Hot Springs, AR — Dumpsters surround a monument of a Confederate soldier in a sprawling garden. Members of pro-Confederacy groups and other right-wing extremist groups mill around dressed in Confederacy period clothing or yellow shirts, waving Confederate and Christian flags.
The group explains that they barricaded the statue with dumpsters to protect it from being taken down by racial justice activists, something that recently occurred in Durham, North Carolina. This marks the 29th pro-Confederate rally that the Confederate Square Group has organized.
The main organizers of the rally, James del Brock and Billy Sessions, have claimed that they intend a peaceful demonstration. However, some of the pro-Confederate protesters publicly stated that they would be armed and urged people to “use their second amendment rights”, a statement that has caused locals and counter-protesters to fear that violence may erupt.
Known as a popular tourist spot within Arkansas, the city of Hot Springs recently saw the removal of the Confederate flag from its town hall. The flag, and now the Confederate statue, attracted criticism from both local residents and out-of-town Arkansans for its use as a racist symbol and its association to America’s history of slavery. Some feared that its presence might even hurt tourism in the area.
Police watch as counter-protesters face harassment
“The police were apathetic.”
Hundreds of counter-protesters from across the state, mostly from Little Rock and Hot Springs, maintained a presence at the rally. The counter-protest included a diverse array of nonprofit organizations and coalitions, including LGBTQ and racial justice organizations, leftist groups, democratic political groups, and community resistance groups.
“I just wanted there to be a presence of people that don’t tolerate racism. Which ultimately, no matter how anyone wants to spin it, is what they stand for,” said one of the counter-protesters.
Some counter-protesters interviewed for this article chose to remain anonymous, stating that they want to avoid being “doxxed” by supporters of the rally (a term that refers to exposing someone’s personal information online, usually by using their names or images).
Other counter-protesters confirmed this, stating that members of the Confederate rally attempted to photograph them without permission and entered the counter-protesters permit area to watch them and even verbally harass them.
“I have visual confirmation from some of our people that at any given time, some of their members would change clothes and come down to spy on us,” he said. “One white male teen in a MAGA (Make America Great Again) hat and a white woman with long blonde hair and a nice camera with a long distance lens were in the area the entire time staring at us. I’m pretty sure they were there to dox us.”
Opposition to the rally has been high on both a local and state level. Counter-protesters outnumbered rally-goers by almost three-to-one, with hundreds of protesters hailing from a multitude of organizations across Arkansas. The pro-Confederate rally benefited from a large police presence — in addition to local police, state park rangers were also stationed in the area. However, many counter-protesters state that they had a much different experience with law enforcement.
“We were clearly threatened with arrest if we engaged with the white supremacists, whereas their people infiltrated our permit area, verbally assaulted us, and were allowed to walk right through our permit area. Our people were extremely compliant with the police […] I saw a lot of teamwork and love in our group in order to be as effective as possible.” — Micah, a counter-protester at the rally
Other counter-protesters corroborated this account, stating that they witnessed members of the Confederate rally purposefully trying to incite violence to get counter-protesters arrested, despite previous claims of a peaceful rally. The police, they stated, were unhelpful and “seemed apathetic”.
At one point, a car slowed down near the counter-protesters while the driver hurled slurs and white-supremacist slogans at the crowd. Carmen, a college student and community activist who attended the counter-protest, said the police did nothing about the hate incident.
“A car passed some of the counter-protesters and the driver started yelling at them. He was calling them ‘freaks’ and ‘queers’ and screaming ‘white lives matter’ and other stuff,” she said.
In spite of these incidents, it appears that law enforcement were more concerned with arresting counter-protesters for minor violations.
Photo by Brian Chilson from the Arkansas Times. A counter-protester was arrested for “flag-burning” after law enforcement mistook a bandanna for a flag. According to witnesses, the bandanna was never seen burning.
“I watched two very unlawful arrests of our people. It was extremely sad,” Micah remembers. Witnesses recount that the individuals who were arrested were not violating any laws. Some were arrested for allegedly blocking the sidewalk and jaywalking.
“The cops are part of the layers of white supremacy…I’m not surprised,” says Micah.
Increasing white extremist activity
More than ever, communities are seeking ways to respond to a spike in neo-nationalist and white supremacist movements.
This rally comes shortly after thousands of white nationalists and right-wing extremists gathered at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville to protest the removal of a Confederate monument, causing the death of a counter-protester and countless injuries.
In response, local communities and organizations called for the removal of Arlington Lawn’s own Confederate monument. The monument has a gruesome history dating back to the early 1900s, with two separate lynchings of black men taking place there.
“During the early 20th century, Hot Springs twice erupted into the kind of violence that has its roots in issues left unresolved by the Civil War, and both times, it happened right where that monument to Confederate soldiers stands today. Will Norman, a black man, was murdered there on June 19, 1913.”
