| Charles Juba, in more hateful times |
In fall 2003, the Southern Poverty Law Center put Juba on its "40 to Watch" list.
According to the SPLC's report, the one-time Lancaster, Pennsylvania, factory worker became head of a Pennsylvania KKK group at 21, eventually rising to the rank of grand dragon of the International Keystone Knights of the Ku Klux Klan.
In 1992 he ran a telephone hotline threatening to lynch blacks and telling them to swim back to Africa with "a Jew under each arm." He was a member of multiple white-power groups over the next decade, settling with the Neo-Nazi Aryan Nations.
Juba also ran a non-defunct Web site called "Gas a Jew For Jesus.com" to provide Aryan youth with "as many helpful hints as possible in artistic ways of gassing Jews." Though considered influential in the movement, he wasn't above embarassing moments, including one in which a former girlfriend posted info about her interest in sadomasochism to the Web.
Juba moved to the metro in 2005, claiming he was going to open a new Aryan Nations headquarters here. He supposedly left the group before it happened.
Randy Garcia, the mall's property manager, did not respond to interview requests for this story. Local FBI officials who track activity in white supremacy declined to comment on Juba's current level of involvement in the movement, if any.
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Its sad to see that ppl continue to replay our past. this is 2010 welcome to it. You have all types and we still show how much ignorance resides in side us.No its not good luck to Odessa, its ok to have the bars on main street that exhibit their alocholics daily. And the kids will continue with their rituals of oxycotin and xanax addictions.Or the increase in teenage pregancy .The high increase of break ins that Odessa has had over the last 8 years has been on the up rise.You all are just as racist for hating on someone or something you know nothing about. Pres.Bush had to personally apoloygize to someone b/c he felt Wiccan was not a religion. And when her husband died in active duty she was not allowed the star of david on his headstone.
Don't take just the negativity and read, understand it.
People can and do change! I am very glad I don't live in Odessa with my kids so I don't have to see IF he truly changed or not. Good luck Odessa...for your sake and your childrens lives I hope he realy DID change!!!! I don't think it would be worth the chance to wait and see!
I believe that a person can change if they really want to but it's hard to tell if that person has/will change. I don't agree with this club. We all have made mistakes in our pasts. Would we want someone to hold something in our past against us? I know I wouldn't. I don't think the club should open but at the same time Odessa needs something for the youth. I grew up around here and went to Odessa schools. I wish back then that there had been something to do in that town like a movie theatre. There is more than enough room at the mall for that. How about a skating rink? I would like to see something opened in Odessa for the youth but don't think the club is a good idea.
To "someone with a past". I posted prior to your post on the 27th. I AM a parent, and I do know what it is like to judge people who could come in contact with my children. But you are judging this man on his past and what he used to stand for. You are not judging him for his present state and what he currently stands for.
To "under 21 kid". I personally know this man, and that is not his daughter. At the time this picture was taken his daughter was not even born. You might want to double check your sources.
To piggy back on what "odessa kid" said. The kids that are in the age group that would potentially attend this club are smart, and are old enough to make their own choices if necessary. If you wonder about your child, ask. Find out their opinion of Juba, and his club. You might find that your children surprise you with how knowledgeable they really are.
well im under 21 (15) and i really dont care for his past to much, as far as im concrened, let him stay till it goes downhill and he has to close or till he does something bad.
Would these misguided fools attend a city council meeting to voice their opinions to try to shut down a hip hop club?!? An establishment that caters to Blacks and Hispanics is truly dangerous.
Here's a factoid for you; Blacks make up only 13%? of the population, yet commit over 50%? of all the murders in the U.S. Maybe the 97% White town of Odessa needs some more racial diversity to make them realize how foolish they are
Give he guy a chance. If he has gone 5 years with out doing the nazi thing , he must have had a change in his views. Lets wait and see what happens before we all get excited..
nicely said 'under 21' that just goes to show that kids ARE smarter than people think and we can make our own choices. We are not dumb, those who dont want to go will not go those who want to will. And just because they go does not mean that they support those believes. We NEED some where to go.
I went to school in Odessa my whole life, I grew up there, I know the families, I know the streets like the back of my hand.
I really like the idea of a place where all the kids can go and hang out, but I am a little concerned on who wants to open it.
Ive read up on this guy and I DO NOT like what he stood for but I DO like what he is now trying to do.
I personally would go, and feel that everyone has a chance. This guy may have been bad, But you dont know for sure how his mind thinks now.
I recently graduated and moved from Odessa but if I was a student there still I would love a place for us, those kids need something to do, Or would you prefer that they just continue to hang out where ever and smoke pot and get drunk??
And I must add this, He did say that parents are welcome. You think that he would try anything with the town already down his throat? If he did the cops would be there in a heartbeat. Give this club a chance, these kids NEED somewhere to go and hang out.
maybe the town and Juba can compromise; let this club open FOR THE KIDS, and maybe just change the name, maybe have a cop on duty during open hours.
But come on people, if it was anyone else we would support the idea.
ive just read some things about the Aryan Nations and this Juba guy. i know that i will never go there because i personally dont want to feel like im in any danger. and if he doesnt take the club out of our strip mall i can promise that he wont get all that good of business and be forced to close. i dont care if he is a father. any "father" that has his daughter pose as hitler isnt a good one!
