The Klan was and is a diverse organization, though at its core it is and was a
domestic terrorist org.
Before my time on this planet the Klan killed Mr. Little, here in Michigan. Mr.
Little was the father of Malcom X. His crime was he lived and wanted to live in
a white suburb of our state Capitol, Lansin.
His "crim" was he didn't know his place.
But, as you suggest here Roger, the Klan wasn't just racists.
They hated Catholics and immigrants and played upon the same xenophobic fears
that Trump plays on today.
One of my former neighbors, now long since dead was a KKK member and he hated
Catholics which is ironic indeed since his property was owned by my father and
Grandmother, two Catholics who allowed him to live on the property rent free
through the entire depression. It was more than ten years that they literally
gave him shelter.
He was such a shithead that they just gave him the house and land. Then he just
spit upon them both.
He maintained his KKK associations until the Fifties and replaced them with his
love ov Joe MCCarthy.
I think he was the only one in this side of the county who hated FDR by the
way....
Now he never wore white sheets. And I doubt if he ever really met a black
person in those days.
He was just a nasty, religious bigot, a stolid Baptis, who just hated anyone
and everyone who wasn't just like him.
His sons and grandsons ran the local harware store that he started until a few
years ago when it closed do to all the big box store stuff and other things.
But, his legacy lives on.
----- Original Message -----
From: Roger Loran Bailey (Redacted sender "rogerbailey81" for DMARC)
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2016 9:50 PM
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: KKK is Not OK!
I recall my one and only conversation with my paternal grandfather about his
membership in the KKK. I was in my early teens and I had made some disparaging
remark about the Klan and my grandfather told me he had once been a member. He
went on to say that he got out of it when them durn radicals took over. He did
not elaborate on who them durned radicals were or why he didn't like them, but
he did go on to give a brief description of what the Klan was like when he was
in it. Apparently Black people were not the main target in the West Virginia
KKK. Their target was mainly white people and they acted as the morality
police. As he put it, when some no account lazy ass guy laid around getting
drunk and wouldn't take care of his family the Klan would go to have a talk
with him and then he would usually straighten up because he knew the Klan was
watching him. My grandfather did not say what would happen if he didn't
straighten up, but that part about his changing his behavior because he knew
the Klan was watching him sounds rather ominous to me. Black people did not
seem to be on their radar screen to any significant extent. Now, I know that
there are numerous groups that claim to be the true Ku Klux Klan and I don't
know which one he belonged to, but I do think the focus of the different Kluxer
groups varies. I was about nineteen when my grandfather died and all the way up
until that time he pretty much regarded me as a kid and from his perspective
one did not bother to talk about serious things like politics or social issues
with a kid. He was also rather taciturn about certain subjects too. For
example, he had a real problem with attending church and with organized
religion, but he never elaborated on that much even though I think I can take
some educated guesses about what turned him against religion. But it was that
taciturnity about religion that I think was largely responsible for my having
grown up in such a secular family that I didn't know about god until I started
to school. That was just one example though. He was rather taciturn about a lot
of things including his views on social issues. Nevertheless, though, comments
would slip out now and then and even though it was slow in coming I think I
eventually realized that he had a lot of views that were in agreement with the
KKK. He didn't like Jews, but since he never mentioned Jews it was a long time
before I found that out. There were comments now and then that let me know that
he had rather regressive ideas about Black people too. When I was about
fourteen years old there was a candidate for mayor that I liked. Honestly, the
fact that he was Black did not even enter my considerations. That is why I was
so surprised when I told my grandfather who I favored and he was so aghast.
There are certain phrases that I had only known as phrases used to make fun of
racists that I didn't even realize that real people really used and suddenly my
grandfather was using them in all seriousness. They're alright if they stay in
their place. Obviously running for political office was not in their place. He
said that he never thought a grandson of his would turn against his own race.
And so forth. I was absolutely incredulous that he was actually saying those
things. Anyway, it was some years after he died that I was watching a
television show on which West Virginia history was being discussed and they
started talking about the KKK. Their description of how the KKK operated in
West Virginia did match my grandfather's description. I don't know that that
means that it was a milder form of the KKK though. Morality police rather
appall me too.
On 8/25/2016 6:36 AM, joe harcz Comcast wrote:
The KKK has a long history in Indiana. They literally ran the state in the
1920's owning politicians to the governor's office until a huge scandel hit
their leader...A rape, tortue and murder scandel.
And even in 1973 when I lived in Elkhart briefly ttheir was an attempted
cross burning at a small RV factory in a mixed industrial and residential
neighborhood I was living in at the time. I say attempted because the couldn't
get the cross on fire. It was only one half block from where I was living.
Some friends and I actually took the cross down and drove it in to the
Elkhart Truth, the local newspaper. They didn't even care to write a story
about it.
That was more than a demonstration. It was an attempted act of domestic
terrorism for you see the company had an integrated workforce, and the KKK
didn't like that.
I applaud you though Kevin for wanting to throw rocks at Goliath and wish
you all the best in those regards.
----- Original Message -----
From: Kevin LaRose
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2016 3:24 PM
Subject: [blind-democracy] KKK is Not OK!
Yesterday I learned that the KKK is planning to hold a rally at our
county courthouse next month. Needless to say, I was beyond outraged. I want to
figure out some way to get my posterior down there to protest their very
existence. I have been unpleasantly surprised by the very muted response to
this event locally. Reactions I have seen range from garden variety
indifference to curiosity. Some people just want to go watch it as spectators!
I guess that shouldn't surprise me, voyeuristic society that we have become.
But still, where is the outrage? I can't go along with those who say just
ignore them. In my mind ignoring is tantamount to acquiescence, and that's just
wrong. One thing's for sure, the KKK activity is causing me to rethink my
stance of not voting for Hillary. After all, the KKK is AOK with Trump.
Kevin LaRose
Anderson, IN
Email: kl1964@xxxxxxxxxx
