Speaker discusses hate, bigotry

Former KKK member shares personal story of life in hate groups

By Laura Pelner
Campus Editor

The Ku Klux Klan made Floyd Cochran feel special.

Cochran, a former member of the KKK and director of propaganda for the Aryan Nation, said members told him they liked him and that he was important. "They said they would make me a man," he said.

Cochran spoke Wednesday night about racism and bigotry in hate groups and gave an insider's look into how these groups recruit young members.

He said young people join hate groups because the groups' members make themselves available. Cochran joined the KKK when he was 14-years-old because members approached him personally.

Cochran began his presentation with an apology. "If my racism or hatred has affected you directly or indirectly, I apologize and take responsibility," he said.

In his years of service for the hate groups, Cochran went into the public to disseminate his message. He said when communities did nothing to stop him from speaking it only helped his cause. "If I came to your community and you didn’t take a stand against me, I assumed you were with me," he said.

In 1992 Cochran left the Aryan Nation for what he called a selfish reason. "I'd like to be able to tell you I realized on my own that what I was doing was wrong but that's not true," he said.

In reality he left because his son's life was threatened. He said a member of the Aryan Nation told him his son would be euthanized when the group rose to power because his son had a genetic defect.

Though he's been out of the group for a while, Cochran said he still finds it hard to forget some of the racist ideals. "I won’t tell you I haven't had a racist or bigoted thought in the last seven years because that’s not true," he said.

However, Cochran now has the ability to challenge those thoughts. "I've come a long way in the last eight years, but I still have a long way to go."

Cochran said the United States also has room for improvement, as there are more than 450 hate groups nationwide. Indiana alone has 17 active racist groups, including one of the fastest growing ones in the nation — the American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan in Butler, Ind.

To combat those groups Cochran said education and involvement are key.

Cochran spoke to an audience that was much larger than the size of the room the presentation was held in and people were forced to sit on the floor and stand in the hallway. Joan Marshall, associate dean for administration in the School of Liberal Arts and the chair of the committee that sponsored Cochran's visit, said, "I was overwhelmed that so many students showed up."

Many of those who attended Cochran's presentation enjoyed it. Tara Murchek, a senior in the School of Liberal Arts, said it was an interesting speech and she was surprised by some of what Cochran revealed.

Tom Maher, a freshman in the School of Liberal Arts, said it's positive that people care enough to listen to people like Cochran speak. "We can't ignore (the message) when it comes from the mouth of a person who lived it," he said.

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Campus editor: Laura Pelner

Assistant campus editors: Kurt Esposito, Dave Stephens

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