I think kids are a lot smarter than people like to think...when faced with a hot, knee-jerk topic like this one, people like to pretend that their kids suddenly transform into mindless, potential victims. Kids who want to go will go, most will probably think it's about as lame as any number of generic Christian coffeehouses trying to be "hip", but overreacting parents who quickly morph into hell-bent guardians of their innocent angels in the face of the EASIEST, MOST OBVIOUS controversy du jour will be the people who sell the idea of this club to teens who would normally ignore it.
Here's an idea- have an actual relationship with your children, know where they spend their time, and if they want to spend their time someplace that you are not comfortable with...drum roll......stop them. Spending your time rallying to shut down a venue that MIGHT, AT SOME POINT be some kind of negative influence on SOME KID because some guy who may or may not be reformed wants to open what will surely be a total flop of a business....pretty much advertises your greatness at being the Monday Morning Quarterback of parents.
I'm all for giving someone a 2nd chance and I believe people can change. However, when you want to work with kids, you should be held to a higher standard. That's just the simple truth. When you make mistakes in your past, there are consequences that can last the rest of your life. I truly hope Mr. Juba has changed, but after hearing him at the meeting on Monday, I'm not convinced. If this man wants to open a business, he needs to look into one that doesn't involve working with kids of any age.
Easy to say forgive and forget when its not your town or children he's trying to corrupt.
I love how people want to make ordinary citizens accountable to past transgressions but, when it comes to our PUBLIC OFFICIALS, we dare not do that to them.
Let them man open his business. If you don't agree with it, DON'T GO!! Don't let your kids go. Just DON'T support it, period. But, to just try to overthrow one man trying to open a business before even getting started is a very tyrannical way to behave.
What is happening to our freedoms to voluntarily partake in business or activities??
Who are we to "judge"? I'd be glad to tell you. As a parent, it is my JOB to judge someone who wants to have a business that caters to my child.
He's got more than a "past"... he has a lifetime of "judging" people based on the color of their skin. HE named HIS club "The Black Flag" to give props to William Quantrill who was a horrible cruel person. To me, that doesn't demonstrate that he has "let go" of his "past" at all. If anything, it's a big RED flag letting me know he still thinks brutality and racism are acceptable, maybe even honorable.
I agree with the person who wants to know how he was allowed to just walk away from the KKK or the Aryan Brotherhood.
I have a past myself and because of that, I know a little something about gangs. It ain't often a man leaves a gang and they voluntarily let him go. Know what I'm getting at?
Unlike this guy, I DO denounce my former mistaken beliefs. Unlike him, I'm not just keeping my opinion to myself. I'm actually trying to make a difference and change the minds of those who used to be like me - ignorant.
I admit I would have a different opinion of him if he was publicly speaking out against hate groups but he isn't. No, he's not endorsing them but he has never admitted that his racist mind has changed. He has only said he "keeps it to himself".
If you know him, pass this advice along to him: Until he starts some pretty hardcore activism AGAINST hate groups, there's not a parent in their right mind who will let him have access to their kids. Maybe a business for adults is a more practical option.
I highly believe that people can change, but only if they want to. I believe that Charles is a good man, and that he has truly left his past behind him. So my question to everyone else is why can't you let his past go??
Just because he has a "past" that we can all look up on Google does not mean that he is the only one with a "past". How many of you out there are thankful that there is not a written testimony of the choices that you made in your younger years.
Everyone has their own opinion of life, and who are we to judge a man who simply has his own opinion.
It is so easy to point fingers and blame, but how easy is it to listen and learn? Maybe we all will see that he has truly left that life behind him and is trying very hard to live for the future.
I used to work with charlie back in the late 90's in the same factory and during that time charlie never spoke to me nor did he spew any hate mongering garbage, i did have the pleasure of watching him march down the street with his cronies in their little white sheets protected by my tax dollars with the likes of the Pa State Police and 15 different counties of Police.
Can People change? Maybe? Time will tell.
Oh Well good luck Odessa your going to need it if he hasn't changed.
Black Flag was also a band who despite themselves never being neo-nazis did have a lot of neo-nazi fans.
How far behind him could he really leave his Aryan nation past?
A simple Google search produces "Sworn code of the Aryan Brotherhood":
I will stand by my brother.
My brother will come before all others.
My life is forfeit should I fail my brothers.
I will honor my brother in peace as in war.
Since he clearly didn't 'forfeit' his life and since he clearly isn't living in hiding, did his neo-Nazi friends just say "oh, it's cool man, we understand." and let him peacefully walk away?
I'm pretty sure the common gang/brotherhood policy is "Blood in. Blood out."
The Aryan Brotherhood, the KKK and neo-Nazis aren't exactly known for their restraint, reason and logic. Does he still have ties to his white supremacist roots or is he the luckiest person ever to escape such a gang with his life and assumed future safety intact?
His Black Flag club website doesn't seem to have any obvious white supremacist propaganda that I found except one little item. There's a music poll posted and one of the options is "anything but rap." Considering the owner's history, that's telling...
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