# I think the KKK does not mean what this guy thinks it means **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 31, 2007, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-the-kkk-does-not-mean-what-this-guy-thinks-it-means/424796 "2007-10-31T22:45:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-the-kkk-does-not-mean-what-this-guy-thinks-it-means/424796/1 "2007-10-31T22:45:27Z")
From a member of one KKK organization to the members of another KKK organization (from [here](http://www.waff.com/Global/story.asp?S=7281616&nav=menu62_1_2) ): > [@KKK dude](#): > > “We are opposed to the ignorance and stupidity as displayed by the individuals that thumbed their nose at the area churches by continuing to use racial slurs, threats and avoided Christian deportment,” he said. Is it opposite day and no one told me? No one tells me anything! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-the-kkk-does-not-mean-what-this-guy-thinks-it-means/424796/2 "2007-11-01T03:48:28Z")
They briefly considered tolerance and mutual respect for their differences as an approach but then realized that would go against everything they stood for. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-the-kkk-does-not-mean-what-this-guy-thinks-it-means/424796/3 "2007-11-01T12:32:44Z")
May be early morning stupor, but I cannot for the life of me figure out from that article what the 1st KKK group is protesting about the other one. Anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Sock\_of\_Doom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71c47a/32.png) [@Sock\_of\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sock_of_Doom)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-the-kkk-does-not-mean-what-this-guy-thinks-it-means/424796/4 "2007-11-01T12:38:10Z")
[QUOTE=olivesmarch4th] May be early morning stupor, but I cannot for the life of me figure out from that article what the 1st KKK group is protesting about the other one. Anyone? [/QUOTE] You’re not alone. Maybe caffeine will help. Probably not, though. ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-the-kkk-does-not-mean-what-this-guy-thinks-it-means/424796/5 "2007-11-01T12:49:56Z")
[QUOTE=olivesmarch4th] May be early morning stupor, but I cannot for the life of me figure out from that article what the 1st KKK group is protesting about the other one. Anyone? [/QUOTE] It said it in the article dur… > [@](#): > > “We are opposed to the ignorance and stupidity as displayed by the individuals that thumbed their nose at the area churches by continuing to use racial slurs, threats and avoided Christian deportment,” he said. - **bbs2k** (obviously sarcastic, and as confused as you) ---
**Author:** ![Sunrazor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sunrazor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunrazor)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-the-kkk-does-not-mean-what-this-guy-thinks-it-means/424796/6 "2007-11-01T17:22:46Z")
The upset seems to be over one group’s disruption of the “Trail of Tears Ride”, whatever that is, in which the second group seemed to be invested. The National Klan group also appears to be from “out of town,” such as it is, and thus resented by the locals. Anytime anyone in the KKK starts talking about “tolerance,” I get suspicious. The only thing scarier would be Nazis talking about “our Jewish brothers.” ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-the-kkk-does-not-mean-what-this-guy-thinks-it-means/424796/7 "2007-11-01T17:33:13Z")
[QUOTE=Sunrazor] The upset seems to be over one group’s disruption of the “Trail of Tears Ride”, whatever that is… [/QUOTE] It’s a huge [motorcycle ride](http://www.trailoftears-remembrance.org/). ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-the-kkk-does-not-mean-what-this-guy-thinks-it-means/424796/8 "2007-11-01T17:42:17Z")
You have to realize there’s no such thing as **the** Ku Klux Klan. It’s a bunch of different groups with similar backgrounds but no centralized organization. Any bunch of idiots can get together, make themselves some costumes, burn a cross, and call themselves the Klan. And considering the kind of people who would do this, it’s no surprise that many of these groups argue amongst themselves as much as the protest against outsiders. Some of the disputes are over doctrinal issues (_“we need to respect authority and obey the law”_ vs _“we need to be willing to use violence to defend our beliefs”_); some are over membership standards (_“Catholics? You let those papist spies join your group?”_); some are over image (_“You guys always show up drunk at your protests. Try to show some class when you’re representing white superiority.”_); some are over geography (_“My great grandpappy didn’t die at Gettysburg so some damn Yankee from Ohio could be Imperial Wizard”_); and some are just personality issues (_“Anyone else tired of putting up with Billy Bob’s crap? Let’s start our own Klan!”_) ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-the-kkk-does-not-mean-what-this-guy-thinks-it-means/424796/9 "2007-11-01T18:00:10Z")
