Indiana 1924 elections: Almost all Repub candidates hand-picked by the Ku Klux Klan

[Selatius]

I'm watching this special on the "Invisible Empire," the Ku Klux Klan on the History Channel, and it's talking about the history of the Klan, how it grew to prominence, and how it numbered at its height in the low millions in the 1920s. It was so powerful that in many places, you could not run for office unless you had support from the Klan.

In many ways, I would compare it to how Hezbollah has become wildly popular in Lebanon. It appeals to people because of its social works and its acts of charity like Hezbollah. It wraps itself in patriotism; it wraps itself in religious symbolism; and it casts itself as a defender of "traditional values" and as a reformer.

Funny how Repubs today cast themselves as fighters of terrorism.

[skipos]

1. Which is probably why Indiana is still so red

compared to other midwestern states.

[CatWoman]

4. I read somewhere that the Klan was established in Indiana

[Retrograde]

7. huge membership there

something like a third to a half of all eligible men in some parts of Indiana joined the Klan. Scary. I used to visit central Indiana for business, and it was creepy to see Klan memorabilia in antique shops (my company allowed employees to stay over on their own time - there were some nice state parks in the area as well)

[tinfoil tiaras]

2. OMG, i was watching that too

the history channel is amazing. :D

and about that scandal with the guy that drugged and raped that lady...wow, spell hypocrites KKK :crazy:

[Lars39]

5. My dad was young back then,

he has very vivid memories of that being in the news and how that made a lot of people come to their senses about the Klan.

[cobaindrain]

3. The "Klan" is still around

They just don't wear the white robes with the pointy hats anymore

[Freedom_from_Chains]

6. I have been watching that also with my daughter

so that she can get a better understanding of what racism is. This happened where we live and yes it is part of the reason that Indiana is so red. But the interesting thing I noticed about it tonight, and this is not my first time watching it, is how many parallels can be drawn between that time and the religious right of today. Oh sure, they're not hanging people aside from a few abortion doctors that have been shot but realistically that is because they have become more sophisticated and they now understand that out and out murder brings unwanted attention. But lets take a look at just a few points.


Then

Supported Prohibition
Upheld the purity of womanhood
Main enemy was blacks
Christian organization
Attempted to establish control by political means.

Now

Supports war on drugs
Supports heterosexual marriage only
Main enemy is gays
Christian organization
Attempted to establish control by political means.


Just goes to show things really don't change that much for some people.

[B Calm]

8. Back in the late 70s the Klan burned a cross at my workplace.

A black girl and a white girl got into a fight at work. They fired the instigator of the fight, the white girl. Two nights later they burned a cross on the factory's front lawn. Covington, Indiana....

[provis99]

9. Indiana still is Klan territory

some small towns like Martinsville and Valparaiso are notorious for harboring racists; you see rebel flags all over the house porches there. Valparaiso was a sundown town until the 70s. When I lived in Bloomington, Martinsville was notorious for hurling racist slurs against visiting Bloomington high school sports teams. One of my ex's had grandparents in the Klan; she showed me pictures of them next to the local Klan leader. Southeast Indianapolis is still known as a home to hillbilly racists; ironic in that its crowded right up against the local black ghetto. Oh well, maybe someday Indiana will make it out of the 19th Century.
By the way, when I lived in Mississippi, they used to call Indiana the "Mississippi of the North". Not very flattering.

[B Calm]

10. We had a guy openly handing out Klan literature at work! Management

did nothing!