Has anyone been inside "Wildman's" shop on Kennesaw? Is it really a racist emporium? (upper-class, for sale)

[koko339]

I've heard about this place but have never been inside. Kinda scared to honestly, LOL.
Kennesaw must be very proud...or not.

A Shop in Georgia Sells Racist Wares | Southern Poverty Law Center

(and it should read IN Kennesaw, dammit)

[AcidSnake]

I don't find anything wrong with the emporium.

Better that the bubbas sit in their little store, buy their baubles and fantasize about the "good ol' days" then to have them walk around in the streets and try to forcibly renew that atrocious pre-1964 CRA time period, I'd think.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by koko339

I've heard about this place but have never been inside. Kinda scared to honestly, LOL.
Kennesaw must be very proud...or not.

A Shop in Georgia Sells Racist Wares | Southern Poverty Law Center

(and it should read IN Kennesaw, dammit)

I know about the place. I don't like it one bit.

[DTL3000]

I've been there. It's interesting to say the least. The owner has a lot of pictures of black visitors posing with him in the store. I guess that's the equivalent of "How can I be racist with all the black friends I have?"

He has a "museum" in the back that has all sorts of civil war, kkk, and Jim Crow era paraphernalia. The actual store sells typical redneck right wing stuff like "Fergit? Hell!" bumper stickers, copies of "The Turner Diaries" and Civil War collectibles.

I recommend it to anybody who wants a taste of what it was like back in those days. I agree with Acid. It's a reminder of how things were in the old south.

[SW30303]

I think I read about that place one time or something similar in NW Georgia, forget now. This is the kind of attention he wants, you know? I haven't been there and have 0 interest in it myself.

Maybe some of the very offending old signage can be sold to museums. There is always a flip side to things.

[atlantagreg30127]

If you remove all negative images from the past in order to "sanitize" society, then exactly how are future generations supposed to realize how bad the world once was? This would apply to Nazi memorabilia, negative items about Blacks, women, Asians, etc that have been in our country (and others) since it became a country. If you remove all negative traces of our past, you can't move forward to be better.

[y8tiger]

Wow, Wildman's is still around! Does he still wear hip holsters with two .45 Revolvers? I visited his shop a few times during High School in the early 80's. He had quite the collection of Civil War memorabilia for sale and it was quite a popular local shop.

Reminds me of how we all used to learn "Dixie" and "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" in music class and Square Dancing in physical ed class. I bet these lessons are no longer taught in Cobb County Schools.

[suprascooby22]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

If you remove all negative images from the past in order to "sanitize" society, then exactly how are future generations supposed to realize how bad the world once was? This would apply to Nazi memorabilia, negative items about Blacks, women, Asians, etc that have been in our country (and others) since it became a country. If you remove all negative traces of our past, you can't move forward to be better.

Couldnt agree more and YES Wildmans is still there and it is more of a novelty than anything else. I mean if it was a racist Klan hangout dont you think the Police which are literally right next door at City Hall might take issue. What about all of the other downtown Kennesaw business that are in the area? Lets also not forget about the Civil War museum right across the street. It is pretty obvious to me that if the place was as bad as some people claim that it would been shut down long ago and YES I have been there and while there are Klan items in there the overwhelming amount of stuff is based on the Civil War and provides many items for Civil War enthusiast who participate in the reenactments in the area. The funniest thing is when you walk in and you see the board of photos of all the blacks that have visited his shop over the years. I give him credit because it does disarm you when you see that display. Wildman also was very polite and seemed to enjoy talking about the Civil War so I see NO problem with what he does.

[stvincent]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

If you remove all negative images from the past in order to "sanitize" society, then exactly how are future generations supposed to realize how bad the world once was? This would apply to Nazi memorabilia, negative items about Blacks, women, Asians, etc that have been in our country (and others) since it became a country. If you remove all negative traces of our past, you can't move forward to be better.

I agree, you can't erase history. It is there as a reminder not to repeat it again. But some of the stuff he has in his store is just downright offensive, from the article: "you have to walk by a dingy display case full of KKK daggers and Civil War bullets and past the rack of white-power novels and Johnny Rebel CDs, featuring classics such as "****** Hatin' Me," "****** ******, Who Likes a ******," "Move them ******s North" and "Some ******s Never Die, They Just Smell That Way."

I have never been to the store but have been aware of it for years. I believe in free speech. And with that belief you have to support the speech you like and don't like.

[cabasse]

he goes way past the limit of what i think any sane person would think is acceptable. there's a clear difference between just displaying history, and trying to keep it going.

...and Johnny Rebel CDs, featuring classics such as "****** Hatin' Me," "****** ******, Who Likes a ******," "Move them ******s North" and "Some ******s Never Die, They Just Smell That Way." Crossing into a chained-off museum area of the store, posted "No Dogs, No Negroes, No Mexicans" (although the sign has been amended to read "Dogs OK") . . .reach a mannequin dressed in moldering Klan robes and holding a noose.

...Myers' dubious treasures include a small box of "niglet repellant" — cotton balls, he explains. "It's supposed to be a joke," Myers says. "Somebody told me they won't pick cotton because they've gone upper-class now.

lol, took awhile to respond to this, seems like someone else got to it first...