Makes me glad I’m a member of the Judean People’s Front. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-the-kkk-does-not-mean-what-this-guy-thinks-it-means/424796/10 "2007-11-01T18:14:46Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] You have to realize there’s no such thing as **the** Ku Klux Klan. It’s a bunch of different groups with similar backgrounds but no centralized organization. Any bunch of idiots can get together, make themselves some costumes, burn a cross, and call themselves the Klan. And considering the kind of people who would do this, it’s no surprise that many of these groups argue amongst themselves as much as the protest against outsiders. Some of the disputes are over doctrinal issues (_“we need to respect authority and obey the law”_ vs _“we need to be willing to use violence to defend our beliefs”_); some are over membership standards (_“Catholics? You let those papist spies join your group?”_); some are over image (_“You guys always show up drunk at your protests. Try to show some class when you’re representing white superiority.”_); some are over geography (_“My great grandpappy didn’t die at Gettysburg so some damn Yankee from Ohio could be Imperial Wizard”_); and some are just personality issues (_“Anyone else tired of putting up with Billy Bob’s crap? Let’s start our own Klan!”_) [/QUOTE] And some are tactical issues: “Don’t piss of those bikers. Some of them could be potential members!” ---
**Author:** ![Bytegeist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-the-kkk-does-not-mean-what-this-guy-thinks-it-means/424796/11 "2007-11-01T18:37:21Z")
[QUOTE=Hal Briston] Makes me glad I’m a member of the Judean People’s Front. [/QUOTE] _Splitter!_ ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-the-kkk-does-not-mean-what-this-guy-thinks-it-means/424796/12 "2007-11-01T19:01:31Z")
Are you completely sure that this isn’t an ad for Kretchmeier Kitchen Knives &co.? ---
**Author:** ![Sunrazor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sunrazor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunrazor)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-the-kkk-does-not-mean-what-this-guy-thinks-it-means/424796/13 "2007-11-01T20:51:01Z")
I love \*\*Little Nemo’s \*\* take on it. Sounds like you know something about the Klan(s), **Nemo**. Hmmmm. maybe you know too much … OMIGOD! NEMO’S A KLAN SPY! NEMO’S A KLAN SPY! YAAAAAHHHhhhhh… ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-the-kkk-does-not-mean-what-this-guy-thinks-it-means/424796/14 "2007-11-01T21:03:51Z")
[QUOTE=Sunrazor] OMIGOD! NEMO’S A KLAN SPY! NEMO’S A KLAN SPY! YAAAAAHHHhhhhh… [/QUOTE] He’s a undercover agent for the FBI, and he’s been sent down here to infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan. Would you believe this man has gone as far as tearing Wallace stickers off the bumpers of cars? I hear he also voted for McGovern. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-the-kkk-does-not-mean-what-this-guy-thinks-it-means/424796/15 "2007-11-01T21:41:05Z")
Okay, I don’t get the protest either so I’m going to WAG… The one group has decided that are more of a “white pride” group, rather than a “hate non-whites” group. Like most Gay Pride folks don’t hate straight people, they are just proud of their fabulousness. The Italian Club, doesn’t hate non-Italians, they just celebrate their own culture and have an awesome street party in Little Italy once or twice a year. So I’m guessing these more… um… “progressive” KKK guys see themselves as a heritage group that celebrates white culture instead of being the “kill all the darkies” type of white supremacists. Maybe. Oh, hell, I don’t really know. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-the-kkk-does-not-mean-what-this-guy-thinks-it-means/424796/16 "2007-11-01T21:50:19Z")
How could a member of Krusty’s Komedy Klub be racist? ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-the-kkk-does-not-mean-what-this-guy-thinks-it-means/424796/17 "2007-11-02T01:48:34Z")
Jon Ronson’s excellent _[Them: Adventures With Extremists](http://www.amazon.com/Them-Adventures-Extremists-Jon-Ronson/dp/0743233212/ref=sr_1_1/103-0984994-0811852?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193967859&sr=8-1)_ has a chapter on a guy who runs a KKK group that tries to avoid using hate speech. IIRC he claims they are “white separatists” instead of white supremacists. [This guy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thom_Robb) according to Wikipedia.