Union members picketed the Myrtle Beach Area
Chamber of Commerce/(Photo by Tim Bullard)
"Jerry" stuck out of the Denny's patronage Tuesday, May 9 like a United Daughters
of the Confederacy member in a Slayer mosh pit.
With tattoos webbed from one arm to the other, the skint-headed 20-something-year-
old looked at me on the waiting bench and introduced himself as having just moved from
the state of Michigan.
Jerry started talking about "The Beast" and the MM's 15,000-strong. We were
waiting for the 7 p.m. redneck meeting of the S.C. Civilian Militia at the Denny's
Restaurant on Wade Hampton Boulevard in Greenville. I was there for POINT,
Columbia's newsmonthly.
"It's a computer chip that they implant in a computer card," Jerry rambled without
blinking. "You can research this yourself." Surgeries in Britain...the "New World Order"...
this ain't the D.A.R., Masons, Shriners or Knights of Columbus.
"John," a black Denny's worker, asked Jerry what the tattoo on his arm was. "A
gorilla," Jerry said.
Stocky S.C. Militia leader, a silver-tufted lightning rod, "the Rev." Ian Roebuck of
Taylors entered with his training officer, a jam box and boxes while others started filtering
in.
"Reporters, I don't care. I'm recording myself," Roebuck said. A guy came in with a
turquoise belt and jeans, sitting beside me.
Roebuck passed out index cards. "Just raise your hand and he'll be glad to help you,"
he said. "Don't feel threatened by a blank card. I'm going to give it one more minute and
we're going to begin."
Later the audience was asked to fill in their names, phone numbers and addresses on
the cards. There were about 20 present. A reporter with The Greenville News sat on the
back row.
"Is there any way to get the light system up or not?" Roebuck said, commenting on
poor eyesight. A wisecracker in the back: "We don't want you as a gunman then!"
(You'll hear more from him later.)
Roebuck distributed a color photo he described as a scene at Waco, a copy of Soldier
of Fortune magazine, a weird Xerox of a photo of guys claimed to be at the Waco trial.
Bizarro.
"We don't necessarily endorse all of it," Roebuck said.
One article he didn't endorse was a copy of the Spartanburg Herald-Journal with Alan
Richard's Greer Bureau Taylors' dateline "Minister Making A Call To Arms."
Roebuck's ill about these paragraphs:
"Bob Scoggin, who lives in Spartanburg and says he is the Second Emperor of the
Invisible Empire, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan Inc., says he has met with a local militia
group, but is uncertain if it has ties to Roebuck's group.
"Roebuck, commander of the Greenville County Brigade of the S.C. Militia, said he
doesn't know Scoggin."
Roebuck scoffed at this story "especially because they couldn't get it right with guilt by
association...That basically becomes guilt by association and please believe me, it ain't so."
In 1967's "KKK: The Invisible Empire," by David Wise, a "Robert E. Scoggins" was
listed as the Grand Dragon of the S.C. Realm of the United Klans. In 1978's "The Klan"
by Patsy Sims she wrote that in the 60s United Klans operated Heritage Garment Works
in Columbia and Heritage Insurance Agency in Bessemer, Ala. and that the dragon
went to prison.
The book says the grand dragon "showed up" in a reserved seat for Barry Goldwater's
campaign stop at Greenville-Spartanburg Airport in 1964.
Roebuck said, "We're finding that our government is trying to bring us under a one-
world government under the U.N. and take away our rights," it quoted of Ron Loncar, 60,
who the article reported is a health insurance salesman and a former Church of God
minister living in the mill town of Pelzer near the Greenville and Anderson
County lines.
The April 25 Greenville News had a story by Dan Hoover in the Washington Bureau
quoting Roebuck saying the Oklahoma City, Okla. bombing perps should be executed.
Spartanburg County Sheriff Bill Coffey was quoted: "It's difficult to get information
about these groups. We're certainly concerned if these organizations are growing and are
more than what we've heard and seen." The story quoted Master Deputy John Fouts as
saying Greenville County Sheriff Johnny Mack Brown is "familiar" with the S.C. Civilian
Militia and has met with some members upon their request.
