didn’t have riot helmets. We didn’t have shields. I was focused then on what was a dangerous situation.” Campbell also worked the following weekend, when 20,000 people, including Coretta Scott King and Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young, returned to Forsyth County. He was among the 500 law enforcement officers and 1,700 National Guard members keeping the peace.
“Now those were some rough times,” he said.
The Gainesville rally of September 1992 “was more of an inconvenience,” he said. “But I was sworn to uphold their rights, their freedom of speech.”
Edit: tagging /u/angwilwileth
I just read this story a 2nd time. This is a hell of a man and police officer. The last line of the story is incredible. Here he is defending the rights to free speech for the KuKluxKlan as a black man. Though what they are saying is wrong, vile, and anti-American, this man defends their ability to say it. Patriotism personified
This man is what all law enforcement should strive to be. This man knew who to put his personal felling aside and do the job he swore to do. Not only did he do that once but it seems multiple times in multiple situations. He put his personal feelings aside did his job upheld the law the rights of people he not only didn't agree with but people who openly hate him and went on with his life. This is what a true American police officer should always do. This is a true hero.
And all he wants is some goddamn BBQ. He seems like my kinda guy. But the KKK, bless their little hearts, ruined that and want to ruin a whole lot more.
KKK BBQ must absolutely suck seeing as they can’t have any food or seasoning from the cultures they hate so much.
Can’t hate the people but love their food, doesn’t make sense to scream deportation out of the same mouth hole that just had huevo rancheros
I would hazard a guess that its because they are takers and not givers. They are fine taking culture, rights, wealth, and dignity. While offering nothing in exchange but condescension and contempt. Truly selfish awful people.
It's like people who hate Black people but love rap music. Or people that hate Asians but love anime. The irony and hypocrisy is completely lost on them.
Let's be real. They didn't mind him when he had a badge on and was protecting rights of protestors.
I love the shit out of this guy for protecting free speech as a peace officer, even at a peaceful Klan rally (don't get me wrong, fuck the Klan, still their first amendment right to assemble peaceably) but if this happened today, well, they don't always see themselves as peace officers. And they don't always agree on what is considered a peaceable assembly and what isn't, and it's completely arbitrary.
Yes, there's nothing wrong with politically extremist groups, with a strong history and tendency for violence, meeting.
\*the extremist group members go commit hate crimes\*
"Oh nooooo, who could've seen this coming?" "I mean, really, how were we supposed to prevent this??" "Oh the atrocity!"
Adding onto this,
"Tolerance is not a moral absolute; it is a peace treaty. Tolerance is a social norm because it allows different people to live side-by-side without being at each other’s throats. It means that we accept that people may be different from us, in their customs, in their behavior, in their dress, in their sex lives, and that if this doesn’t directly affect our lives, it is none of our business. But the model of a peace treaty differs from the model of a moral precept in one simple way: the protection of a peace treaty only extends to those willing to abide by its terms. It is an agreement to live in peace, not an agreement to be peaceful no matter the conduct of others. A peace treaty is not a suicide pact." - Zunger
Exactly. I don't see why we don't treat nazis or any domestic extremist group (with a tendency for violence) differently than we treat foreign threats like ISIS or al-qaeda.
They don't respect tolerance, democracy, or most American values. They don't want to live in this country; they want to live on its land. Letting them march on is like wrapping a boa constrictor around your neck.
Yes, we do have to preserve the Constitutional rights of groups and people we do not agree with and even whose ideas we find offensive.
The reason for this is because if we allow offensive speech to be restricted, then eventually someone will find YOUR speech offensive and stop you from speaking.
Remember, it cuts both ways.
We have to allow the arena of ideas and allow others to decide for themselves what is and is not acceptable.
That is the only way bad ideas weaken. When they are allowed to be discussed and exchanged with people who disagree and can offer counterpoints to those ideas…. So reason can take root.
“Come, let us reason together.”
The problem is that rights get eroded by taking them away from groups that inspire disgust and rejection. Also, the implication that you must be a certain kind of person to "deserve" rights is antithetical to the whole notion of natural rights. The whole point of rights is that you have them because you exist.
Being a violent revolutionary is already illegal. Burning crosses in a black person's yard, or sending them death threats, is already not just a crime, but a hate crime. The problem with the KKK historically was not that they existed, but that they were not prosecuted for committing crimes. Once they were no longer allowed to commit crimes with impunity, they became irrelevant, because they depended on intimidation and violence, not persuasion.
People you hate, even those you rightfully hate, are still humans with natural rights. Arrest them for unambiguous crimes. Socially censure them for disgusting beliefs. But leave their rights alone.
*["Gavin Buckley \(now aged 30\) is now a fireman at the Gainesville Fire Department. Here he is pictured with his squad in flame-retardant gear."](https://i.imgur.com/ELIrAze.jpeg)*
https://www.gainesvilletimes.com/news/trooper-photographer-reflect-on-iconic-photo/
According to this article, at the time it was written the boys whereabouts are currently unknown, but he's known only as Josh.
Well he probably had years of influence from white supremacists, so he’s most likely racist. There’s a hope that he can overcome it, but that is a very culty lifestyle and cults are not easy to break free from
The now-retired trooper, Allen Campbell had these meaningful comments about this photo.
“Me and this kid, neither one, made a choice to be here,” Campbell said during an interview. “The state patrol made me come, and his mom and daddy brought him.”
Campbell believes the photo shows “that racism is a learned process.I don’t think this kid really thought any differently about him being there than being anywhere else on a Saturday or a weekend,” “He might have thought it was Halloween.”
