A Black Lives Matter banner made Ginni Thomas, wife of Justice Clarence Thomas, very angry

By putting a banner that reads "Welcome to Clifton where Black Lives Matter" over its main street, a small Virginia town hoped this would be a first step in launching discussions on racial equality.

And while most people have been supportive of the message, the banner enraged one woman: conservative activist Ginni Thomas, the wife of Justice Clarence Thomas, the only Black member of the Supreme Court.

The city of Clifton shared with The Washington Post a note sent from Ginni Thomas' email account on June 24: "BLM is a bit of a dangerous Trojan Horse and they are catching well-meaning people into dangerous posturing that can invite mob rule and property looting. Let's not be tricked into joining cause with radical extremists seeking to foment a cultural revolution because they hate America." Ginni Thomas, who is white, did not respond to the Post's request for comment.

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Clifton Mayor William R. Holloway told the Post the banner is "the biggest controversy we've seen in many years." Residents received an anonymous mailer that tried to link the Black Lives Matter movement to "international conspiracies," and there were angry comments posted on the Clifton Facebook page.

About 300 people live in Clifton, and the population is mostly white. During a town council meeting Tuesday, nearly all of the residents who got up to speak about the banner had nothing but good things to say. Mark Cherry, a Black resident, said he "never would have guessed that this community would come together ... to make such a clear message of welcome and openness." Read more at The Washington Post.