It quotes deputy N.C. State Bureau of Investigation director saying, "They play army
in the woods."
When Roebuck asked the audience members how they heard of the meeting, one guy
said, "I saw a flyer at a barber shop."
The Greenville News Sunday, May 7 issue's classified section advertised the meeting in
the "Clubs & Organizations" heading as "PATRIOT MEETING: Introduction to the S.C.
Civilian Militia, 7 p.m., Tuesday, 9th of May, Denny's at 2521 Wade Hampton. For info,
268-6442." The April 11 meeting was advertised under the "Guns" heading.
One guy at the meeting asks, "Isn't this about what Clinton's doing?"
Roebuck said, "We didn't form until December of this last year."
In April the group was in 10 counties with 80 members; now it has 110 members in 20
counties, he said, adding it all began in November with three people, one a departing
missionary, Roebuck and "one other individual."
Dec. 14 - Roebuck said they thought it best to go public and be "out in the open." "We
felt it was time to take a stand in this county and not hide in the shadows."
"Thousands" of "invisible militia" exist throughout the nation and state, Roebuck
claimed, alleging estimates are underestimated. "I can tell you that it is considerably
underestimated," he said. He encouraged "hidden militias" to go public for "safety."
"It's time to stand up and be counted," he said.
Roebuck compared the situation to a Revolutionary War letter to the editor the
author's wife wanted stifled.
Small invisible militias are "afraid to come out of the dark," he charged.
"I might be asking some of you to leave," he said. Roebuck asked that if any of the
audience were members of Aryan Nations, the Ku Klux Klan or white supremacists to
leave. "You are not wanted in the militia," he said. "You are just not wanted. I am sorry."
Nobody left.
"Lies" is what the press spreads about the militia, Roebuck said. "I don't think any of
us here know what "The Turner Diaries" are," said Roebuck. "We don't deal with those
people."
Written in 1978 under the pseudonym "Andrew Macdonald," former physics professor
William Pierce, who Newsweek calls a "sometime neo-Nazi," wrote about a bloody race
war, the killing of prominent Jews, a U.S. nuclear strike on Israel and the bombing of
D.C.'s F.B.I. headquarters.
Although Roebuck espoused no restrictions to race or religion, there were no black
members of the audience. "We have Hispanic, Puerto Rican, Filipino, black, white," he
said, noting the only race missing was "Asian."
Roebuck began raving about how The New York Times is being sued by a man for
being called a racist. "He's kind of far-out at times," Roebuck said, "Making him a racist is
going to be difficult to do.
*********
"EVERYTHING WE DO IS IN THE OPEN"
"I invited the F.B.I here tonight. They still may be."
Unreserved laughter, nervous chuckles erupted. Roebuck said presence of law
enforcement authorities was no problem. "It's okay if you are," he said. As to the press, he
said, "We do ask you to be fair. Everything we do is in the open.
"We are flat out tired of being lied about," he said. "From here on out we record. We
do have some who have tried to be fair." The media has been "bigoted" and "hate-
mongering" on the national level, he alleged.
Reporters have tried to contact Roebuck by phone in vain, Greenville Brigade
Commander Roebuck said, because he doesn't return calls. (TRUE).
Roebuck handed out photos of what he claimed were military helicopters in the local
area. "Those flew 50 feet above me one day," he said. "I make no apologies for passing
this out." He said he didn't think the birds were looking for marijuana in the winter.
Newsweek's reports of the Unorganized Militia of the United States, a national
network: "It warns that helicopters under U.N. command are preparing to attack U.S.
cities."
The photo of Waco he said showed bullet holes strafing the roof. A child was shot
through the head, he said. "Already they were shooting the children," he explained. "I
make no apologies for it."
He passed out a copy of a Federal Register executive order signed by Clinton and a
copy of a letter allegedly from Bob Inglis of the 4th District in regard to a Roebuck
inquiry, saying, "My door is always open, and I will continue to work hard to serve you."
