KU KLUX KLAN!!??

 November 3, 2016

In my recent dust up with a now semi-estranged cousin... last night she called me a naughty name... (she sort of apologized this morning) which I may deserve, because I did not know that "the Ku Klux Klan was created by the Democratic Party."   This led me to do some research because I had heard that my old home town, Greeley, Colorado, was a hot bed for the KKK in the early part of the last century.  Wow!   Research that I found says that the KKK was probably a reaction by individual Southern Democrats who were upset with the outcome of the Civil War and banded together to wreak havoc on Blacks and sympathetic white folks. Virginia State Senator Stephen Martin declared that the "Democratic Party" had created the KKK, when in fact the Democratic Party it self had nothing to do with it.  These "Democrats" of the 1860s were probably more like the Tea Party folks of recent times. The senator apologized for his mistake.   Sadly, a fact would not change the mind of someone who wanted the myth to be true.

The research, which I am happy to have done, points out that the Republicans (Remember Mr. Lincoln?) and the Democrats in the 1860s were of very different persuasions back in that day.   In fact, it might be fair to say that the "Republicans" of the mid 1800s were pretty much aligned with the folks in 2016 who call themselves Democrats.

Fast forward a hundred years and we find that the "Dixiecrats" bailed on the Dems and joined the Republicans after the passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964.  How dare we give equal rights to everyone!??  Da Noive! (In Curly's voice)

The idea that anyone of a liberal persuasion would have anything to do with the hate group, KKK, is ridiculous.  It's this type of stuff that divides us further.  We may never totally cleanse our country of bigots and hate mongers, but we have an opportunity  next week, on Tuesday, to make sure that one of them never sees the inside of the White House and never unleashes his vitriol and disgusting behavior as a public official.. ever.  I would hope that Madame President would graciously invite him to dinner, though.

My dear cousin has blocked me on Facebook, so the opportunity to find out this particular truth about the KKK won't be available to her.  She describes her husband in a way that is a little scary:  
"... my Republican, revolutionary, bigot, Christian 100% Disabled Viet Nam Veteran husband..." 
 I wonder how many bullets they have? I'd guess the gun locker is filled to the brim.. if gun lockers actually have brims? 

I guess when you have lived for more than half your life in a family like that, you may be inclined a bit to the right?  She says she is not abused, but anyone whose beliefs are so clouded by politics and religion seems to me to be a victim, even if service is voluntary.  

For  Chicago fans and nostalgics, Barbara Hashimoto? Cathy Zukoski? Terrie Snell? and the wonderful Trish Soodik, dancing and dusting on a cloud somewhere.  Congratulations to the Cubs! 

November 3, 2016
michaelsheehan