Thoughts on a KKK Rally in South Carolina

Serena, when I pursued my Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, my first dissertation chair was J.F. Kauffman.  He had been president of Rhode Island University and executive VP of the statewide University of Wisconsin System.  Also, along the way, he designed the training program for the Peace Corps when it started!  He was a World War II combat veteran.  He also dealt with anti-war protests at my alma mater during the Vietnam conflict as dean of students.  From his deanship he went to Rhode Island and then back to Wisconsin to set up the administration of higher education program.  In short, he was seasoned.  He was also Jewish.  At the time, the American Nazi Party (how awful) wanted to march through Skokie, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, to the north.  It had a large Jewish population; of course, the Nazis selected Skokie for exactly this reason.  In class, students asked him about the pending march.  Here is his literal answer, which is my answer to your question too:  "It offends me personally."  In other words, he set aside mumbo jumbo about laws, rights, private property, etc and got right down to the nitty gritty.  His conscience opposed the march.  That was all he needed.  I take the exact same position with this KKK stuff.  It offends me personally.  That is all I need to know.  Sadly, Kauffman retired after my first year in the Ph.D. program because of heart trouble.  He has since passed away.  At his farewell retirement reception, he said this.  "I have two things to be thankful for.  I survived World War II.  I had sense enough to marry Doris."  They do not come better than "JFK" and I as you can tell am proud to say I was, am his student.  My next dissertation chair, Donald J. McCarty, was equally solid.  He had been on General Eisenhower's HQ staff during World War II as a major in the army.  He was Dean of Education at my alma mater before slowing down into the classroom again.  He is still alive, and I am proud to be his student.  I am an old Confucian.  I honor the bond between master and disciple.  These men became my role models; Kauffman is my role model when in the final analysis I get down to "brass tacks" about ethical decisions.  I am sad such stuff occurs in our country.  We should know better.  Hopefully I have answered your question.  Actually, Prof. Kauffman, my master, has answered it through his disciple, this writer.  Take care, and stay in touch if you need a reference or some other help.  Thank you for thinking of me.  It is an honor.  Dr. Rux