Roebuckism #1 - "I have been labeled by the press as paranoid, and I guess I am
paranoid. I am paranoid as all get out."
Roebuck announced a telephone number, 1-312-731-1100. A call unveils a recording
Citizens Committee to Clean Up the Courts in which a speaker harangues on the "P-2," a
group he claims was contracted with the Japanese mafia for the Oklahoma bombing, a
claim the Michigan Militia leader also actually made just before leaving office.
The speaker rambles on about Mrs. Howard Hunt's plane crash being a conspiracy, the
C.I.A. supplying explosives to terrorists for the Marine barracks explosion and other wild
sermonizing.
One photo Roebuck distributed was of a man on a Xerox claimed to be Robert
Rodriquez. Roebuck claimed there was an undercover agent in the photo by a Bob Owens
resembling McVeigh and that there was another undercover agent in the photo.
Four days earlier Roebuck said he marched to the F.B.I. "I turned this in to the F.B.I.
and went in to talk to them last week," he said. "I told them to their faces that I hope
you are right." Membership rolls will not be shared, he vowed.
If Timothy McVeigh was a ATF agent, Roebuck said, "We just want
to know." The F.B.I. was "very cordial," he said, adding he was "very
impressed with their sincerity."
A guy in the audience asked, "How do I know you are not a cop?"
"No sir, I am not. Absolutely not. No sir."
The June issue of Soldier of Fortune was passed out. Now there
were 30 present.
"First of all you need to understand the law," he said, mentioning The Second
Amendment and the law allowing for a National Guard, Organized Militia (State Guard)
and the unorganized militia. He alluded to a WRIX-Anderson tape by R.C. Davenport
with Gov. David Beasley reportedly saying the militia looks like "law-abiding,
God-fearing individuals."
The Greenville News calls Davenport of Anderson a retired Michelin Tire Co.
employee and a major and information officer for the S.C. Civilian Militia.
"There are some lines that you have even in polite societies," Roebuck said.
Union members picketed the Myrtle Beach Area
Chamber of Commerce/(Photo by Tim Bullard)
++++++++++++++++++
PASS THE PLATE, ELVIS!
There is a lack of militia funds, he said, passing around a member's cap which
returned full of love offering cash.
"Long distance phone calls eat us alive, especially this past month. I don't want to see
this month's phone bill." Boy I could relate with that.
In a gray jacket, shirt and tie, Roebuck walked around like a preacherman, infiltrating
the audience and pointing his fingers toward the floor in animation.
"I am not a Supremacist," he stressed, mentioning support for the Bill of Rights and
opposition to a New World Order. The room now held 25 at 7:30 p.m.
The Bible is in the bylaws, lifted from the Michigan Militia handout, but is not the last
word. "We are not dogmatic on this," he said. "Does that mean we are going to go out
and blow up places? No."
The group even accepts atheists, Roebuck said. His group contains "liberals" and some
who are "very liberal," he said, adding, "We don't take certain stands."
"Understand we are not what they say we are. Some of you have been in the military."
There are military and law enforcement militia members, he claimed.
Roebuckisms strike chords of a fascinating, yet familiar melody, a litany of fear.
Roebuckism #2: "We are not Nazis. If you are a Nazi, you must go. We are not
socialists. We do not want tyranny. We stand against the police state. Does that mean we
hate the police? Not at all."
Roebuckism #3: "You need to form your own militias. I believe the hour is desperate
and the time is running out. What laws have we broken? If we have broken one, then
arrest us."
Roebuckism #4: "It's been miserable for me."
Sears & Roebuckism #5: "We are not in favor of blowing up buildings. No American
ought to be shooting another American."
==================
"SIR, YOU MAY LEAVE"
If a member starts talking "strange stuff," members should report it to the local sheriff.
Comforting. "We cannot tolerate that," he said. "And we will not tolerate it."
Roebuckism #6: "This stuff needs to stop, and it needs to stop right now ... you cannot
be legal without being visible." Then the fireworks began. My hands were already sweaty,
my heart pounding, but my cigarette hand was still steady. The wiseguy in the back had
finally reached his Waterloo. Are these folks kooks? Wackos? Nuts?