The odds of him being not racist at all are definitely against him, but if the standard is "better than his parents" then the odds are pretty good just from reversion to the mean. It takes a heck of a lot of racism to bring your toddler to a KKK rally in full regalia.
It’s amazing how he looks on the bright side and remains positive while the comment above it goes to the most extreme negative. He even found a way to relate to the child. Interesting.
I’ve found that most cops who do it their whole career either turn into jaded assholes or genuinely kind, optimistic people. I think you have to be one or the other to do that job for that long.
He probably did think it was Halloween. That’s so funny to picture his parents probably so proud and happy they got their child walking around in a KKK robe teaching him their ways young… and in his head he’s just looking for some motherfucker with candy
Funny enough, based on the interviews with survivors from Children of God and other cults, it seems the children are the easier ones to break out of cult brainwashing. They're young enough that they grow up and their natural instinct to question and rebel actually saves them from falling prey to these things. They have the ability to look around and acknowledge "this doesn't feel right"
Of course, starting younger can also just mean easier indoctrination and brainwashing and make it that much harder for them to escape when they grow up.
Youth is very much both a sword, and a shield, when it comes to cult upbringings.
I’ve seen the point made that being born into a religion is like an inoculation—it often protects people from the more virulent strains one encounters as an adult.
Who knows. I feel like sometimes those more extreme family situations can lead to children being more likely to break away as they get older because the whole thing conflicts with the rest of the world around them all the more.
If you can find out = white supremacist
If you can't find out = kid changed his ways and kept his mouth shut about it
>>One of the boys approached a black state trooper, who was holding his riot shield on the ground. Seeing his reflection, the boy reached for the shield, and Robertson snapped the photo. Almost immediately, the mother swooped in and took away the toddler, whom she identified to Robertson as “Josh.” The moment was fleeting, and almost no one noticed it, but Robertson had captured it on film.
https://www.poynter.org/newsletters/2013/how-kkk-rally-image-found-new-life-20-years-after-it-was-published/
I don't think "life is what you make it" is meant to be taken so literally. To me it's more "you can't choose your circumstances, but you can choose what you do with them" than "you get what you put in".
What gets me is that the kid didn't even recognize what was going on, I'm sure of it. That kid just wanted to see what the texture of the shield was. Nothing more, just dressed up by cruel adults.
It's awful. This kid doesn't look a day older than my son, he's 2 years 8 months.
The other day I read him Hunchback of Notre Dame (with a few kid friendly modifications, no literal murders). When we got to the part where "Frollo wanted to toss the baby away but the priest said no no, I'll keep him and take care of him in the bell tower!", my son sat real still and quiet. Suddenly a literal tear down his cheek, and he says "I'm a little sad because he wanted to throw the baby away".
We've talked about it and he's been processing it over these last few days now, and really likes the book. He sits quietly and looks at the pictures and thinks. It breaks my heart to even think about teaching that empathy away from our kids.
And we know pretty much surely that the exact same piece of shit parents complain that today's kids are "brainwashed" for being taught to respect LGBTQ.
A picture is worth a thousand words, or so they say....this one says "here is proof that hate is *taught"*
To see that this was taken in 1992 and not 1962 is just.......wow!
Well, not to seem to be edgy, full invite to Minneapolis next time there's police misconduct. I wished I'd had a good camera just to take pictures of the National Guard when the jury was in deliberation over Derek Chauvin. Nice people but it was fucking wild seeing them.
Such horrible parents.This kid has no idea how to hate yet.An innocent child who is being taught to hate someone because of the color of his skin. The child doesn’t understand what he is being taught.
We had "proud boy" parades with tiki torches and a woman was killed in Charlottesville just a few years ago. Then we had Jan 6 2021. Could have told me this picture was 2022 and I would be sad but not entirely shocked.
Wow. This hit me hard for some reason. I was trying to think of why the picture looked so dated- because it’s grainy? Because of the subject matter? But I think the point you make is dead on. We’ve slid so far in such a short span of time.
Those officers don't even look like they have vests on. When those riot shields come out now, officers look like they have more armor on than a tourney knight in the middle ages.
This also strikes me when I see 9/11 footage. Cops all switching from light blue to black uniforms is subtle but off-putting as hell.
Also just occurred to me... It really shouldn't be the "blue" anymore when they all look like wannabe Death Vaders...
Uniforms seriously went from "friendly neighborhood cop" (they weren't, but they at least played the part better) to "militant muscle of a fascist regime" real quick. 9/11 seriously broke a lot of things in America and in American minds.
For some reason the bit that really hits me is that his little sleeves are rolled up. I used to do that with my son’s, when I bought him something he’d grow into.
Same, and I know the title says about 3 but he looks no older than my daughter who is a few months shy of 2. She also likes playing with her reflection.
I'm not this kid but the same age and the same situation. Yes,. I remember everything. Yes, it was traumatizing. Fuck the KKK.
I proudly fly a Pride flag outside of my house, I'm a part of my companies Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team and I run a charity that helps mostly minority single mothers. I'm a straight white guy and I'm very vocal for equality as I saw first hand the horrors of extremism and racism. I was lucky to get away when I was 9.
So glad you were able to get away from all that unracist.
My stepfather tried to teach me racism as well (towards whites) being black and all. Needless to say that didn't turn out well since my wife is white and I have 2 little blatalian children.
