Some 60 people, all of them white, took part in the rally on the town hall steps, holding signs such as, "Pollution of our population is stupid," "La Raza go home. This is our land." and "No Spanish spoken here." A couple wore jackets patterned after the Confederate flag.

Siler City, like many other towns in this region, has seen substantial immigration in the last 10 years. Today, close to 40 percent of the 6,000 residents are Latino. Many of the immigrants work in the two large poultry plants and various textile mills located here.

The police and a number of organizations opposed to the racist rally had urged Latino residents and others not to hold a counterprotest, but to stay inside during the rally. Nevertheless, nearly 200 people gathered in the blocked-off street and on the sidewalk opposite town hall.

Some of those in this crowd applauded the speakers, but the large majority were opposed to the anti-immigrant action. A few brought signs reflecting this view, including a group of students from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A number of students from the Siler City high school, both Black and white, said they came to oppose the rally. Individuals came from throughout the region.

Duke, who now heads an organization called the National Organization for European American Rights, gave a 50-minute speech that scapegoated immigrants, Blacks, and Jews for social and economic problems, often in very crude terms. "To get a few chickens plucked is it worth losing your national heritage?" he said.

Other speakers were Will Williams of the National Alliance in Raleigh and Sam van Rensburg, a white South African who left following the fall of apartheid rule there. The final speaker was a supporter of ultrarightist presidential candidate Patrick Buchanan, who urged participants to sign petitions to put Buchanan on the state ballot as the Reform Party candidate.

A few observers who had been sympathetic to the anti-immigrant demagogy of the rally organizers were taken aback by the blatantly racist platform. Johnny Benge, a hydraulics worker who is white, said he was "disappointed. This is different than what it was supposed to be--it's the KKK under disguise."

Most had no illusions about what to expect. Barry Green, who is Black, brought his teenage son from Durham. "I went to one of these in Tallahassee when I was in college in the '60s and it had a deep effect on me," he said.

Although there was no organized protest, a few people in the crowd shouted out against the speakers. Among them was Michael Siler, a young Black worker who builds trailer homes. Siler, who grew up in this town, said many of his coworkers are Mexican. "You have to stand up for yourself against this racist abuse." he said.

Jesus Perez, a Mexican worker who drove 20 miles from Liberty, was one of the few Latinos present. "I want to show them I'm not scared," said Perez.  
 
 
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