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Rocky Lusane

Buchanan Watson

EH 102.151

6 December 2017

KKK: Peace

When most people think of the Ku Klux Klan they think of violence,white supremacy,

racism,oppression and death. My great grandmother, grandmother and grandfather tell me of the

scary stories they have about the Ku Klux Klan as many African American families do to spread

history and cation. However, with change we can not forget but move past the horrible things

they have done and move toward a better future. Instead of treating them as a terrorist

organization let us help them by turning them into a peaceful organization not unlike the

NAACP(National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). In their eyes they have

many concerns and problems they see but instead of them turning toward violence let them use

the power of nonviolence.

The Ku Klux Klan is technically a terrorist organization. A terrorist is someone who

promotes their message through fear and violence. The Ku Klux Klan is an organization that was

founded on December 24 1865 in Pulaski,Tennessee after the freeing of slaves to keep the

freedmen in their “place” and scared of leaving their homes(History).They thought it was their

God fearing right to keep the colored people in order and that the white people were the supreme

race ordered by God.They used the fear they created by lynching, burning, property damage, and

beatings to keep the newly freed slaves subservient and meek. So, from the beginning the

creation of the Ku Klux Klan was to be violent and terrifying toward colored people. This is still
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how we see them today. Like for example the Charlottesville attack . “The July 2017 rally in

Charlottesville was authorized by officials in Virginia and more than 200 state and local police

officers patrolled the scene.”(CNN) That quote from CNN tells that this rally was a big thing.

White supremacists protested their oppression while brandishing tiki torches and Nazi flags. A

female counter protester died because of the violent outbursts of the Ku Klux Klan while she was

marching against what the Ku Klux Klan was preaching she was run over. She was there for a

peaceful protest and ended up dead. She was using her freedom of speech and right to peacefully

protest just like the Ku Klux Klan did. How can we stop this?

The NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) was

founded in 1908 in response to the horrible lynching of colored people by the Ku Klux

Klan(NAACP). Many prominent black people of the time like W.E.B Dubois for example were

there. From the beginning they were peaceful and nonviolent. The most prominent thing that

shows this was the Civil Right Movement especially the Selma to Montgomery March. The

protesters were turned around three time and one time they were beat back in a day called

“Bloody Sunday.” Did they riot and break out into violence? No they stood their ground and

tried again. This is what the Ku Klux Klan should aspire to do. Instead of violence turn the other

check. They are Christians aren’t they?

To start the changing of the Ku Klux Klan into a non violent organization it would be

best to change their appearance in the public’s eye first, starting with the Ku Klux Klan itself.

Firstly I would start by appealing to their and others religion. The Ku Klux Klan are “God

fearing” men and women so this means they should treat everyone equally, even the people they

feel are not as equal as them. This will appeal them to christians and people with similarities in

their religions. This showing of tolerating others and respecting them even if you do not like
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them will show that they are changing their ways toward a better future. It will also show that

they are reading and practicing the bible which is also a plus in the media and in the world. Next

I would have them address the history of the Ku Klux Klan and explain in a different way their

side of the history. Then publically apologize to the african american community. While this may

be a false apology this will allow them brownie points in some of the media and with religious

people. Then in an effort to make them seem not as imposing and intimidating the Ku Klux Klan

should not have “rallies” but meetings. This softens the blow of them meeting up in numbers.

Groups in numbers scare people so calling the Ku Klux Klan meetups meetings instead of rallies

will help people see that they are an organized group coming together to speak on a certain topic.

To most people when they hear the word rallies they think of the Ku Klux Klan in white robes

spewing hate and violence and that is the image they need to change. Instead of hate speech and

cursing and screaming they should calmly and intelligently speak their concerns of the

government and which way they think the this country is going. The NAACP uses some of these

tactics to make themselves not seem as a hate group but a organization with concerns that needed

to be heard. The calm speaking will show that while they are not speaking on things that people

would not necessarily agree with, they are speaking in a way that will maximize their freedom of

speech. They will not be cut off or shut down because of their hate speeches and cursing but seen

as intellectual equals who have legitimate concerns.This in turn will get them to be a little more

respect and possibly liked in the eyes of the public.

The Ku Klux Klan could also use the tactics of a man who knows the struggle of dealing

with people who do not like you and changing their minds this man is named Daryl Davis. This

man has been sitting with and talking with Ku Klux Klan members and reforming them for over

thirty years (Washington post). Through just a few talks on the phone and just dinners this man
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has changed the minds of so many Ku Klux Klan members. This shows that time and effort will

do a whole lot more than screaming and yelling. With just a few minutes you could change a

person's outlook on life

In Closing, yes, the Ku Klux Klan is seen as a terrorist organization that has raged terror

on the live of African Americans and other people of color for years. However, they can change

that outlook that people have on them. By following the lessons of the NAACP and Daryl Davis

and changing their policies the Ku Klux Klan can turn into a nonviolent organization whose

concerns about the world and the country have a lot more impact than they do today.

Works Cited

Chason, Rachel. “A Black Blues Musician Has a Unique Hobby: Befriending White Supremacists.”

The Washington Post, WP Company, 30 Aug. 2017, www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-

mix/wp/2017/08/30/a-black-blues-musician-has-an-unique-hobby-befriending-white-

supremacists/?utm_term.
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“KKK Founded.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, www.history.com/this-day-in-

history/kkk-founded.

News, CBS. “Disturbing Photos Modern Ku Klux Klan.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 22 Aug.

2017, www.cbsnews.com/pictures/the-kkk-today/6/.

“Oldest and Boldest.” NAACP, NAACP, www.naacp.org/oldest-and-boldest/.

“The Story of the Ku Klux Klan in America and in Iowa.” IPTV, 24 May 2017,

www.iptv.org/iowapathways/mypath/story-ku-klux-klan-america-and-iowa.