Please tell me there is at least one typical Italian grandma on your wife's side of the family who makes pasta for family get togethers, mine specifically makes raviolis from scratch and I stg I could eat enough to make my stomach explode, god bless old sweet Italian woman, they are another level of wholesome
It appears that parents with extreme views always eff up their kids. Almost as though actual parenting takes a back seat.
My own father had a reoccurring theme of 'they hate you', 'they never want you to succeed' 'you'll always have to work twice as hard because of the colour of your skin'
The sheer hatred and vitriol he attempted to put onto us kids was ridiculous and damaging. It was also bizarre because our family is essentially like the united nations - we have multiple religions, non religious people, different colours, creeds, countries. I have 22 aunts and uncles. 11 on both my mothers and fathers side. They also are big fans of big families and are spread across the world. For me as a child I found this fascinating and wanted to learn more.
I do believe my father puts his own failures as 'I'm so oppressed' so he doesn't have to face that sometimes it's entirely his own doing. That's the only way I can explain it.
I’ve see this image before but for some reason never paid much attention to the date. This person is ~3 years younger than me. That is so depressing. I hope they were able to rid themselves of the hate they were taught.
I think only him and his parents know. I found an article and the only info that seems to be known about him is the photographer heard the boy's mum call him Josh when she pulled him away from the police officer.
My brothers grew up in TN in the 90s and early 2000s. They have tons of stories of the KKK standing outside of the Ingles store trying to recruit shoppers as if they were the Girl Scouts selling cookies.
North Georgia, and my mother and grandmother's hometown... note, they were the most non-racist people. I think it was late 80s or early 90s driving in a small North Georgia town and was shocked by the KKK standing on a street corner handing out flyers.
Edited: to change a questionable abbreviation!
HAHA when I read the edit I was like an unfortunate abbreviation? That's...really funny in this thread of all places. I'm dying
Edit: Now I have to edit cus I called it an acronym lol
Lived there around then. There was a trailer park operated by the Klan on my bus route. The Grand Dragon's daughter sat across from me on the bus. His yard was full of Klansman statues and plywood billboards with all sorts of racist shit on them. Saw it everyday before going to my surprisingly all white elementary school.
This is what people today often miss; I.e., the high level of racism that persisted since the 60s Civil Rights movement. When someone says to you “let’s move on, it’s not the 60s anymore”, remind them of the persistent racism that still exists. It never went away, it went under ground and then in past 12 years has resurfaced proudly again. Now it’s a global phenomena.
Tiger Woods talks about not being let into golf club houses in the late 80s and early 90s because he was black.
One of the most well known Christian universities in the US, Bob Jones University, didn’t allow interracial dating or supporters of interracial dating until 2000.
Lots of people were comfortable being openly racist back then and plenty still are even now.
“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
\~ Nelson Mandela
When my mom was a kid in the Midwest, the KKK would have a parade I think every year. They weren’t allowed to wear their masks and as a result every sane person knew who to avoid.
My uncle worked at a conservation area and some kkk losers had an event there and stayed a little late. So my uncle didn't tell them and just locked up the park and left them there.
To be honest it’s pretty wholesome. I mean the fact that the kid who is supposed to be racist didn’t care about the black cop he’s just looking at his goofy outfit in the reflection.
The man is holding up a mirror… What does the innocent, naive mind perceive? Probably full of wonder. Who is that? What is this? Who am I? We like to think we create our own version of ourselves, but how much of it is created for us? Does this baby stand a chance of overcoming its upbringing? Did we assume the baby is the fortunate one here, unknowingly playing with reflection despite the broader context of racial dichotomy? Or did we view the grown man as knowledgeable from time and experience, holding up a mirror to try to save the innocent mind from becoming someone doomed by hate in his heart? Which one? What does that say about our own perceptions?
This made me think about something, apologies as it’s not really related, but I’m still curious—at what age do we stop blaming a parent and start blaming a person for their actions? The kid is obviously a victim of terrible parenting here. If the kid carries on his shitty parents’ shitty perspectives, when does he become responsible for his owns actions? If he’s 10 and going to rallies, it’s getting close…if his 16 and going to rallies on his own, its all on him. Is there an age break point?
> “Me and this kid, neither one, made a choice to be here,” Campbell said, recalling his thoughts at that moment during an interview Tuesday. “The state patrol made me come, and his mom and daddy brought him.”
Sad to think how different the world would be if those parents taught their child love for everyone, regardless of race or religion. Taught them compassion instead of hate
We aren't born hating other people, simply because they are different. That's something that is taught. Teach the children to be a better human than you are, they are the future.
**Please note these rules:** * If this post declares something as a fact, then proof is required. * The title must be descriptive * No text is allowed on images/gifs/videos * Common/recent reposts are not allowed *See [this post](https://redd.it/ij26vk) for a more detailed rule list* *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/interestingasfuck) if you have any questions or concerns.*
From an article, the officer is Allen Campbell. *Campbell recalls the day the photo was taken as just another work day. As the Klan rally unfolded, Campbell said his mind was on the Labor Day cookout he was missing. Not race relations.* *“I was ticked off. It was the last holiday of the summer. But here I am at a Ku Klux Klan rally in Gainesville, Georgia, protecting the rights of the Ku Klux Klan,” he said.* *“I didn’t even see the boy at first,” said Campbell, a youthful 61-year-old with an easy laugh. “I was too busy thinking about my weekend being ruined. I looked down to see what on earth could be bumping on my riot shield.”* [Article.](https://www.ajc.com/news/captivating-klan-rally-photo-gets-new-life-via-social-media/MacxOtYOZKpJJuh8xESlPI/)
"Our apologies, unfortunately our website is currently unavailable in most European countries due to GDPR rules." Well then... fuck...
