Statement from Kids Helping Kids Protesters

On the morning of February 10, 2006, at 6:45AM, several survivors of KHK and STRAIGHT, INC., assembled on the sidewalk next to the KHK driveway with their signs to greet the host family vehicles entering the parking lot. One car actually stopped to take time to read all of the signs. It appeared that only 5 cars carrying newcomers entered the lot. A short while later, 2 phasers came up and stood waiting for the school bus, but after about 30 seconds, they made a return mad dash for the building. Having accomplished the objective of the morning mission, the survivors headed out to eat and thaw out from the bone chilling 18 degree weather. No sooner than they got in their cars to go, a school bus pulled up to pick up a couple of phasers. The bus left without them.

At 3:30PM, the survivors returned to the sidewalk with larger signs. About 30 minutes later, WCPO reporter Hagit Limor stopped by and did a couple of interviews, then waited until 6:15 or so and did a "Live Shot" of the protest. Meanwhile, 2 survivors participated in a live call in radio show on WAIF's "The Cincinnati Beacon" from the sidewalk as they held their signs. Some passing drivers expressed their opposition to the protest in various ways. For example, as soon as the WCPO Cameraman started packing up the equipment, a pickup truck drove by and blasted a huge black cloud of diesel smoke on the protesters. Soon afterwards, he did it again. Then, someone who appeared to be associated with KHK took pictures of the protesters from their vehicle.

However, many passersby showed their support by waving, honking their horns, and by rolling down windows to yell "YEAH!!!". One car even pulled over and the nice people inside handed out cups of fresh hot chocolate to everyone. Near 8PM, "The Cincinnati Beacon" reporters arrived and did some more interviews, then both reporters were kicked out of the KHK lobby for merely asking KHK to comment on the protest. By that time, all of the open meeting attendees had parked, so the survivors left to eat, warm up, and to talk more with the Beacon's Dean of Cincinnati and Derrick Blassingame.

Upon return afterwards, open meeting began to let out and cars started to leave. The 5 host family cars lined up at the "cage" in the back of KHK. When it was time for them to leave, they came up the driveway and were met with signs and people yelling. There was a female newcomer who appeared to be trying to say something to the protesters when her host family was waiting for the cars on the road to clear so they could get out of the driveway. Another vehicle nearly ran over one of the protesters and flipped him off.

Shortly afterwards, a Miami Township Police car showed up and the officer asked why the protesters were there. He was offered a flier, which he gladly took. He then asked if KHK used to be Straight, Inc., and then left after thanking the protesters for explaining what they were doing. After the last host family vehicle left, the protesters packed up and headed out. The protest was a grand success and the overall support of this event by the local community was obvious.