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Ga. court hears KKK arguments on adopting Ga. road

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July 9, 2015

Lawyers for the Ku Klux Klan argued before an appeals court that they should be able to adopt a portion of a north Georgia road.

The white supremacy group sought in 2012 to receive recognition from the state for cleaning litter from a one-mile stretch of road near the North Carolina state line. Georgia transportation officials rejected the request to join the adopt-a-highway program and the KKK chapter sued.

The Court of Appeals of Georgia heard arguments on Thursday about whether the state violated the group’s constitutional right to free speech. The state has cited public safety concerns and said the program is aimed at “civic-minded organizations” - not hate groups.

The court is expected to decide the issue in the coming months.

About the Author

Ernie Suggs is an enterprise reporter covering race and culture for the AJC since 1997. A 1990 graduate of N.C. Central University and a 2009 Harvard University Nieman Fellow, he is also the former vice president of the National Association of Black Journalists. His obsession with Prince, Spike Lee movies, Hamilton and the New York Yankees is odd.

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