The KKK - "All the Best People in Society Belonged"

This item is a synopsis of a book copyrighted by the Univ. of California Regents documenting the pervasive influence of the Ku Klux Klan IN THE UPPER MIDWEST. Aaron Stander's addition calls attention to the pervasive influence of the KKK in New England.
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johnkarls
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Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2007 8:43 pm

The KKK - "All the Best People in Society Belonged"

Post by johnkarls »

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Reading Jonathan Kozol’s NY Times Bestseller “The Shame of the Nation: The Restoration of Apartheid Schooling in America” (© 2005, Three Rivers Press) reminds me very much of a chilling book about the Ku Klux Klan by Sociology Prof. Kathleen M. Blee – “Women of the Klan” (© 1991 by the University of California Regents – U. of California Press)!!!

There were many reasons why Prof. Blee’s work was shocking and appalling!!!

First, was her finding that “all the best people in society (lawyers, doctors, judges, etc.) belonged to the KKK” – EVEN IN THE MIDWEST!!! (On which Prof. Blee had concentrated because it was the region of the country generally thought to have been the least influenced by the KKK.)

By way of background, the KKK had two heydays – the so-called “Reconstruction Period” following the Civil War and the 1920’s. Prof. Blee decided as a devotee of “oral history” that the 1980’s would be the last opportunity to interview before they died the women who had been active in the KKK in the 1920’s. (Technically, they had been active in KKK auxiliary organizations since women were not permitted to be full-fledged members of the KKK.)

So she went to Indiana (and also, if memory serves, Illinois – I haven’t read her book since 1991) to interview vast numbers of women who had been young mothers in the 1920’s.

And the most shocking and appalling finding of her interviews was that all across America in general, and in the Midwest in particular, the “crème de la crème” of society comprised the backbone of the KKK!!!

Prof. Bree’s second shocking and appalling finding???

The KKK was dedicated to “family values” with innumerable activities and programs oriented toward young families and their multi-generational support network!!!

Prof. Bree’s third shocking and appalling finding???

The KKK was organized across America primarily by sending information packets to Protestant Ministers!!! Because the multi-generational family-values program fit “hand in glove” with Christianity!!!

And the overwhelming number of KKK organizations across the country were headed by the minister of the most socially-exclusive protestant congregation of any particular city or town!!!

Prof. Bree’s fourth shocking and appalling finding???

Reading this far, one might be inclined to say – “So far, so good”!!!

However, the organizational packets sent out by the KKK to primarily Protestant Ministers across America also made the point that there is, in human nature, nothing like a group having something to hate as the “glue” that binds the group together.

The recommendation to the local Protestant Minister??? Identify a group for your congregation to hate!!! It really doesn’t matter whether the objects of your group’s hate are African Americans, Catholics, Asians, etc., so long as they have someone to hate. With the helpful suggestion that the minister might consider whom their congregation already hates!!!

So why are we so surprised that the KKK was always burning crosses on the lawns of the homes of victims they wished to terrorize??? Because, of course, the person dressed in the white sheet on the big white horse at the front of the formation was most likely the leading protestant minister of the community!!!

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So why am I so surprised that, as described by Kozol in “Shame of the Nation” and reflected in the 6/28/2007 Supreme Court decision to reverse “Brown v. Board” school integration without a whimper from the media or limousine liberals, American public opinion is so callous about re-constituting Apartheid housing patterns and Apartheid schooling across the face of America???

No wonder that Herbert Mitgang* said in his review for the NY Times about “Women of the Klan” –

“The author’s interviews with women who were dedicated members of the Klan in the 1920’s are original and remarkable…The hypocrisy revealed in ‘Women of the Klan’ could easily translate as the stuff of fiction.”

Herbert Mitgang* could easily have written for the NY Times today –

“The hypocrisy revealed in ‘Shame of the Nation’ and the Supreme Court’s 6/28/2007 reversal of ‘Brown v. Board’ school integration COULD EASILY TRANSLATE AS THE STUFF OF FICTION” –

but for the fact that anyone who cares to look can see that it is true!!!

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* The New York Public Library which contains/displays Herbert Mitgang’s papers, publishes his biography as -

“Herbert Mitgang, author, editor, journalist and motion-picture producer was born on January 20, 1920 in New York City where he later attended St. John's College and Law School. During World War II he served as an army correspondent and became the managing editor of the Oran-Casablanca and Sicily editions of Stars and Stripes. After the war he joined the New York Times as a copy editor and reviewer. From 1955-62 he served as supervising editor of the drama section of the Sunday edition of the Times. He was an editorial writer and member of the editorial board of the Times in 1963-1964 and again in 1967-1976. From 1964 to 1967 Mitgang was assistant to the president and executive editor of CBS News during which time he produced several film documentaries including "Sandburg's Prairie Years", "Anthony Eden on Vietnam", and "D-Day Plus 20 Years". He also instructed evening classes in English at City College in 1948-1949 and was a visiting professor at Yale in 1975-1976. From 1948 to 1949 he was a member of the executive board of the Newspaper Guild of New York, CIO, and has been a long time-member and has served as president of both the Authors League and the Authors Guild. In addition to his career with the Times. Mitgang has contributed freelance articles to magazines, written several novels and biographies and has edited several books including the Letters of Carl Sandburg, Civilians Under Arms: Stars and Stripes Civil War to Korea, and Spectator of America.”

AaronStander
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The KKK in New England

Post by AaronStander »

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Hi John,

You might find Witness by Karen Hesse an interesting read. It's an adolescent novel written in verse about the Klan in New England during the 20s. I've used this book as an archetype of a genre with creative writing students. The background for this fictional account was carefully researched by the author. It's a beautiful piece of writing and a compelling tale.

Have a nice Holiday.

Best, AS

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