Other communities in Arkansas are also showing solidarity with the victims at Charlottesville by calling for their own local Confederate monuments to be removed. One example is Bentonville, where a petition to remove the monument is circulating — as well as a petition to oppose it.
“The creator of the Flag of the Confederate States of America, William Thompson, said, ‘as a people, we are fighting to maintain the Heaven-ordained supremacy of the white man over the inferior or colored race […] Such a flag […] would soon take rank among the proudest ensigns of the nations, and be hailed by the civilized world as the white man’s flag’”.
— Excerpt from petition to remove Confederate flags from downtown Hot Springs, quoting the creator of the flag as an example.
Photo taken by Brian Chilson from the Arkansas Times. Pictured is James del Brock, one of the organizers of the Confederate rally and a member of the “Hiwaymen”, a group that may be associated with armed, far-right militias.
Though the Confederate Square Group denies any association with white nationalists and white supremacists, members of white extremist groups allegedly made a presence at the rally. Witnesses state that when pro-Confederate protesters crossed into their permit area, they passed out flyers with known white supremacist symbols (including the Celtic cross). These flyers used the phrase “White Lives Matter” and warned readers of “Black on White Violence”.
A group of members from “the Hiwaymen”, displaying hand-signs associated with far-right, armed militias such as the “III% Security Force”.
Many of these individuals wore yellow shirts and identified themselves as “the Hiwaymen”, a far-right political group that is strongly speculated to be a white supremacist organization.
In addition to the flyers, “the Hiwaymen” have been spotted in public photos using hand signs that have been associated with the white nationalist “alt-right”. However, the Southern Poverty Law Center originally attributes these hand signs to the “III% Security Force”, a loose coalition of right-wing extremist militias in the southern U.S. that has been categorized as an anti-Muslim hate group by many organizations, including SPLC.
“They can say whatever [they want] about their ideology. At the end of the day, the ‘patriot’ group Hiwaymen and the Confederate Square Group were there to protect the monuments and memory of the CSA (Confederate States of America)— a literal slave empire,” says counter-protester Arya Gilson.
One of the organizers of the pro-Confederate rally, Billy Sessions, seems to espouse much of the same extremist rhetoric and conspiracy theories that the “III% Security Force” does. Sessions recently made an unverified claim that the counter-protesters were being paid by organizations to protest, a conspiracy theory that is popular among other far-right extremists.
Billy Sessions in a shirt that reads “senator Harry Reid called me a domestic terrorist.” These individuals are holding up the “III%” militia hand sign, with three fingers out to represent three percent.
“They will put out Craigslist ads offering anywhere from $15 to $30 an hour — I’ve seen — [they] pay these people to get on buses and come up to your hometown and tear things up,” Sessions said. He has not yet provided evidence for this claim.
“It’s funny because Sessions mentions Redneck Revolt, BLM (Black Lives Matter), the Black Panthers, etc, when none of those organizations have the means to pay protesters,” says Arya Gilson in response to the interview. “ Everyone who was there was there of their own volition.”
Recommended Organizations & Fundraisers
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Black Lives Matter Little Rock — The Little Rock chapter of the national #BlackLivesMatter movement, a racial justice organization that was formed in response to high rates of police violence targeting the black community
For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.
And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make
The End- Abbey Road, 1969
The sun is up, the sky is blue, it's beautiful and so are you
Dear Prudence- The White Album, 1968
Love is old, love is new, love is all, love is you
Because- Abbey Road, 1969
There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be
All You Need Is Love, 1967
Life is very short, and there's no time for fussing and fighting, my friend
We Can Work It Out- Rubber Soul, 1965
He say, "I know you, you know me", One thing I can tell you is you got to be free
Come Together- Abbey Road, 1969
Oh please, say to me, You'll let me be your man. And please say to me, You'll let me hold your hand
I Wanna Hold Your Hand- Meet The Beatles!, 1964
It was twenty years ago today, Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play. They've been going in and out of style, but they're guaranteed to raise a smile
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band-1967
Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see
Can you hear me? When it rains and shine, it's just a state of mind
Rain- Paperback Writer "B" side, 1966
Little darling, it's been long cold lonely winter. Little darling, it feels like years since it' s been here. Here comes the sun, Here comes the sun, and I say it's alright
Here Comes The Sun- Abbey Road, 1969
We danced through the night and we held each other tight, and before too long I fell in love with her. Now, I'll never dance with another when I saw her standing there
Saw Her Standing There- Please Please Me, 1963
I love you, I love you, I love you, that's all I want to say
Michelle- Rubber Soul, 1965
You say you want a revolution. Well you know, we all want to change the world
Revolution- The Beatles, 1968
All the lonely people, where do they all come from. All the lonely people, where do they all belong
Eleanor Rigby- Revolver, 1966
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
With A Little Help From My Friends- Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1967
Hey Jude, don't make it bad. Take a sad song and make it better
Hey Jude, 1968
Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away. Now it looks as though they're here to stay. Oh, I believe in yesterday
Yesterday- Help!, 1965
And when the brokenhearted people, living in the world agree, there will be an answer, let it be.
