OQUAWKA, Illinois - How would you feel if you saw a flag flying high everyday that simply said KKK. The people of Oquawka see one everyday.

One of the rights our veterans fought and died for was freedom of speech and from this Veteran's Memorial in Oquawka I can see right across the street someone flying a KKK flag

This banner of three letters stands for the Ku Klux Klan. A secret society organized in the South after the civil war to reassert white supremacy by means of terrorism. But the flag's owner, Rebel Ruberg, says that's not the message he is sending.

"The Klan is not as bad as people say they are what they've done in the past is said and done. What people need to do now is wake up and realize we need to watch our borders."

And if that modern take on the kkk sounds surprising to you, Rebel goes on.

"I'm not a necessarily what people consider a racist, a racist. I've got black friends, I've got Mexican friends and I've got white friends so obviously I'm not a racist."

What is obvious is what waves in the wind in his yard. And those three letters are associated with hate and hate crimes. But the Henderson County state's attorney, Ray Cavanaugh, says by itself the flag is not a hate crime.

"Threatening somebody or committing a criminal act like burning a cross on their front yard or battering somebody and say it's because of your race or something like that."

So I asked Ruberg do his KKK beliefs extend beyond his flag, "People don't need to be fearful of violence or anything like that coming from you?"

He said, "It's just an expression that's all it is."

As the state's attorney says it's not a crime to have that flag flying and people in town tell me they're not bothered by it and stopping by the sheriff's office they say there's been no formal complaints.