The Kkk Essay, Research Paper
The KKK is one of the oldest, largest Whites’ civil rights organizations. Many people are completely against the KKK but I personally am a neutral person. I don’t think that all their actions are reasonable but some are, and some of the statements they make are very reasonable. The KKK dates as far back as the 1800’s. They are a very organized group with strict rules.The KKK started during the Reconstruction period following the American Civil War, and reactivated in the 20th century on a larger level. It originally started as a prankish organization but soon became and organization directed against Republican Reconstruction governments and their leaders who came into power in the southern states in 1867. I believe that the KKK had all the right in the world to start an anti-Republican Reconstruction group because we as Americans are guaranteed the right to free speech. I think they were just a bunch of people with an idea and they acted on it, and I can’t condemn them for that. On the other hand some of the actions they took against the people they despised were a bit unreasonable. The Klansmen believed the Reconstruction governments were hostile and oppressive and also believed that blacks were inferior and resented the rise of former slaves to a status of civil equality. Therefore the Klansmen would often take hostile action against these people. Donned in robes and sheets and wearing masks topped with pointed hoods, the Klansmen terrorized public officials and blacks. Often times this meant their victims would be flogged, mutilated or murdered. I do not believe that any of the violence that the Klan performed was necessary. I think if they really wanted to get a point across they should have done it in a civilized, non-harmful fashion. There is one action that Klansmen did and still do, which is burning crosses, that I believe is justifiable. I recently read an article about why the KKK does this. I found that this is all just symbolism. The cross is a symbol of sacrifice, service and a sign of the Christian religion; the Klan burns it in order to signify that “Christ is the light of the world”. I believe this act is simply an act of faith, a showing that they are Christians, and to show their blazing spirit of the Western Christian civilization. Burning the cross wasn’t even started by the KKK; it originated in Scotland and was a sign of opposition to tyranny from big government and obedience to God.
The Klan believes in a few simple things. One is that immigration should be stopped. Personally I feel that immigration should be allowed to go on because it adds to the diversity of the United States. They also believe in drug testing for welfare recipients, they believe that if welfare recipients have the money for drugs, they don’t need our tax dollar. I completely agree with this! It’s ridiculous that the people of the United States have to support drug addicts, it’s just not right. Another belief they have is that all AIDS carriers should be quarantined. I would have to disagree with this because I think everyone should have an equal chance at living his or her lives normally. The Klan also believes that Affirmative Action Programs should be done away with because they think that people in America should be hired, promoted or given scholarships based on ability not because they have the right color of skin. I think this is by all means reasonable. We’re supposed to all have equal rights but by giving minorities special privileges we are saying that they’re not equal. One last thing that Klansmen believe in is to outlaw homosexuality and inter-racial marriages. I do believe in the outlawing the homosexual marriages because it’s against the Bible but I think everyone should be free to marry whom they want to marry no matter what color their skin is. Despite what many people think the Klan is very strict on whom they let in. They have to be white, believe in Jesus and the Son of God, can’t use drugs, believe in segregation and have never had an inter-racial relationship, will defend the US and it’s Constitutional laws, and they must promise not to commit criminal acts while they are a member of the Klan. I was very surprised when I read all of this. Before I read this I believed that the KKK was a bunch of hating criminals, but the truth is they are a Christian group with very strong viewpoint. In conclusion, I have learned that not everything is as it seems. Before I started researching for this report I would have told you I hated the Klan and their beliefs, but now I have learned that not everything about them is all bad. They do a lot of things that aren’t right, and they are very hateful people, but they believe in a lot of things I do. But in the end I must say that the Klan is still something that this world can do without.