Controversial Klan Member

Membership to the Ku Klux Klan has always been regarded as  “highly secretive” and somewhat “taboo” compared to the rest of mainstream society. What many may not know, is the long list of powerful figures who once dawned the robes of this storied brotherhood.

Founded upon the ideas of “protecting the white race” and creating a “sacred fraternal order”, the KKK has often veered from its originally intended form of service. With a past consisting of riots, violence, and acts of hate, some Americans would be astonished to believe that multiple past US Presidents were once members of this fraternal order.

Harry S. Truman was once a member of the KKK, before serving the United States as the 33rd President. Throughout his Presidential campaign Truman fought for a united movement to end discrimination, as well as help in the efforts to clean up slum areas in America’s cities.

My main question is, if the American people knew of Truman’s membership to the KKK would he still have been elected? Currently in the US, government agencies are gearing up for what will prove to be an extremely controversial election year. President Barack Obama is up for re-election, while throughout the nation other candidates are beginning to make their campaign for the coveted Republican and Independent tickets.  While Obama has served as President, we have seen the endless arguments and conspiracies that place the economic downfall at the hands of the President, along with numerous other failing programs.

However, where we need to currently focus our attention is not on Obama’s re-election campaign, but the individual campaigns of other hopeful presidential candidates. Earlier this year we discussed how the rise of acts of hate violence directly correlate with times of uncertainty, and the same can be said with the rise of outspoken members of society choosing to speak out about current issues in times of economic uncertainty.

Recently Tea Party members have begun to campaign for American’s votes throughout the nation. However it would not be out of line to draw a direct comparison of these Tea Party campaign members back to former President Truman. Although at the time Truman was not seen as an extremist of sorts, he still had strong beliefs in theories and ideologies that were not mainstream. Truman was also elected following the death of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and served as President during the end of World War II, both major times of economic and national uncertainty. It can be said that Truman never acted out of line, or made any major changes to the mainstream of the American Culture, however his Presidency proved the prevalence of such white nationalist values among leaders of American history.

It is my belief that the increasing social media and online presence of these groups will only allow members of white nationalist groups such as the KKK, strengthen the message they are sending. Thus, society will begin to assume that such messages have become the mainstream and Americans will be forced to re-evaluate what the true meaning of “extremism” is, and how it will ultimately affect the country’s future.

Sources:http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/harrystruman