Let It Be- Let It Be, 1970
And anytime you feel the pain, Hey Jude, refrain. Don't carry the world upon your shoulders
Hey Jude, 1968
I'll give you all I got to give if you say you'll love me too. I may not have a lot to give but what I got I'll give to you. I don't care too much for money. Money can't buy me love
Can't Buy Me Love- A Hard Day's Night, 1964
All you need is love, love is all you need
All You Need Is Love- Magical Mystery Tour, 1967
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be
Let It Be- Let It Be, 1970
Blackbird singing in the dead of night, Take these broken wings and learn to fly. All your life, You were only waiting for this moment to arise
Blackbird- The White Album, 1968
Though I know I'll never lose affection, for people and things that went before. I know I'll often stop and think about them. In my life, I love you more
In My Life- Rubber Soul, 1965
While these are my 25 favorites, there are quite literally 1000s that could have been included. The Beatles' body of work is massive and there is something for everyone. If you have been living under a rock and haven't discovered the Fab Four, you have to get musically educated. Stream them on Spotify, find them on iTunes or even buy a CD or record (Yes, those still exist!). I would suggest starting with 1, which is a collection of most of their #1 songs, or the 1968 White Album. Give them chance and you'll never look back.
The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.
Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
1. The importance of traditions.
Sometimes traditions seem like a silly thing, but the fact of it is that it's part of who you are. You grew up this way and, more than likely, so did your parents. It is something that is part of your family history and that is more important than anything.
No matter how many times they get on your nerves or make you mad, they are the ones who will always be there and you should never take that for granted.
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Photo by Lucas Lenzi on Unsplash
3. How to give back.
When tragedy strikes in a small town, everyone feels obligated to help out because, whether directly or indirectly, it affects you too. It is easy in a bigger city to be able to disconnect from certain problems. But in a small town those problems affect everyone.
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Photo by Joel Muniz on Unsplash
4. What the word "community" really means.
Along the same lines as #3, everyone is always ready and willing to lend a helping hand when you need one in a small town and to me that is the true meaning of community. It's working together to build a better atmosphere, being there to raise each other up, build each other up, and pick each other up when someone is in need. A small town community is full of endless support whether it be after a tragedy or at a hometown sports game. Everyone shows up to show their support.
5. That it isn't about the destination, but the journey.
People say this to others all the time, but it takes on a whole new meaning in a small town. It is true that life is about the journey, but when you're from a small town, you know it's about the journey because the journey probably takes longer than you spend at the destination. Everything is so far away that it is totally normal to spend a couple hours in the car on your way to some form of entertainment. And most of the time, you're gonna have as many, if not more, memories and laughs on the journey than at the destination.
Word travels fast in a small town, so don't think you're gonna get away with anything. In fact, your parents probably know what you did before you even have a chance to get home and tell them. And forget about being scared of what your teacher, principle, or other authority figure is going to do, you're more afraid of what your parents are gonna do when you get home.
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Photo by Jackson Simmer on Unsplash
7. To trust people, until you have a reason not to.
Everyone deserves a chance. Most people don't have ill-intentions and you can't live your life guarding against every one else just because a few people in your life have betrayed your trust.
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8. To be welcoming and accepting of everyone.
While small towns are not always extremely diverse, they do contain people with a lot of different stories, struggle, and backgrounds. In a small town, it is pretty hard to exclude anyone because of who they are or what they come from because there aren't many people to choose from. A small town teaches you that just because someone isn't the same as you, doesn't mean you can't be great friends.
In a small town, you learn that it's okay to be who you are and do your own thing. You learn that confidence isn't how beautiful you are or how much money you have, it's who you are on the inside.
man with cap and background with red and pink wall l
Photo by Andre Hunter on Unsplash
10. How to work for what I want.
Nothing comes easy in life. They always say "gardens don't grow overnight" and if you're from a small town you know this both figuratively and literally. You certainly know gardens don't grow overnight because you've worked in a garden or two. But you also know that to get to the place you want to be in life it takes work and effort. It doesn't just happen because you want it to.
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Photo by Nik on Unsplash
11. How to be great at giving directions.
If you're from a small town, you know that you will probably only meet a handful of people in your life who ACTUALLY know where your town is. And forget about the people who accidentally enter into your town because of google maps. You've gotten really good at giving them directions right back to the interstate.
