Woman tells BLM supporter, ‘I will teach my grandkids to hate you all’
A Missouri woman draped in a Confederate flag told a Black Lives Matter supporter she intended to pass on her bigotry to her grandchildren, vile video shows.
Kathy Bennett, of Branson, was among a group of nearly 50 people who stood outside a Dixie Outfitters store Sunday in support of the Confederate flag and the store, which was targeted by Black Lives Matter supporters due to a 2015 news story about its owners’ reported history with the Ku Klux Klan, the Springfield News-Leader reports.
“I will teach my grandkids to hate you all,” Bennett told one demonstrator during a heated exchange, video shows.
Bennett then stood up and said, “Suck on this” before waving and draping the Confederate flag on her back. That prompted the BLM demonstrator to tell Bennett that “hating is not a way to live,” according to the footage.
Bennett proceeded to shake her fist while extolling her “KKK belief,” the video shows.
The exchange — which went viral on social media, catching the attention of rapper-actor Ice T — prompted Branson’s mayor to denounce Bennett’s “hate speech” as the southwest Missouri town trended on Twitter, OzarksFirst.com reports.
“The city of Branson does not condone any type of hate speech,” Mayor Ed Akers said in a statement. “The majority of the people of Branson are welcoming, open and neighborly citizens. Many here have strong moral background with servant’s hearts and a spirit of hospitality.”
Branson has been the site of seven demonstrations since May 30, all of which have been peaceful without incident, Akers said.
“We welcome all to come and experience our friendly town,” the mayor’s statement concluded.