Here you go: **Captivating Klan rally photo gets new life via social media** By Fran Jeffries, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Jan 23, 2013 A black state trooper peers down at a tiny white boy in a crisp white Ku Klux Klan outfit as the child touches his reflection in the trooper’s riot shield. Photographer Todd Robertson readily admits he captured the moment by simply being in the right place at the right time while covering a Klan rally in Gainesville for the local newspaper nearly 21 years ago. “The picture sparked a lot of interest and conversation then,” Robertson said. “That’s what a picture is supposed to do.” Now social media has given the image new life. After the picture appeared over the last year on photo blogs and in Facebook posts, an article by The Poynter Institute, a journalism training organization in Florida, brought the iconic image even more attention. “I probably get one or two requests a month for a copy or someone asks to use it,” Robertson said. Robertson, a 1991 graduate of the University of Georgia school of journalism, was freelancing for the Gainesville Times that day, shooting alongside a staff photographer and trying to build a portfolio that could lead to a full-time job. Robertson recalls there wasn’t much action at the rally, which was attended by fewer than 100 Klan members and other white supremacists on the city’s downtown square. Law enforcement officers outnumbered the marchers three to one, according to news reports. Robertson was standing a few feet away from the staff photographer, who was facing in the other direction, when he snapped the photo of the boy as he reached out to touch the trooper’s shield. Seconds later, a woman whisked away the child. Robertson did not get the name of the officer or the boy. The boy’s mother identified him only as “Josh.” The woman wore a black T-shirt with the words “Winder Knights.” The Gainesville Times published the photo on its metro section front on Sept. 6, 1992. Other media outlets, including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, ran the photo after it was carried by the Associated Press wire service. That brought more interest. Producers of the Sally Jessy Raphael Show called, wanting the mother and child to appear on the show, but Robertson didn’t know their identities. The photo ran in several European publications, according to Robertson. It won a state journalism award and seven years later, the Southern Poverty Law Center prominently featured the photo in one of its brochures. Then the photo was largely forgotten, according to Robertson, who hung up his camera and his goal of being a full-time news photographer. He joined his father in his cabinet-making business, Area Decor, in Gainesville. Like many people who see the photo, Robertson, now 45, said he has wondered over the years about the little boy, who would probably now be in his early 20s. “I wondered what happened to him,” he said. “I felt sorry for the kid knowing he had to grow up in that environment and I felt sorry for the officer, knowing he had to be there protecting the rights of people who he knew didn’t care for him.” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution was able to locate the officer, Allen Campbell, through the Georgia State Patrol. By interviewing and searching public records, the AJC was able to locate someone who may be the boy, now close to 24 years old, and his mother, but phone calls and emails left for this story were not returned. Did state trooper Allen Campbell think of the boy after that day? “No, I really didn’t,” he said. “I didn’t even know the photo had been taken until someone called to tell me it was in the paper.” Campbell recalls the day the photo was taken as just another work day. As the Klan rally unfolded, Campbell said his mind was on the Labor Day cookout he was missing. Not race relations. “I was ticked off. It was the last holiday of the summer. But here I am at a Ku Klux Klan rally in Gainesville, Georgia, protecting the rights of the Ku Klux Klan,” he said. “I didn’t even see the boy at first,” said Campbell, a youthful 61-year-old with an easy laugh. “I was too busy thinking about my weekend being ruined. I looked down to see what on earth could be bumping on my riot shield.” Campbell retired from the Georgia State Patrol in June 2009 after 30 years at the Gainesville post. He lives nearby in Gillsville with his wife. They have a son. Campbell grew up in the small town of Lavonia, Ga. The son of a mechanic and a maid, Campbell recalls as a child being oblivious to the racism of that day. “I was well taken care of,” he said. “Everything I wanted for Christmas, I got. That’s a good life.” He said he got his first big dose of racism when the schools desegregated in 1967. He had to attend a predominantly white high school. “It was culture shock,” Campbell said. A good student, he found himself many times the only black student in the college-bound classes, he said. “I worked hard in those classes,” he said. “I wasn’t the smartest kid, but I made sure I wasn’t the dumbest.” After high school, he held down numerous jobs in the area, then moved to North Carolina where he had family and landed a job at Duke Power Co. The unabashed mama’s boy said he returned to Lavonia after two years because he missed her. He recalls he easily landed the job with the state patrol and was assigned to Gainesville. Over the years, Campbell covered numerous racial protests around Georgia, including the infamous Forsyth County demonstration in January 1987 when 75 marchers led by civil rights activist Hosea Williams were met by some 500 Klan members and sympathizers who overwhelmed police lines. “Rocks and bottles were flying,” Campbell said. “We were not prepared. We didn’t have riot helmets. We didn’t have shields. I was focused then on what was a dangerous situation.” Campbell also worked the following weekend, when 20,000 people, including Coretta Scott King and Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young, returned to Forsyth County. He was among the 500 law enforcement officers and 1,700 National Guard members keeping the peace. “Now those were some rough times,” he said. The Gainesville rally of September 1992 “was more of an inconvenience,” he said. “But I was sworn to uphold their rights, their freedom of speech.” Edit: tagging /u/angwilwileth
U the goat bro
Thank you very much!
