Short Paper on the KKK - Essay Example

KKK American Terrorist – Short Essay The KKK is known as the Ku Klux Klan. This Klan is an American terrorist group. The group is known for many hate associated crimes. These hate crimes are crimes committed by the Ku Klux Klan members and are geared toward individuals who are not white. A Ku Klux Klan member is someone whom is Caucasian, and comes from a Caucasian background. Anyone who is not Caucasian is looked down upon by a KKK member. Even women, regardless of race are discriminated against.

This discrimination fuels the crimes as being a member requires one to hate individuals of a different race. Understanding what the KKK is makes it easier to explore American terror and ignorance. Ignorance is a perfect description when defining the Ku Klux Klan. Ignorance can be defined by something that is, “learned and produced”. (Ungar 2008) Ku Klux Klan members think that the “white” race is superior over all other races. Since this is not true, the KKK members are ignorant in the way they think toward other races.

This ignorance is passed on through member’s children and other members. The constant passing of this way of thinking grows the American terrorist group even larger. Like with any terrorist group, expanding only leads to more crimes and more problems. The growing and acceptance of the Ku Klux Klan was only tolerated for so long. Eventually laws were put in place to end the tolerance toward the KKK. Although tolerance is not as it was, the KKK is still a problem and responsible for many hate crimes.

The Ku Klux Klan was mostly popular in the southern states. Many KKK members were angry confederate soldiers who were against northern rule. The southern and northern states were divided and African Americans were more accepted by northern states. Ku Klux Klan members of the southern states focused their hate crimes on African Americans. The members would clothe themselves in white outfits that disguised who they were. The members would hold meetings and discuss future crimes. Wearing similar outfits and holding meetings to plan events classified the Ku Klux Klan as organized crime.

This organized crime became quite controversial and eventually laws banned Ku Klux Klan members from being able to wear white hooded robes in public and display other signs that they were involved in organized crime. The members did not think of themselves as members of organized crime. Members portrayed to the public that they were Christians and stood up for freedom. This false perception made it hard for members involved in crimes to get caught. This is where the use of white robes became the most popular.

When segregation became a large issue, the Ku Klux Klan would hang African Americans. It was difficult to punish KKK members for the acts of violence because the white robes disguised who they were. African Americans were not the only race that was targeted by the Ku Klux Klan. The Ku Klux Klan also targeted Jews. The members shared similar views as that of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi’s. “These members were also known as Neo-Nazis.” (Cooter 2006) Racial crimes were not the only crimes that were committed by the Ku Klux Klan.

The Ku Klux Klan did not favor women. Women were seen as second best. Women were not able to act as the Ku Klux Klan men. If women were to stand up for the rights of women or tried to be seen as a positive figure, the Klan would get jealous and act in a violent way. Women standing up for these rights would be whipped and beaten. The whipping and beating was even ignorantly done on the members own “white” race. What makes events like this even more interesting is that Christian pastors were sometimes responsible for the beatings and whippings.

This further describes how the members lived a somewhat double life. Many were not punished for the crimes because some government and authority figures were a part of the group. Many were afraid for standing up against the KKK because the Klan had a reputation for violence against those opposing. The Ku Klux Klan is an American terrorist. The crimes committed by the group are organized like that of foreign terrorist groups and should be handled equally. Crimes need to be punishable and justice served.

Understanding the Ku Klux Klan and what the group has done can help others see the problem that America faces in their own land. The problem is not just against foreign terrorist groups but American as well. Bibliography Ungar, Sheldon. "Ignorance as an under-identified social problem." British Journal of Sociology 59, no. 2 (June 2008): 301-326. SocINDEX with Full Text, EBSCOhost (accessed April 25, 2011). Cooter, Amy Beth. "Neo-Nazi Normalization: The Skinhead Movement and Integration into Normative Structures.

" Sociological Inquiry 76, no. 2 (May 2006): 145-165. SocINDEX with Full Text, EBSCOhost (accessed April 25, 2011).