The KKK Is Not OKKK

Over Christmas, my Twitter account did something it rarely does: it blowed up! 

Yes, I know the correct grammar is “It blew up” but come on! 

Anyway, my definition of Twitter blowing up is probably pretty tame. I’m not talking hundreds of hits or anything. But over the course of 24 hours, I got about 2 dozen likes and/or retweets on a few posts I had made on the subject of A&E’s documentary series about the Ku Klux Klan. Specifically on the topic of the show being cancelled before it even aired. 

Here are those Tweets.

Dave-El ‏@dave_el1938  Dec 24 So I see that  A&E's KKK series has been cancelled. And I was so looking forward to laundry tips on how to get my whites even whiter.

Dave-El ‏@dave_el1938  Dec 24 
Perhaps A&E's KKK series would've gone over better with a different title. I was thinking "Boyz Under the Hoodz".

Dave-El ‏@dave_el1938  Dec 25 
Maybe A&E's KKK series can find another channel. Add some comedic sound F/X & snarky pop up texts, BET might be interested.

Dave-El ‏@dave_el1938  Dec 25 
If A&E's KKK series has been cancelled, poor white racists have no platform to express themselves that isn't Fox News.

One of my ways to get a quick blog post with little effort is to just cut and paste some of my Tweets under the heading of Reheated Tweets. But this topic I thought warranted a bit more discussion. 

First of all, let me say this. It’s going to be controversial but I have to say what I gotta say: 

I don’t like the KKK.

There. I said it. 

I know, I know, it seems wrong to say it what with so much of our politics and culture dominated by fear and ignorance, not liking the KKK would seem like swimming against the tide.

But damn it, I still believe in hope and wisdom and that may put me in the minority these days. But I can’t bring me myself to say otherwise: I don’t like the KKK.

By the way, I would like admit I’m just being sarcastic and a bit snarky with the last few sentences. But I’m living in a country that voted for Donald Trump so who the hell knows anymore. 

But back to the KKK and the not liking thereof by me. The overt racism towards black people is bad enough but the KKK has it in for anyone who is not white (so lump in Hispanics, Asians, etc. Oh, let’s also factor in Native Americans… you know, the ones that were born here but still don’t look like white people so screw them.)

They also have it in for anyone is not Christian (so long, Jews and Muslims and Buddhists and so on and so on, possibly also including atheists). Even being Christian is not enough; you have to be the right kind of Christian (so there’s the door, Catholics and Episcopalians and probably most Methodists).

They’re not big fans of homosexuals.

Hell, they’re not even on board with women in authority, even if the woman are straight and white and in one of the acceptable religions.

The KKK represents the narrowest definition of what they view as acceptable: straight white people (with men in charge) who adhere to an evangelical Christian faith and an unfettered belief that they are made in God’s image and everyone else is a violation of that image. 

One might argue that is a  sweeping generalization and cannot be applied to everyone who is a member of the KKK. And maybe there is some truth to that. Maybe there’s a chapter of the KKK where a member keeps trying to pass a measure to swap out the white robes and bring in something with a vibrant color scheme. There could be a KKK meeting going on somewhere with a guy who keeps checking the time because he has tickets for a Kevin Hart concert and he doesn’t want to be late. And possibly there’s a KKK guy who keeps trying add “infidels” to the list of people the KKK hates.  

But not likely. 

The Klan has been of some increased note in the past year. Early on, the KKK and other racist organizations endorsed Donald Trump for President. And when Donald won, these guys took to streets to celebrate. Not just their guy won but it was a reaffirmation of their narrow point of view, of their inflated self-worth. 

The KKK and other similar groups have tried to make their message less about what they hate and more about what they love. Which is Spam. No, white people. (And Spam.) Instead of racists, they’re called white supremacists. Look how awesome white people are, y’all! It’s not that everybody else is so inferior; it’s just that white people are so superior! White dudes rule!  

But let’s get real. The message of the KKK is not rooted in strength, it’s based on fear. If they’re not afraid, why hide behind the hoods? 

The KKK represents a heightened sense of entitlement. Other people are coming to take what you have. White people were made in the image of God and deserve so much more out of life because of that. Everyone who is different is the enemy coming to take what is given by God to the white man.  This is the mind set of what happens when people are stuck in a state of fear and ignorance. Them against the world. And they are those who use that fear and ignorance as power. And because it is power, those who have it have no incentive to rectify it. Keep people afraid and stupid. So fear and ignorance spreads like a cancer until it is big enough to rule us all. 

In a way, I’m almost sorry that A&E cancelled that documentary series. No, such reprehensible people hardly deserve a platform for their despicable views. But ultimately, it would have exposed the KKK to the harsh light of truth. And if we need a weapon against fear and ignorance, that would be the truth.

Tomorrow is Saturday which is also New Year’s Eve. Right here on the blog, we wrap up the year with two (yes, TWO!) posts in one day.

As the sun comes up, I bring down the darkness with the bad stuff of 2016 (and there was a lot).

Then as the sun goes down, I turn the light on the good things from 2016 (and there was more than you might expect).

These respective posts will go live at 5AM and 5 PM (Eastern Time, United States). 

Until next time, remember to be good to one another.