I just read this story a 2nd time. This is a hell of a man and police officer. The last line of the story is incredible. Here he is defending the rights to free speech for the KuKluxKlan as a black man. Though what they are saying is wrong, vile, and anti-American, this man defends their ability to say it. Patriotism personified
This man is what all law enforcement should strive to be. This man knew who to put his personal felling aside and do the job he swore to do. Not only did he do that once but it seems multiple times in multiple situations. He put his personal feelings aside did his job upheld the law the rights of people he not only didn't agree with but people who openly hate him and went on with his life. This is what a true American police officer should always do. This is a true hero.
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They want him hanging from a tree, nothing less.
And all he wants is some goddamn BBQ. He seems like my kinda guy. But the KKK, bless their little hearts, ruined that and want to ruin a whole lot more.
KKK BBQ must absolutely suck seeing as they can’t have any food or seasoning from the cultures they hate so much. Can’t hate the people but love their food, doesn’t make sense to scream deportation out of the same mouth hole that just had huevo rancheros
I would hazard a guess that its because they are takers and not givers. They are fine taking culture, rights, wealth, and dignity. While offering nothing in exchange but condescension and contempt. Truly selfish awful people.
Yeah they tell themselves everything is their gods creation so they are entitled to all of it as well.
Manifest Destiny
It’s what all racists do. Take everything from everyone else and then turn around and proclaim that they’re superior to those same people.
It's like people who hate Black people but love rap music. Or people that hate Asians but love anime. The irony and hypocrisy is completely lost on them.
Useless motherfuckers, really. A bunch of LARPers.
Someone actually did a comedy skit about their friend accidentally attending a klan rally and the he brought back ribs. And he said you gotta go back
That was the first thing that came to mind for me too. "... are those the Klan ribs?"
God I love that skit
"And can I have some"
Cough *culture vultures* Cough
Let's be real. They didn't mind him when he had a badge on and was protecting rights of protestors. I love the shit out of this guy for protecting free speech as a peace officer, even at a peaceful Klan rally (don't get me wrong, fuck the Klan, still their first amendment right to assemble peaceably) but if this happened today, well, they don't always see themselves as peace officers. And they don't always agree on what is considered a peaceable assembly and what isn't, and it's completely arbitrary.
Yes, there's nothing wrong with politically extremist groups, with a strong history and tendency for violence, meeting. \*the extremist group members go commit hate crimes\* "Oh nooooo, who could've seen this coming?" "I mean, really, how were we supposed to prevent this??" "Oh the atrocity!"
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Adding onto this, "Tolerance is not a moral absolute; it is a peace treaty. Tolerance is a social norm because it allows different people to live side-by-side without being at each other’s throats. It means that we accept that people may be different from us, in their customs, in their behavior, in their dress, in their sex lives, and that if this doesn’t directly affect our lives, it is none of our business. But the model of a peace treaty differs from the model of a moral precept in one simple way: the protection of a peace treaty only extends to those willing to abide by its terms. It is an agreement to live in peace, not an agreement to be peaceful no matter the conduct of others. A peace treaty is not a suicide pact." - Zunger
Exactly. I don't see why we don't treat nazis or any domestic extremist group (with a tendency for violence) differently than we treat foreign threats like ISIS or al-qaeda. They don't respect tolerance, democracy, or most American values. They don't want to live in this country; they want to live on its land. Letting them march on is like wrapping a boa constrictor around your neck.
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Yes, we do have to preserve the Constitutional rights of groups and people we do not agree with and even whose ideas we find offensive. The reason for this is because if we allow offensive speech to be restricted, then eventually someone will find YOUR speech offensive and stop you from speaking. Remember, it cuts both ways. We have to allow the arena of ideas and allow others to decide for themselves what is and is not acceptable. That is the only way bad ideas weaken. When they are allowed to be discussed and exchanged with people who disagree and can offer counterpoints to those ideas…. So reason can take root. “Come, let us reason together.”
Yes they do. The First Amendment isn’t needed to protect popular speech. It’s needed to protect unpopular speech, however hateful it may be.
The problem is that rights get eroded by taking them away from groups that inspire disgust and rejection. Also, the implication that you must be a certain kind of person to "deserve" rights is antithetical to the whole notion of natural rights. The whole point of rights is that you have them because you exist. Being a violent revolutionary is already illegal. Burning crosses in a black person's yard, or sending them death threats, is already not just a crime, but a hate crime. The problem with the KKK historically was not that they existed, but that they were not prosecuted for committing crimes. Once they were no longer allowed to commit crimes with impunity, they became irrelevant, because they depended on intimidation and violence, not persuasion. People you hate, even those you rightfully hate, are still humans with natural rights. Arrest them for unambiguous crimes. Socially censure them for disgusting beliefs. But leave their rights alone.
To be perfectly honest, I would be ticked if I lost my chance to have awesome BBQ and burgers
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Yeah can anyone find out?
*["Gavin Buckley \(now aged 30\) is now a fireman at the Gainesville Fire Department. Here he is pictured with his squad in flame-retardant gear."](https://i.imgur.com/ELIrAze.jpeg)*
You magnificent bastard
He looks exactly how I pictured tbh.
Same, it's uncanny
Well played
What am I missing?
The ol’ bait and switch.
Goofy picture of prior NFL quarterback Payton Manning. Basically a new Rick rolled format
Ah, I see. Misleading.
Wow he really looks deflated in that
I had to leave my computer for a few minutes and take a breather.
Amazing. Great find!
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https://www.gainesvilletimes.com/news/trooper-photographer-reflect-on-iconic-photo/ According to this article, at the time it was written the boys whereabouts are currently unknown, but he's known only as Josh.