"To be dangerous, you have got to be invisible," the fella said. "You sir, may leave,"
Roebuck ordered.
A departure from the stage could not have been upstaged, as hammy but frightening as
Lugosi.
"I will be glad," said the wiseguy.
Leaving, Bubba countered, as the young boys and the room swallowed, "I believe you
are full of (expletive deleted)."
Walking out, the unidentified human being retorted, and the weight of his words fell
deftly, as unsettling as a silhouette outside your bedroom window at midnight. "The
Taylors Militia, you can count on it." I asked the other reporter who in the wild world of
sports the Taylors Militia was, and he hadn't a clue.
The last time I had heard a room get that quiet was when I accidentally, balancing a
Baptist Hymnal on the brass second floor balcony railing, tipped over the songbook which
slapped against the sanctuary floor like a beaver tail on the Lumber River.
Roebuck stood silently as the doors closed after Bubba's fanny and histrionics had left
the room stage left, curtain plummeting. Hamlet had left the building uninterviewed. Then
Roebuck became bold.
"We will not tolerate that kind of crap," said the "reverend."
"We are not here to be dangerous."
"We are here with one purpose," he said. "You cannot eat an elephant. But you can
make that elephant 'bare to the bone' with piranha, he added.
"We are going to be held politically accountable by our vote."
Randy Weaver was discussed then in Roebuck's loudest voice yet. "He was acquitted
and found not guilty in a court of law.
"Randy Weaver was labeled as a white supremacist. You can go to the records ... he
was a Christian." The government may have asked Weaver to become an informant,
Roebuck claimed.
Randall Weaver, now of Grand Junction, Iowa, TIME reports surrendered Aug. 31,
1992 as a white separatist after a standoff in Idaho with federal agents which resulted in
the shooting deaths of his wife, 14-year-old son and a U.S. marshal. Weaver was acquitted
by a jury with co-defendant Kevin Harris on charges of killing the marshal, and no one has
been indicted for his family's death, according to TIME.
Waco: "A lot of this could have been defused. I'm tired of name-calling. Maybe the
jackboots are coming. What do you do to un-American Americans?"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"WOMEN DON'T LIKE TO BE MACHO"
A guy interjects: "Lock 'em up!" Roebuck called for a Waco investigation.
"Gentlemen, we are not here to overthrow the government and act macho. We've got
women here. Women don't like to be macho." Three women were listening, plus a Denny's
waitress. One guy had a Bob Marley T-shirt on. Roebuck spoke of hanging together or
hanging separately.
"We haven't done anything else yet except petition the government and protest."
"Let never again happen what happened in Waco," he said. If there is another Waco, he
said, "We would be there. If that doesn't sit well with people, then there is something
wrong with people."
Roebuckism #7: "You've got to die to yourself in this movement."
_______________
SWEARING IN AT DENNY'S
As patrons clinked silverware out front, Roebuck suggested the audience order
something off the menu. I had eaten at a grocery story, buying a bologna sandwich and a
cheap drink.
Roebuckism #8: "Your division staff has no authority over you."
The militia consists of staff officers and then the rank and file members, he said, adding
he is division commander for the Upstate and temporary state coordinator.
Officers can conduct "court martials" and kick members out.
Roebuckism #9: "We'll report them period."
Roebuckism #10: "Our protection is visibility."
Roebuckism #11: "There are other reasons to be visible...we are not political. We don't
trust any of the parties or any of the candidates. We are not racist. Everybody is welcome
in the militias."
Except Bubba.
Roebuckism #12: "We are not denominational."
The Spartanburg paper reported Roebuck as a pastor of "a Presbyterian church in
Spartanburg." His affiliation has been reported with Mount Calvary Presbyterian Church in
Roebuck, but now he said he is jobless. He is certainly the most provocative Presbyterian
minister I've ever met, including the one in Boone, N.C. who told me exorcisms were for
real when I was investigating The Way International cult group in 1983.
