Klansville USA

    The Klansville USA was a very interesting documentary. I found it very ironic that the beginnings of the Klan was actually done as a practical joke, intended to scare newly free slaves. I also found it very interesting how the purpose of the white robes is to make the Klansmen appear as undead Confederate soldiers. That is a very chilling thought to me. The fact that human beings wanted to strike fear in to those who they were not familiar with- black people. It is also funny to me how in 1925, 50,000 Klansmen gathered for a march in Washington DC, similar to The March for Jobs and Freedom.

The Klan's march in 1925

    It makes me wonder if the people who organized The March for Jobs and Freedoms thought of the Klan's march. To me, that would deter them, unless the Klan got some legislation passed, so that makes me wonder what the Klan really caused legislatively. The documentary mentions that the Klan got at least 10 governors elected. That is a very scary thought- at least 4 million people supported the Klan. 4 million people supported the segregation and harsh treatment of blacks.

    Bob Jones is a unique person. To me, although I heavily disagree with the Klan's message, I genuinely believe Bob Jones' purpose in life was to be the Klan's Grand Dragon. In my eyes, I could see an inspirational documentary being made about him if he supported something good for all people. He has the story everyone loves- was a failure in life, couldn't get a stable job, was an underdog in the sense that he supported something many people did not. He also has that "destiny" story. His "destiny" story is that he was destined to be a Grand Dragon for the Klan because his mother was seven months pregnant with him when she marched at a Klan Rally. Although the Klan is horrible and all members should rethink their lives, I do believe Bob Jones followed and fulfilled his destiny.

Bob Jones (right) and his wife (left)

    The Klan initiations were something that I had never heard of or seen. The initiations of the Klan, and the rhetoric used during these initiations remind me of gang initiations. They reel people in by telling them that they will not be alone anymore, and that the "brothers" of the Klan are like "family". 

    The Salisbury March in 1965 immediately made me think of the riots over deaths of black civilians in the modern era. During the march of 1965, both sides could further their beliefs by blaming the other. For example, blacks could say that they need to fight back against the Klan's members in order to keep their freedoms. Whites, on the other hand, could say that the blacks are promoting and inciting violence, which is why the Klan needs to keep marching until blacks and whites are separate again. In modern times, the battle is between Republicans and Democrats, arguing that each side is the reason for the violence and looting that occurs in response to a death of a black civilian due to the police.

    The idea of certain Klan chapters being violent and other chapters being non violent brings me back to the idea of the riots. The people who riot and call that "protesting" make the actual peaceful protests have significantly less of an impact. This is how I see the North Carolina chapters versus the chapters of Alabama, Mississippi, or other more Southern Chapters.

    

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