Ku Klux Klan Analysis
The History Channel’s Ku Klux Klan: A Secret History is a fascinating but basic video consisting of the background information that encompasses the Ku Klux Klan. The Klan, an American based terrorist group, is known not only for their repeated targeting of Blacks and Jews, but also of anyone not White Protestant; advocating “white supremacy, white nationalism and anti-immigration”.1 The Ku Klux Klan, one of the most well-known white supremacist terrorist groups, was able to emerge in the aftermath of the American Civil War. “While its primary political purpose was to prevent newly franchised black Southerners from electing Republicans to office in the Southern states, the secret organization opposed the exercise of all African American rights
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“Klansmen also have a strong sense of victimization. Many Klan members are motivated to commit acts of intimidation, murder, torture, and terrorism and to rationalize these acts as “self defense” because of a twisted perception that they are under attack and have to protect their “way of life.” In the minds of most Klan members, the Klan never attacks innocent victims—it simply responds with vigor and righteousness to encroachments on the God-given rights of whites.”4 “They used a variety of tactics to harass and intimidate blacks and sympathetic whites including putting burning crosses on the lawns of individuals, arson, riding in groups by horseback near communities they wanted to frighten, and beating, raping and lynching (hanging).”5 A large portion of what made the Ku Klux Klan's tactics so formidable and effective is the fact that “in many cases, local and state authorities were complicit in Klan activities”.6 Because of the bias of the situation and the skewed justice system, those defending against the Klan had little to no options available to them to protect themselves and deal with the situation in an effective manner. Only 'higher ranked' people than those of the Klan could bring down this terrorist group, and since the police were already involved with the group, this left few people able to intervene. Even President Johnson was left impotent according to the
“Klansmen also have a strong sense of victimization. Many Klan members are motivated to commit acts of intimidation, murder, torture, and terrorism and to rationalize these acts as “self defense” because of a twisted perception that they are under attack and have to protect their “way of life.” In the minds of most Klan members, the Klan never attacks innocent victims—it simply responds with vigor and righteousness to encroachments on the God-given rights of whites.”4 “They used a variety of tactics to harass and intimidate blacks and sympathetic whites including putting burning crosses on the lawns of individuals, arson, riding in groups by horseback near communities they wanted to frighten, and beating, raping and lynching (hanging).”5 A large portion of what made the Ku Klux Klan's tactics so formidable and effective is the fact that “in many cases, local and state authorities were complicit in Klan activities”.6 Because of the bias of the situation and the skewed justice system, those defending against the Klan had little to no options available to them to protect themselves and deal with the situation in an effective manner. Only 'higher ranked' people than those of the Klan could bring down this terrorist group, and since the police were already involved with the group, this left few people able to intervene. Even President Johnson was left impotent according to the