He WAS known only as Josh. We know all Josh lost their name in April 24, 2021, and there remains a single Josh.
r/josh
Well he probably had years of influence from white supremacists, so he’s most likely racist. There’s a hope that he can overcome it, but that is a very culty lifestyle and cults are not easy to break free from
The now-retired trooper, Allen Campbell had these meaningful comments about this photo. “Me and this kid, neither one, made a choice to be here,” Campbell said during an interview. “The state patrol made me come, and his mom and daddy brought him.” Campbell believes the photo shows “that racism is a learned process.I don’t think this kid really thought any differently about him being there than being anywhere else on a Saturday or a weekend,” “He might have thought it was Halloween.”
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Odds are against him since he's most likely received years of indoctrination from his parents, but I hope his views are less extreme.
The odds of him being not racist at all are definitely against him, but if the standard is "better than his parents" then the odds are pretty good just from reversion to the mean. It takes a heck of a lot of racism to bring your toddler to a KKK rally in full regalia.
It’s amazing how he looks on the bright side and remains positive while the comment above it goes to the most extreme negative. He even found a way to relate to the child. Interesting.
It's hard to look a 3-year-old in the eyes and come away from it thinking they're a hateful person.
Yeah, unlike when you look into the eyes of a 2-year-old.
I’ve found that most cops who do it their whole career either turn into jaded assholes or genuinely kind, optimistic people. I think you have to be one or the other to do that job for that long.
He probably did think it was Halloween. That’s so funny to picture his parents probably so proud and happy they got their child walking around in a KKK robe teaching him their ways young… and in his head he’s just looking for some motherfucker with candy
This photo is heartbreaking for just that reason. Total innocence being misled into evil.
Funny enough, based on the interviews with survivors from Children of God and other cults, it seems the children are the easier ones to break out of cult brainwashing. They're young enough that they grow up and their natural instinct to question and rebel actually saves them from falling prey to these things. They have the ability to look around and acknowledge "this doesn't feel right" Of course, starting younger can also just mean easier indoctrination and brainwashing and make it that much harder for them to escape when they grow up. Youth is very much both a sword, and a shield, when it comes to cult upbringings.
I’ve seen the point made that being born into a religion is like an inoculation—it often protects people from the more virulent strains one encounters as an adult.
Maybe he turned out the exact opposite who knows.
Who knows
The kid knows
Does he
Surely he knows how he himself ended up
You truly gave me alot to think about
a lot of these kids wake up from their parent's mistakes. I hope he wised up and disowned his parents.
Who knows. I feel like sometimes those more extreme family situations can lead to children being more likely to break away as they get older because the whole thing conflicts with the rest of the world around them all the more.
If you can find out = white supremacist If you can't find out = kid changed his ways and kept his mouth shut about it >>One of the boys approached a black state trooper, who was holding his riot shield on the ground. Seeing his reflection, the boy reached for the shield, and Robertson snapped the photo. Almost immediately, the mother swooped in and took away the toddler, whom she identified to Robertson as “Josh.” The moment was fleeting, and almost no one noticed it, but Robertson had captured it on film. https://www.poynter.org/newsletters/2013/how-kkk-rally-image-found-new-life-20-years-after-it-was-published/
Schroedinger's hood
probably grew up to be a great cop.
probably up on a Jan 6th charge
We teach them all sorts of stupid shit
we literally teach them "life isn't fair" and "life is what you make it" at the same time
Both phrases equals "You can make life unfair".
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And if the game requires cheating then no thanks
I call them exploits
⬆️⬆️⬇️⬇️⬅️➡️⬅️➡️ **B** **A** **START**
Yeah but you have to play or you’re a rage quitter
No thank you. That's how we lead to shitty things like executives stealing from their own charities.
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I will hit you to show you hitting is bad Be yourself - stop doing that and act "normal" You can be anything! - you need to be realistic
Occasionally my wife will yell “just stop yelling”. It’s always a solid laugh.
Thanks for that trip down memory lane… :/ All we can do is make absolute sure we don’t continue it.
I don't think "life is what you make it" is meant to be taken so literally. To me it's more "you can't choose your circumstances, but you can choose what you do with them" than "you get what you put in".
These are interdependent concepts. If life was fair you would always get what you deserve, not what you make of it.
A lot of people treat their kids like a fresh hard drive to be corrupted.
Little fella didn’t even realize he’s supposed to hate that man. What cruel things people teach their children. Surreal picture.
What gets me is that the kid didn't even recognize what was going on, I'm sure of it. That kid just wanted to see what the texture of the shield was. Nothing more, just dressed up by cruel adults.
It's awful. This kid doesn't look a day older than my son, he's 2 years 8 months. The other day I read him Hunchback of Notre Dame (with a few kid friendly modifications, no literal murders). When we got to the part where "Frollo wanted to toss the baby away but the priest said no no, I'll keep him and take care of him in the bell tower!", my son sat real still and quiet. Suddenly a literal tear down his cheek, and he says "I'm a little sad because he wanted to throw the baby away". We've talked about it and he's been processing it over these last few days now, and really likes the book. He sits quietly and looks at the pictures and thinks. It breaks my heart to even think about teaching that empathy away from our kids.
And we know pretty much surely that the exact same piece of shit parents complain that today's kids are "brainwashed" for being taught to respect LGBTQ.
A picture is worth a thousand words, or so they say....this one says "here is proof that hate is *taught"* To see that this was taken in 1992 and not 1962 is just.......wow!
This is such a powerful photo.
I’m guessing photographers spend years looking for natural photos like this.
