In this week’s reading, Malcom X suggested to Lewis and Lewis’s close friend Don Harris that they should shift the conversation in America from one of race to one of class, both among African Americans and between whites and blacks. Malcom X believed the root of the problems in both Africa and America was class based more than race.

In this week’s post, reflect on that position. Do you think the issues both then and now are more about class than race? Why would class cause such a division? Is it still causing divisions today? How do you feel about class? Do a bit of research and see where you land on the question of race vs class.

One of the biggest differences I have found is how the organization is shaped. Instead of being one really big organization, it’s more local groups. Bob Jones said that if they were actually concerned about the violence committed by Klan members their greatest fear should be that he would disband the KKK leaving individual members to commit mayhem free from the structure imposed by the group. I can kinda get that because if you have one big group they’re easier to keep an eye on where individuals or small groups can fly under the radar. It’s estimated that there are 190 active KKK groups and around 5,000 to 8,000 members active in the united states. Which is better than the past because at 1 point there were about 4 million members. However, it’s still an increase from 1973 when the number of members was 1,500.
From what I’ve read it seems that most KKK activities are marches and rallies. Often with other hate groups. However, they may be worse in the future. In the past, the Klan has had waves where they have “peak influence” I think with the horrible divide in today’s country and how the media creates more of it there may be more people who join the Klan. in fact, a branch in a town started putting flyers on windshields and gained about 1000 inquiries.
So is the Klan still a bigger threat nowadays? I would say with the lack of members and lack of political and social influence that they are no longer as big of a threat. I do believe that they’re still a threat but I think lesser-known organizations I think are more of a threat because since they aren’t super established they aren’t really being observed by the FBI or police forces.

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/klansville-faq/
https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/the-kkk-today/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CTG58jIlNA

The ku klux klan today is not as much the heavy hitters they used to be, in the particular article Im reading the organization is far removed from their pre-existing group. The original ku klux klan disbanded when its supposed purposed was done and the current organization that resides under that name is uses the name but is not in anyway connected to the one before in the article it states that “This theft was designed to advertise the upstart organization; in this it has been successful. Among Southerners a romantic tradition of patriotism and terrible justice hallows the memory of the old Klan” with this excerpt from the article it helps show the differences of the two organizations despite sharing of the name. Basically the new group is profiting off of the old organization. 

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1922/07/the-modern-ku-klux-klan/537081/   

From another article it says that the Ku Klux Klan has been getting involved in demonstrations of violence, admitting new members and burning swastikas and the cross.  The KKK is now solely made and focused for bigots and racist white people along with some white-passing people  who still believe that the difference in the amount of melanin their skin produces somehow makes them superior to others. Unfortunately the KKK is involved with another problematic group that also uses the clout of their previous owners of the name to piggy-back as well. The organization is called the neo-nazis; neo meaning new. This organizations primary focus is the same as the KKK to a slightly different degree, the want Adolf hitlers regimes back and to have Aryans as proclaimed as the purest race. 

To top it all of the article states that they have joined forces and now are in cahoots together hence the nazi salute and swastika being added to some of the KKK rallies. I think both of the groups just like attention and the idea of people being scared thought they have no real power other than spreading these days is look “intimidating”/ Dumb on the news and internet. It only saddens me because these people spread these hateful ideologies to their children and those who are seeking community and belonging and end up in the wrong place out of wanting to belong. 

https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/the-kkk-today/3/

The Ku Klux Klan in history and today

https://www.magnumphotos.com/newsroom/the-modern-ku-klux-klan/

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2017-08-14/the-kkk-is-still-based-in-22-states-in-the-us-in-2017

Today, the KKK has reached the largest number of organizations in its history since being founded. In 2015 there were 190 organizations with between 8,000-10,000 per organization. Apparently, though there are the most organizations they’ve had, the number of members in each organization is “small and marginal with little political or social influence.” In three years leading up to 2017, half of the newest klan members joined. forty-two separate klan organizations were active in twenty-two different states in 2017. regarding their most recent activities, the KKK just holds small rallies and protests in parks, courthouses, and at LGBTQA+ pride marches. As well as promised marches that fail to occur. They continue their cross-lighting, burning rituals. Late president Trump called the KKK out in a speech of his saying “Racism is evil, and those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, Neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans.” The KKK definitely held a lot more “power” and fear over African, Jewish, and Hispanic Americans back in the civil rights moment era than they do present day. The Ku Klux Klan Act was designed to eliminate extralegal violence and protest the civil and political rights of four million freed slaves.

I genuinely find it disturbing and disgusting that the KKK is still active in many states and has yet to be eradicated. Whether they pose as a giant threat or not, just knowing about their history should be enough for the entire organization and practice to be illegal. I really thought they had burnt out, basically completely. I’m more shocked that there hasn’t been more done to mitigate the entire organization altogether. I believe more acts and bills need to be enforced to completely wipe out the KKK and its history.

Today the Klu Klux Klan is still around. The members are not as open and active as they were back then but that does not mean that they are all gone. I feel that Klu members will be around as long as racism is around and as long as there is someone to teach the ways of the Klan. Klan members today may not stroll up and down the street in their white hoods with weapons but that does not mean that the world of free from them. Many say that the Klan was fueled by the election of Donald Trump. There are said to be around 8,000 members still around today. Isn’t that crazy? There was a rally in 2017 where many members of the KKK along with neo-Nazis and white nationalists attacked a group of protestors.

The members now do not compare to the members back then because their actions today are much more on the “legal” side. Their actions today are more towards protesting and speaking their minds rather than killing people just because they can. Klu members back then were much more violent and did not care who got in their way because they were going to do what they wanted anyway. I am not going to say that I am happy with how the Klan members act today but I am happy that they are less violent. There are many instances where people act like KKK members as a joke or because they think it will get them views on social media.