• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

White Flour by David LaMotte

Inspired by true events in Knoxville, TN

  • Store
  • Teacher Resources
  • Poem
  • Media
  • Endorsements
  • Guestbook
  • Contact
  • Show Search
Hide Search

In the News

White Flour in ‘Teaching Tolerance’ & ‘Intelligence Report’

David LaMotte · Mar 25, 2013 ·

The Southern Poverty Law Center is the nation’s leading organization tracking hate groups in the United States. One of their well-known periodicals is Intelligence Report, which chronicles the activities of these groups and trends and developments in the struggle against their messages. Another is Teaching Tolerance, widely-read magazine for educators who address issues of racism, bigotry and discrimination. Both of them have references to White Flour in their current issues.

Intelligence Report had this to say about the Charlotte clown response, based on White Flour, to a Neo-Nazi rally there in November:

Nov. 10, 2012 • Charlotte, NC

More than 40 Klansmen and members of the National Socialist Movement (NSM), America’s largest neo-Nazi group, rallied against non-white immigrants, all of whom the NSM says should be deported immediately, “peacefully or by force.” But the extremists were met by a crowd of counter-protesters who outnumbered them five to one—and who wore red rubber noses and a variety of clown outfits. As the rally proceeded, the counter-protesters confronted the white-power racists, chanting “White Flour” and “Wife Power” and generally ridiculing them. “The message from us is, you look silly,” said Lacey Williams, youth coordinator for the Latin American Coalition that organized the counter-protest. “We’re dressed like clowns, and you’re the ones that look funny.” The concept for the counter-protest, it turns out, actually began with a poem that was later turned into an illustrated children’s book, White Flour, written by singer-songwriter David LaMotte, a longtime peace activist.That book, published last May 26, was a reaction to another racist rally held exactly five years before in Knoxville, Tenn. “I did hope it would inspire some people,” LaMotte said, but I did not at all foresee such a direct line from the book to a protest.” LaMotte said the book, illustrated by Jenn Hales and published by his Lower Dryad Music company, is meant to introduce children to the principles of nonviolence.

Teaching Tolerance listed White Flour in their “Staff Picks: What We’re Reading” section, along with a quotation from staffer Thom Ronk, “Inspires us to act—creatively and nonviolently!”

They also wrote on the facing page:

Want to learn how one group of activists—The Coup Clutz Clowns—challenged a white supremacist hate group through nonviolence and humor? Read White Flour, written by David LaMotte, illustrated by Jenn Hales and inspired by the May 26, 2007 event in Knoxville, Tenn.

A virtual tip of the hat to SPLC for the important and excellent work they do. It’s an honor that they ‘get’ this book, and I’m thrilled to show up on the pages of their publications. Nine months after its publication, the word keeps spreading!

 

Life Inspires Art (…inspires life)

David LaMotte · Nov 12, 2012 ·

 

This morning I heard from several friends about a KKK rally in Charlotte, NC this past Saturday. It seems that my book White Flour had a hand in inspiring some Charlotte clowns (Charlatans?) to meet hatred with humor, just as the Coup Clutz Clowns did in Knoxville in 2007.

The Klan and Neo-Nazis came to Charlotte to protest against immigration. They were met by a joyful, boisterous group of clowns who seemed to have read my book. I got in touch with Lacey Williams, the lead organizer on the rally, to congratulate her on a great event, and she confirmed that they had based their action on White Flour and the Knoxville clown rally that inspired it.

The story ran on Charlotte TV, WCNC, then was picked up by CNN. Later in the day it hit the Huffington Post, The Raw Story and other outlets. It’s great to see the story getting out there, especially when it inspires effective actions in real life!

Kudos to the Charlotte Clowns! I love how Lacey and other protestors (including a City Councilman!) articulate why they are there.

By the way, I’ve noticed some disparaging comments regarding North Carolina in some of the comments on some of these stories.  It should be noted that the supremacists came in from out of state, and the clowns were local!

Here’s to those who march on…

 

UPDATE (11/13/12):  Top-recommended story on Daily Kos today is about this rally!

 

White Flour is now a video

David LaMotte · Sep 21, 2012 ·

Here’s a way to hear and see this story, that doesn’t require buying the book. Please feel free to share it in any context you like, virtual or actual.

 

WNCW Interview

David LaMotte · Jul 22, 2012 ·

Here is the audio from a lovely interview with Pam Bunch on Western North Carolina’s WNCW, regarding White Flour.  Much gratitude to that wonderful radio station for sharing the news about the book.

Click on the highlighted text below to listen:

WNCW Interview—June 2012

Asheville Citizen-Times Article

David LaMotte · Jun 7, 2012 ·

Here is a beautiful article that ran recently in the Asheville Citizen-Times, Asheville, North Carolina, on the cover of their “Living” section.  If only they could have gotten the picture of me a little bit bigger…

Click on the photo below to read the article (thanks to Paul Choi for the photo below).

White Flour on WUNC’s The State of Things

David LaMotte · Jun 7, 2012 ·

Here is a recent appearance on the syndicated NPR show The State of Things, hosted by Frank Stasio. It was a great conversation, as I suspect any conversation with Frank is.

Interview on NBC 41 in Macon, Georgia

David LaMotte · Jun 5, 2012 ·

Here is an appearance on Macon Georgia’s NBC station, Channel 41 on May 29, 2012, talking about White Flour. It’s possible that I should have put some white flour on my head to combat the glare… 😉

 

Copyright © 2023 White Flour by David LaMotte · All Rights Reserved · Website by Tomatillo Design