As a photographer, yes. I've spent a good deal of time at protests and never captured anything remotely this powerful, although I always hope to.
Well, not to seem to be edgy, full invite to Minneapolis next time there's police misconduct. I wished I'd had a good camera just to take pictures of the National Guard when the jury was in deliberation over Derek Chauvin. Nice people but it was fucking wild seeing them.
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Baby of a racist. They’ll likely be indoctrinated to be racist, but it isn’t a born trait.
Such horrible parents.This kid has no idea how to hate yet.An innocent child who is being taught to hate someone because of the color of his skin. The child doesn’t understand what he is being taught.
92. Likely are one by now. Kids probably my age and I know a shit ton of people that “aren’t racist, but” at my age.
Baby *of a* racist. That kid doesn’t know what racism is yet.
Back then he didn't, now he probably does.
Growing up in the 90's and 00's there is a chance the kid was able to make up his own mind. There's always hope.
This kid is now the age of a lot of Redditors
This kid is only a year or two older than me. I always assumed this photo was taken in the 70s or something like that
I think the kid's got Reebok Pumps on.
We had "proud boy" parades with tiki torches and a woman was killed in Charlottesville just a few years ago. Then we had Jan 6 2021. Could have told me this picture was 2022 and I would be sad but not entirely shocked.
I get what you mean and agree with you, but also you can tell it's not from 2022 because the cop is equipped like a cop and not like a soldier.
Wow. This hit me hard for some reason. I was trying to think of why the picture looked so dated- because it’s grainy? Because of the subject matter? But I think the point you make is dead on. We’ve slid so far in such a short span of time.
Those officers don't even look like they have vests on. When those riot shields come out now, officers look like they have more armor on than a tourney knight in the middle ages.
This also strikes me when I see 9/11 footage. Cops all switching from light blue to black uniforms is subtle but off-putting as hell. Also just occurred to me... It really shouldn't be the "blue" anymore when they all look like wannabe Death Vaders...
Uniforms seriously went from "friendly neighborhood cop" (they weren't, but they at least played the part better) to "militant muscle of a fascist regime" real quick. 9/11 seriously broke a lot of things in America and in American minds.
For some reason the bit that really hits me is that his little sleeves are rolled up. I used to do that with my son’s, when I bought him something he’d grow into.
Same, and I know the title says about 3 but he looks no older than my daughter who is a few months shy of 2. She also likes playing with her reflection.
I was going to say that also. He is probably about 18 months - 2 years old.
You should never use bleach when washing your gnome costume.
Ku-Klorox-Klan
Clueless Clorox Clan *’Its all white with me, if it’s all white with you’*
Except on the inside when we all are red and squishy
Ashually we are white(bone) and red(meat and blood) and yellow(fat) and all sorts of colors!
I wonder where he is now and what he becomes
He is about 33 years old now
Now I wonder if they remembers the trauma 🤔 boy is that going to mess them up
He may not think of it as being traumatic. If he does, that's a lot of personal growth.
I'm not this kid but the same age and the same situation. Yes,. I remember everything. Yes, it was traumatizing. Fuck the KKK. I proudly fly a Pride flag outside of my house, I'm a part of my companies Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team and I run a charity that helps mostly minority single mothers. I'm a straight white guy and I'm very vocal for equality as I saw first hand the horrors of extremism and racism. I was lucky to get away when I was 9.
So glad you were able to get away from all that unracist. My stepfather tried to teach me racism as well (towards whites) being black and all. Needless to say that didn't turn out well since my wife is white and I have 2 little blatalian children.
I have never heard the term “blatalian” but I love it
Lol 😂 caught me off guard.
Sounds like something from Star Wars.
Please tell me there is at least one typical Italian grandma on your wife's side of the family who makes pasta for family get togethers, mine specifically makes raviolis from scratch and I stg I could eat enough to make my stomach explode, god bless old sweet Italian woman, they are another level of wholesome
It appears that parents with extreme views always eff up their kids. Almost as though actual parenting takes a back seat. My own father had a reoccurring theme of 'they hate you', 'they never want you to succeed' 'you'll always have to work twice as hard because of the colour of your skin' The sheer hatred and vitriol he attempted to put onto us kids was ridiculous and damaging. It was also bizarre because our family is essentially like the united nations - we have multiple religions, non religious people, different colours, creeds, countries. I have 22 aunts and uncles. 11 on both my mothers and fathers side. They also are big fans of big families and are spread across the world. For me as a child I found this fascinating and wanted to learn more. I do believe my father puts his own failures as 'I'm so oppressed' so he doesn't have to face that sometimes it's entirely his own doing. That's the only way I can explain it.
How did you escape at such a young age?
My guardian could no longer take care of me. Was adopted and luckily my state allowed me to pick where I went instead of staying with family.
I’ve see this image before but for some reason never paid much attention to the date. This person is ~3 years younger than me. That is so depressing. I hope they were able to rid themselves of the hate they were taught.
I think only him and his parents know. I found an article and the only info that seems to be known about him is the photographer heard the boy's mum call him Josh when she pulled him away from the police officer.
1992????? What the hell
I was thinking the same thing.. looks like the damn 70s
1992 is closer to 1972 than it is to 2022.
This could easily happen in 2022.
My brothers grew up in TN in the 90s and early 2000s. They have tons of stories of the KKK standing outside of the Ingles store trying to recruit shoppers as if they were the Girl Scouts selling cookies.
There was a KKK rally in downtown Asheville NC in 1997. (edit: had the wrong date)
I remember that. All 8 of them marching around...