Roebuck: "If we have Jewish people, we will get a rabbi."
On moles: "That's okay."
Roebuck urged members to watch out for "provocateurs" and "dissipaters." "You need
to watch for them and court martial them when you see it happen."
Four types of people will listen to members, he said, including the "rational"
("leaders"), the "afraid," the "old time crowd," and the "Roseanne Arnold crowd."
Roebuckism #13: "You are still sniveling in your fear."
In a gray jacket and tie, he tried to quote Thomas Jefferson, saying the government is
"best kept on a short chain."
Roebuckism #14: "Our drills are for militia only. Is that secretive? No. We have people
in law enforcement in the militia in this country."
After the sermon, there were two men who raised their hands when asked if there was
anyone who wanted to join. They and Roebuck raised their hands as Roebuck made them
swear they were not KKK members, affiliated with Aryan Nations, white supremacists or
terrorists.
As the duo, wrists clasped on buckles, arose, their new leader explained that on drills
they might be asked to perform a duty like digging a latrine.
Roebuckism #15: "Dig the latrine."
If an order is "immoral" or "illegal," Roebuck said, "There will be a court martial."
Reading from the S.C. Civilian Militia's bible, a pamphlet entitled "The Michigan
Minute Men, Northern Michigan Regional Militia Manual 1-1, Roebuck led the oath.
"I, (both fellows say their names), do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the
Constitution of the United States against all enemies, both foreign and domestic; that I will
bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of those
appointed over me, for conscience sake; So Help Me God."
"Welcome to the militia gentlemen." Applause, fellowship handshakes between the few
members and one of the two neophytes said, "I just moved here from Arizona."
(Photo by Tim Bullard)
TOTIN' BLUE STEEL
Sears & Roebuckism #16: "I was raised without electricity."
Roebuckism #17: "Generally, there are good people in these (law enforcement)
organizations."
The highest accountability the militia respects is the sheriff, according to Roebuck.
Roebuckism #18: "We need to be prepared to help the general community too."
Greenville County "Training Officer" Michael Partridge spoke: "We don't do a lot of
work with guns." There is a person who offers gun training however, he said. Most
training involves "search and rescue," "emergency," "herbalogics," and "stretching" a
dollar.
"I can birth babies," he boasted. "Some of it gets kind of intensive." Training was
described as "like trying to take a sip of water out of a firehose."
A woman from Bakersville, Calif., asked if rallying behind people and farms was okay.
"We take it on a case-to-case basis," Roebuck replied.
Roebuckism #19: "There are invisible militias in all 50 states." His estimate, 2-5 million
members. His crew meets once a month with the next meeting set for June 13.
Roebuckism #18: "Same time, same station."
The group has met at Shoney's. Roebuck requested that no photos be taken.
"These are people afraid of losing their jobs," he said. "We are not P.C." The group is
"right wing," Roebuck said.
////////////
VILLAGE OF THE DURNED
Roebuckism #20: "It's right of center."
After the meeting Roebuck sat down, distracted, giving a short interview, deflecting
questions with rhetoric, refusing to answer some inquiries and becoming shy after a photo
request.
He also explained what he meant about reacting to another Waco and how cussin'
Bubba affected him and what about the Taylors Militia.
On Bubba: "It made me mad at the time. It makes me angry he came. He may be trying
to say the right thing, but he's using the wrong words." Asked about the Taylors Militia,
he said there are thousands of invisible militias.
Media: "The press has not really hurt us too badly." Roebuck requested the story not
include anything about his church or religion. "I try to keep that separate," he said.
A 2nd Waco militia response: "Peacefully," "unarmed."
Why does he distrust the government so fiercely? "Why don't you ask the Indians at
Wounded Knee?"
Where did he get "the Waco photo?" - "I've got sources who are definitely afraid right
now."
Leaving the restaurant and bolting straight for Mullins from Denny's, I hoped I
wouldn't get pulled over by a cop with this Michigan Militia material as the United Artists
marquee illuminated its bill - "Village of the Damned." The Baptist Royal Ambassadors
they ain't.
xxxxxxxxxxxx
A CODE OF HONOR
A snarling wolverine graces the cover of The Michigan Minute Men pamphlet the Rev.
