140 years have passed since the founding of the KKK. We present to your attention American idiot racists.
1. Who are these people?
The Ku Klux Klan refers to many different groups of white Americans who consider their position to be privileged and dominant. The Ku Klux Klan movement was formed in America after the Civil War in 1865. At that moment, secret racist terrorist groups began to form in the United States, whose task was to prevent the reconstruction of the state after the abolition of slavery. The Kukluksklanists "worked" in the rebellious southern states, attacking the black population and government officials.
2. Are they still functioning?
Well, you could say that. The first KKK organization ended in the early 1870s, when President Ulysses S. Grant banned such movements with the Civil Rights Act. But in 1915, the Ku Klux Klan reappears, starting with the lynching of Leo Frank, a Jew accused of murdering and raping a young girl in Atlanta. A decade later, from 4 to 5 million idiotic religious fanatics, or 15% of the white population of America, are already in the ranks of the Kuklux Klan.
Procession Ku Klux Klan ln Washington DC 1928
3. Where did this name come from?
Oddly enough, but the 6 very first founders of the Ku Klux Klan were well educated people and had some knowledge of the Greek language. The word came from a combination of "kyklos" (ancient Greek - circle, wheel) and "clan" (English - tribal community, clan). The spelling of the word has undergone minor changes and acquired a more intimidating look, so that the inscription left on the wall always inspires fear.
4. Why did they wear rags and pillowcases over their heads?
The first KKK did not do this, preferring the standard hoods. However, the renaissance of the Ku Klux Klan coincided with the release of William Griffin's film The Birth of a Nation, which chronicled the origins of the Ku Klux Klan. The film was based on Thomas Dixon's popular novel "Clansman" at the time.
5. Where did Dixon get the information about the appearance?
From Scotland. Instead of trying to figure out the real facts, Thomas Dixon created the image based on his own assumption of "what the ancient Scots should have looked like." The new Ku Klux Klan liked his vision and borrowed the costumes, as well as the idea of the burning crosses. The only exception was the Black Legion, which dressed in all black and specialized in assassination.
6. Did they only hate the black population?
No. They also hated Jews and white civil rights activists. The Kuklux Klan also persecuted Catholics and were hostile to alcohol. In the 20s. of the last century, numerous groups of the Ku Klux Klan even blocked the movement, urging people to refrain from drinking alcohol. In 1922, 200 Ku Klux Klan members burned down many bars that had sprung up in wealthy areas of America.
Ku Klux Klan symbol
7. Why is there a decline in traffic?
The peak of public discontent with their activities came in 1925, when David Stephenson, "Great Dragon" of Indiana, was convicted of rape, murder and maiming of a woman. The press launched a campaign against the movement until the anti-fascist ideology of the Second World War eventually debunked the myth of Ku Klux Klan patriotism.
8. Did the common people fight the Ku Klux Klan?
There were isolated cases of confrontation, but the satire turned out to be the most effective. After the Second World War, the writer Stetson Kennedy infiltrated the ranks of the Ku Klux Klan and, being a secret agent, passed information to the appropriate government agencies. He wrote a book in which he exposed the Ku Klux Klan and his followers, portraying them as insignificant, perverted and mentally ill people. He also made public the secret language of the Klans on the Superman radio show.
A scene from the movie '' The Birth of the Country ''. 1915
Superman talked about some episodes from the life of the Ku Klux Klan and introduced children to the secret words, as a result, the whole country knew their language. The Ku Klux Klan was no longer so strong and invincible.
9. Is this the end of the mess?
Certainly, as a mass movement, the Ku Klux Klan has outlived its usefulness. In the 1980s. David Duke, running for president, slightly revived the ideas of the organization. But in fact, already since 1960, the name of the Ku Klux Klan was used as a cover for small terrorist groups and murderers. A 1981 lynching in Alabama led to a civilian uprising, and essentially the Ku Klux Klan came to an end. Today there are about 3,000 adherents of this movement who act "without hatred on behalf of white Christians."