My small town has definitely taught me how to be humble. It isn't always about you, and anyone who grows up in a small town knows that. Everyone gets their moment in the spotlight, and since there's so few of us, we're probably best friends with everyone so we are as excited when they get their moment of fame as we are when we get ours.
Going to a small town high school definitely made me well-rounded. There isn't enough kids in the school to fill up all the clubs and sports teams individually so be ready to be a part of them all.
In a small town, good luck holding a grudge. In a bigger city you can just avoid a person you don't like or who you've had problems with. But not in a small town. You better resolve the issue fast because you're bound to see them at least 5 times a week.
One of my favorite things about growing up in a rural area was being able to go outside and go exploring and not have to worry about being in danger. There is nothing more exciting then finding a new place somewhere in town or in the woods and just spending time there enjoying the natural beauty around you.
You never know what may happen. If you get a flat tire, you better know how to change it yourself because you never know if you will be able to get ahold of someone else to come fix it. Mechanics might be too busy, or more than likely you won't even have enough cell service to call one.
It's okay to ask for help. One thing I realized when I moved away from my town for college, was how much my town has taught me that I could ask for help is I needed it. I got into a couple situations outside of my town where I couldn't find anyone to help me and found myself thinking, if I was in my town there would be tons of people ready to help me. And even though I couldn't find anyone to help, you better believe I wasn't afraid to ask.
When you're at least an hour away from normal forms of entertainment such as movie theaters and malls, you learn to get real creative in entertaining yourself. Whether it be a night looking at the stars in the bed of a pickup truck or having a movie marathon in a blanket fort at home, you know how to make your own good time.
It's all about knowing the person you are and not letting others influence your opinion of yourself. In small towns, there is plenty of gossip. But as long as you know who you really are, it will always blow over.
three women sitting on brown wooden bench
Photo by Ben White on Unsplash
You have taught me that you don't always have to strong. You are allowed to break down as long as you pick yourself back up and keep moving forward. When life had you at your worst moments, you allowed your friends to be there for you and to help you. You let them in and they helped pick you up. Even in your darkest hour you showed so much strength. I know that you don't believe in yourself as much as you should but you are unbelievably strong and capable of anything you set your mind to.
Your passion to make a difference in the world is unbelievable. You put your heart and soul into your endeavors and surpass any personal goal you could have set. Watching you do what you love and watching you make a difference in the lives of others is an incredible experience. The way your face lights up when you finally realize what you have accomplished is breathtaking and I hope that one day I can have just as much passion you have.
The love you have for your family is outstanding. Watching you interact with loved ones just makes me smile. You are so comfortable and you are yourself. I see the way you smile when you are around family and I wish I could see you smile like this everyday. You love with all your heart and this quality is something I wished I possessed.
You inspire me to be the best version of myself. I look up to you. I feel that more people should strive to have the strength and passion that you exemplify in everyday life.You may be stubborn at points but when you really need help you let others in, which shows strength in itself. I have never been more proud to know someone and to call someone my role model. You have taught me so many things and I want to thank you. Thank you for inspiring me in life. Thank you for making me want to be a better person.
Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.
This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.
Don't freak out
This is a rule you should continue to follow no matter what you do in life, but is especially helpful in this situation.
Email the professor
Around this time, professors are getting flooded with requests from students wanting to get into full classes. This doesn't mean you shouldn't burden them with your email; it means they are expecting interested students to email them. Send a short, concise message telling them that you are interested in the class and ask if there would be any chance for you to get in.
Attend the first class
people sitting on chair in front of computer
Often, the advice professors will give you when they reply to your email is to attend the first class. The first class isn't the most important class in terms of what will be taught. However, attending the first class means you are serious about taking the course and aren't going to give up on it.
Keep attending class
Every student is in the same position as you are. They registered for more classes than they want to take and are "shopping." For the first couple of weeks, you can drop or add classes as you please, which means that classes that were once full will have spaces. If you keep attending class and keep up with assignments, odds are that you will have priority. Professors give preference to people who need the class for a major and then from higher to lower class year (senior to freshman).
Have a backup plan
For two weeks, or until I find out whether I get into my waitlisted class, I will be attending more than the usual number of classes. This is so that if I don't get into my waitlisted class, I won't have a credit shortage and I won't have to fall back in my backup class. Chances are that enough people will drop the class, especially if it is very difficult like computer science, and you will have a chance. In popular classes like art and psychology, odds are you probably won't get in, so prepare for that.
Remember that everything works out at the end
Life is full of surprises. So what if you didn't get into the class you wanted? Your life obviously has something else in store for you. It's your job to make sure you make the best out of what you have.
Going to the cinema alone is good for your mental health, says science
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