Ian Roebuck of Taylors distributed one evening in May at a meeting of the S.C. Civilian
Militia at - of all places - Denny's in Greenville.
Roebuck said it was also the manual of the S.C. Civilian Militia. "Wolverines 1st
Brigade, Northern Michigan Regional Militia," it reads, "Manual 1-1, Background,
Mission, Purpose and Organization."
The bulletin mentions Amendment 2 to the Bill of Rights, the Dick Act of 1903" and
Michigan law allowing for a militia.
"What force exists to prevent a state or federally orchestrated massacre like the one in
Waco from occurring in Michigan?" The organizational structure calls for a commander,
chaplain, intelligence, information and security, under which comes operations, transport,
supply, "comm/elect," training, and medical, and then "air ops," ground ops, special ops
and safety.
"The primary weapon of the brigade member shall be the rifle." A hundred rounds of
ammo are required "at all times."
"Militia members are normally expected to carry military style firearms when attending
to militia duties. On in self-defense shall a militia member discharge his rifled except when
ordered to do so."
Members should expect to "deploy as the need arises."
The member code says, "I am an American serving with the unorganized civilian militia
which guard my homeland, our Constitution and our way of life. I am prepared to give my
life in their defense. I will never surrender of my own free will. If in command I will never
surrender the members of my command while they have the means to resist. If I am
captured I will continue to resist by all means possible. I will make every effort to escape
and aid others to escape. I will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy."
It ends with a prayer for the militia.
Roebuck also passed out a S.C. map with black magic markered outlines of each
county and a number, marking Division 1 with 13 brigades from McCormick County to
Oconee, Division 2 with 11 brigades from Aiken County to Chesterfield, Division 3 with
12 brigades from Lake Moultrie to Marlboro County and Division 4 with 10
brigades from Beaufort County to Orangeburg County.
Also distributed was a prayer-poem from "a police officer out of Nevada" and a copy
of a newspaper story headlined "Anti-Terrorism Bill Would Erode Constitutional Rights."
Another handout listed camping recipes and menus with a six-day supply for four
people or 10 days for two person and other dietary suggestions.
A handout from The New American was distributed, "Reclaiming States' Rights."
Roebuck wouldn't trust James West or Artemus "Artie" Gordon. He probably wouldn't
even trust Loris native Bob Johstono either, who has accompanied former President
Jimmy Carter on a hunting trip and feels strongly about the Oklahoma bombing.
"It's just an absolute tragedy," said the 19-year U.S. Treasury Department employee in
Columbia. "We lost a number of employees out there. I knew five personally. The lives of
all those children...it's just one of the most tragic things I have seen
in my lifetime or in my career."
FBI spokesman Mike Duke said he is familiar with the S.C. Civilian Militia and The
10th Amendment Committee of Oconee and that there is nothing the bureau would or
could do unless there were illegal activities.
Roebuck rebukes comparisons to the Klan, but Klanwatch compares away.
The Southern Poverty Law Center with its Klanwatch Project, P.O. Box 548,
Montgomery, Ala. 36101-0548, publishes a monthly Intelligence Report, listing militias,
Posse Comitatus, skinheads and groups with the Klan, named after the Greek word
"kuklos" for circle. Klanwatch documents murders, assaults, arsons, threats,
cross burnings, intimidation, harassment, vandalism, legal developments, leafletting,
marches and rallies.
One harassment bias incident was datelined Columbia, but it happened at Darlington
International Speedway on March 27, 1994. "A black Fort Jackson soldier allegedly was
taunted by dozens of race fans using racial slurs during an auto race." California had
the most incident listings.
Active hate groups in 1994 included, Klanwatch reports, Christian Knights of the KKK
with units in Mount Holly, N.C., Louisa, Ky., Pleasant View, Tenn. and Beaufort.
International Knights of the KKK was pinpointed in Enoree, near
Greenville.