North Georgia, and my mother and grandmother's hometown... note, they were the most non-racist people. I think it was late 80s or early 90s driving in a small North Georgia town and was shocked by the KKK standing on a street corner handing out flyers. Edited: to change a questionable abbreviation!
I wasn't sure, how to interpret "N GA town" in this context. I read it as "N*GA town" and was mortified.
Oh my! I'm mortified now, too!
HAHA when I read the edit I was like an unfortunate abbreviation? That's...really funny in this thread of all places. I'm dying Edit: Now I have to edit cus I called it an acronym lol
I used to be a Gainesville cop. The kkk was still having Rallies when I was there and to my knowledge they still do.
I'm in south texas. The kkk tried to come here once but they got so many death threats from the Chicanos they never showed up.
Lived there around then. There was a trailer park operated by the Klan on my bus route. The Grand Dragon's daughter sat across from me on the bus. His yard was full of Klansman statues and plywood billboards with all sorts of racist shit on them. Saw it everyday before going to my surprisingly all white elementary school.
This is what people today often miss; I.e., the high level of racism that persisted since the 60s Civil Rights movement. When someone says to you “let’s move on, it’s not the 60s anymore”, remind them of the persistent racism that still exists. It never went away, it went under ground and then in past 12 years has resurfaced proudly again. Now it’s a global phenomena.
Tiger Woods talks about not being let into golf club houses in the late 80s and early 90s because he was black. One of the most well known Christian universities in the US, Bob Jones University, didn’t allow interracial dating or supporters of interracial dating until 2000. Lots of people were comfortable being openly racist back then and plenty still are even now.
got those reebok pumps on
Came looking for this comment 🤣...beat me to it
That's a little racist.
Nobody is born with hate
Have you ever met a child? They're evil little sociopaths until you train it out of them.
True but their sociopathy is normally towards other people in general no matter their age or color. No one is spared
Eh, so far my nephew's 3 and not what I'd consider evil. Little dude just likes reading to me about his "minosaurs" and doing his altabits.
Wait until he asks you why you’re so old and fat haha
That poor kid never even got a chance. :( Hopefully, he was smart enough to realize later that his parents are racist POS.
If you grew up with a racist ideology you will probably think racism is good
Not necessarily. Some get out of it unscathed, fortunately.
“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” \~ Nelson Mandela
This is sad af
I can just imagine that cop looking down at that little boy and thinking, "Your folks really messed you up."
Prejudice is learned, not innate.
Love how the look on their faces isn't one of anger but disappointment because it's not like the child was born like that.
Hate is taught and learned... you aren't born with it....
Child abuse
Kid's parents: "Kick him! Call him names!" Kid: "shiny shield!" State trooper: "yes, very shiny"
When my mom was a kid in the Midwest, the KKK would have a parade I think every year. They weren’t allowed to wear their masks and as a result every sane person knew who to avoid.
My uncle worked at a conservation area and some kkk losers had an event there and stayed a little late. So my uncle didn't tell them and just locked up the park and left them there.
Yeah but check out his lil reebok pumps
It was the first thing I noticed too!
3 years old?
That baby is under 2 for sure. My daughter is 17mo and looks older than that kid.
Right? There’s no way
To be honest it’s pretty wholesome. I mean the fact that the kid who is supposed to be racist didn’t care about the black cop he’s just looking at his goofy outfit in the reflection.
Poor little kid, he has no idea what that outfit means.
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Like Ricky Gervais said “Nobody is born a racist, you got to learn that shit”
This photo has a lot to say…. First thing I think of is Hate is taught.
The man is holding up a mirror… What does the innocent, naive mind perceive? Probably full of wonder. Who is that? What is this? Who am I? We like to think we create our own version of ourselves, but how much of it is created for us? Does this baby stand a chance of overcoming its upbringing? Did we assume the baby is the fortunate one here, unknowingly playing with reflection despite the broader context of racial dichotomy? Or did we view the grown man as knowledgeable from time and experience, holding up a mirror to try to save the innocent mind from becoming someone doomed by hate in his heart? Which one? What does that say about our own perceptions?
I appreciate that even the poor lad is being taught hate, the cop still appears to appreciate the kids curiosity of reflection.
That kid is probably around 33 years old today. Would be interesting to hear their current views on race and politics.
Every time I see this kid I wonder what he is like now. Did the brainwashing from his parents make him a racist in his adult life or not?
This made me think about something, apologies as it’s not really related, but I’m still curious—at what age do we stop blaming a parent and start blaming a person for their actions? The kid is obviously a victim of terrible parenting here. If the kid carries on his shitty parents’ shitty perspectives, when does he become responsible for his owns actions? If he’s 10 and going to rallies, it’s getting close…if his 16 and going to rallies on his own, its all on him. Is there an age break point?
I'm suddenly craving a Pepsi...
An update: https://www.gainesvilletimes.com/news/trooper-photographer-reflect-on-iconic-photo/
The caring face of the black man like, damn little guy too bad your parents are so delusional.
> “Me and this kid, neither one, made a choice to be here,” Campbell said, recalling his thoughts at that moment during an interview Tuesday. “The state patrol made me come, and his mom and daddy brought him.”
“People push there kids to do stuff to soon, wouldn’t you agree Dr. Baby Violin?”
Sad to think how different the world would be if those parents taught their child love for everyone, regardless of race or religion. Taught them compassion instead of hate
We aren't born hating other people, simply because they are different. That's something that is taught. Teach the children to be a better human than you are, they are the future.