The Klu Klux Klan. Where Are They Now?
The better known “KKK”, an activist group created in 1885, mostly led by caucasian men,was a group of horrible people who did horrible things to many people and unfortunately still do. This group assembled as racist, hatred fed individuals who covered their faces and bodies in white outfits that could be betrayed as looking like ghosts to hide their identities. In this group the members would target African Americans and beat them and go as far as killing them as well. During the Civil Rights movement countless African Americans were burned, hung, shot, and beaten by this notorious group. Although after the Civil Rights movement brought change and the incidents involving the Klu Klux Klan faded out, does not mean they stopped their actions. In 2017, there was a boost in the membership of this group, according to news articles, nearly more than half of the members came into existence in the past three years. There is not much information found on the activities they are taking part in as of today. Most information says they hold meetings and will wear their “attire” on occasion, but they are not killing like they used to, thankfully. When stepping back and taking a look on the Klan during the Civil Rights movement compared to modern day there are various changes to be seen. In the time of the movement, the Klan was killing, harming or beating African Americans near to death over the movement. Various activist were murdered by the group or if not murdered they were in near death condition, when found after the group was associated with them. This group was horrendous in their gruesome actions but over the years have luckily calmed down. Many laws and organizations are put up against the group today, preventing their actions from proceeding as they once were. Hopefully in the near future there will no longer be the group known as the “Klu Klux Klan.”
Cited from
Trimble, M. (2017, August 14). KKK groups still active in these states in 2017. U.S. News & World Report. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2017-08-14/the-kkk-is-still-based-in-22-states-in-the-us-in-2017
I would like to start by saying this is great a post and I loved how you incorporated information about the Klu Klux Klan. We all know who the KKK were and what they stood for. They were an all-white organization that kept their identities hidden when going after African Americans. This was a prominent group, especially during the civil rights movement as you had said. There were very racist people during the civil rights movement but the KKK was on the next level. They were so racist and hated blacks so much that they would go to the extent of beating, hanging, shooting, and even killing black Americans. As you said, even though the civil rights movement is long over, does the Klu Klux Klan still exist today? The simple answer would be yes.
Along with what you had mentioned the Klu Klux Klan is currently on a constant decline with just over thirty active Klan groups in the United States including 3,000 Klu Klux Klan members nationwide. Of these thirty groups, most are very small. They tend to be so small nowadays because they include white supremacists who are less likely to be seen today as we are not in a state of a civil rights movement. To add to what you had claimed I found an article that spoke about more than half of the currently active Klu Klux Klan groups that were formed only in the last five years showing how short-lived the Klu Klux Klan groups really are today.
Like the civil rights movement which has recently been the Black Lives Matter movement which has had many people beaten and killed. It’s so heartbreaking to see these awful people doing these horrible things to their fellow citizens. These people just have so much hatred in their hearts and agree that hopefully in near future there will no longer be the Klu Klux Klan or any group like it to exist.
https://www.adl.org/education/resources/reports/state-of-the-kkk
I agree that it’s a good thing law were put in place to prevent the KKK from committing hate crimes against African Americans and people who helped them. In my sociology deviance class, one chapter we talked about was the KKK and the “new” KKK specifically because it is considered a deviant community. There were a couple of people who were part of the KKK that was interviewed by a news sight and their viewpoints. It was interesting to see that even though they were willing to be interviewed there were many people who kept their hoods on because they knew they could get into trouble if their face was exposed. It is terrifying watching the video when you see these people talk about the fact that they are firefighters, veterans, and just everyday people. Sadly even though the KKK is a hate group they are allowed to be a thing because they have never hurt anyone since the laws were passed and they will just argue that it is their right as an American citizen. The people within the KKK will claim that they are Christians and that what they are doing is “their religion” and that they are not hateful. This group in a documentary tried to show that they were not bad people and that what they are doing is okay. Yet they had interviewed a member that openly admitted he would disown his daughter if she dated a black man and he thought that was perfectly okay. The main reason they are not killing as they used to is because of the laws put into place that prevents it.
References
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vu0NuJ7mcgk