In nearby Laurens County Ware Shoals was listed Disciples of the KKK. A dispatcher
for the Laurens Sheriffs Department said deputies have been sent several times to break up
disagreements between the group on Cemetery Road and a church which had a black
pastor.
"We're all very aware of them," she said. "They are right next door (to each other), and
they feud all the time. They don't get along with the folks at Full Gospel Tabernacle. It
was an on-going thing from last summer and this winter. We still get a few calls. It's kind
of like a grudge against neighbors."
Laurens County Sheriff Jim Moore said the problem is about "folks that can't get
along."
"There have been Klan rallies in the city of Laurens," he said.
Greenwood Index-Journal reporter Bill Bengston said the Klan splinter group was
concerned about noise disturbances at the church.
"It's a fairly new group. Nobody's been shot. People have been shot at. There's been
bullets traded across the road, shouting matches. The church is bi-racial. The church said
they are being intimidated out of racial discrimination."
Johnny Henderson was associate minister last year when the trouble began and said
someone took a shot at the parsonage and that litigation is continuing.
Church spokesman Mike Brown said, "We have lived in torment. Our house has been
shot at."
Violence is not part of the Klan, according to self-professed Grand Dragon Bob
Scoggin of Spartanburg, who has been ill lately and said he has owned the Klan copyright
since 1986.
"I'm 73 last week," said Scoggin in a telephone interview May 17. "I just had a triple
heart bypass."
Disciples of the KKK in Ware Shoals - "I haven't heard of that one. We've got
members at Ware Shoals." Scoggin confirmed there is a group in Beaufort and that there
are members in Enoree but no club.
When asked about Roebuck's group, he said, "They're the ones who just started out."
Scoggin said there is already a group like Roebuck's. "It's called the State Guard," he
said. "It is a state militia." How many S.C. Klan members are there?
"That's a top secret," he said. "It's still going on. We're not rallying as much as we used
to. It's gotten larger all across the state. We've got a crowd in Conway, Myrtle Beach,
Columbia, two or three in Columbia."
The Klan is in England and in Australia, Scoggin said, adding he has visited the
continent downunder.
"We believe in constitutional government. We don't believe in integration in any way.
We believe in the sanctity of the home. Affirmative action is on its way out."
Are Klan members in Roebuck's militia?
"They don't know who's in their militia," Scoggin said. "You may sit near a Klansman
every day. I don't belong to his. Any good citizen can join. I know some that join."
"We've never had any violence since I've been in the Klan. Its purpose is the same."
What about its attitude against blacks?
"They are not my kind of people. Live and let live," he said. "These deadbeats and
violence going on, we've already got five blacks killing blacks in this county over drugs
and women and all that stuff.
"No Klansman hates anybody, but we are certainly pro-white. They should be as proud
of their race as I am of mine. We certainly don't believe in interracial marriage."
Undercover police have probably joined the Klan, but there are also actual law
enforcement Klan members, including members of the S.C. Highway Patrol, according to
Scoggin.
"They probably infiltrated, but if they qualify, they can join," he said. "We've helped
them a whole lot on drugs."
"The Klan is not Republican or Democrat," said Scoggin, a supporter of Darlington
County's native son Gov. David Beasley.
"I think he's going to bring industry to the state like Gov. Campbell did. I think he's
going to make a dandy. Yeah, I voted for him. I voted for the lesser of two evils."
"Meetings are once a week," he said, refusing to give locations. His office is in
Spartanburg County, he said, refusing to divulge its whereabouts. Scoggin said he doubts
there will be any rallies before the fall.
On Oklahoma's bombing: Those responsible "ought to be hung on the public square.
The government is just as guilty."
On Waco: "I think the federal government killed 80-something people."
The only opponents of the Klan are the left-winged press, Scoggin said. "You don't get
any good publicity from the left-wing press," he griped. "They believe that we go out
burning crosses and aggravating people. We don't force people into anything."
Officers before the funeral of slain Cpl. Dennis
J. Lyden in Conway, S.C.
(Photo by Tim Bullard)
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