Meet The Klan

Daniele Anastasion
Episode Producer, KKK: Inside American Terror

We're following a caravan of Klansmen to a secret location in Mississippi. The sun is fading, and we speed to keep up with two pickup trucks as they disappear over a hill. Our crew has been invited to film a Ku Klux Klan cross "lighting" ceremony. It's the weekend marking the 40th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination.

The caravan turns abruptly onto an unmarked road. We always take security precautions on these kinds of shoots - daily check-ins with the office, detailed maps and itineraries - but I have no idea where they're taking us. "We can't tell you for security reasons," I was told. I reach for my cell phone. No signal.

Most people react with scornful amusement when they learn that the Ku Klux Klan is still active. The brutal murders of civil rights activists during the 1960s destroyed popular support for the Klan. Gone are the days when the "invisible empire" boasted five million members, counting governors and a Supreme Court Justice among their ranks.

With over 5,000 members across the U.S., Klan groups still manage to live up to their reputation. In 1987, 19 year-old Michael Donald was walking home from a convenience store in Mobile, Alabama, when two members of the United Klans of America brutally beat him, slit his throat, and hung him from a noose - for no greater offense than being a black man.

We pull into a driveway lined with dozens of trucks, and I'm relieved to see children running around. American flags dot the yard, country music blares from a speaker and burgers sizzle on the grill. No nooses here. Aside from the occasional t-shirt bearing a slur like "Martin Luther C**n Jr.", it's a scene from a classic American barbecue.

Imperial Wizard Jeff Jones of the Southern Alliance of Klans welcomes us to the gathering, stressing that he will field all of our questions. He's determined to combat what he sees as "media bias" against the Klan. According to Jones, the Klan's platform reflects common fears among Americans: working class whites are losing jobs to illegal immigrants, and the Klan is fighting back. "We are a nonviolent organization," he emphatically reassures us.

In the 1970s, as their numbers were dwindling, Klan leaders like David Duke tried to make over the Klan's violent image. Duke knew that in order to grow, the Klan had to stop talking about lynching people and begin talking about white rights. Duke was so successful at this task, that he won a seat in the Louisiana state legislature.

Jones has clearly borrowed from Duke's playbook. He keeps up with us throughout the day with the savvy of a public relations guru, always hovering close by. When someone uses the word "racist", he is quick to correct them: "We are a racially-minded organization."

While Jones is busy tending to the 20-foot wooden cross being erected in the field, I have a chance to interview a few men hanging out by the grill. I'm speaking to a slight man wearing jeans, when I notice a tear drop tattooed just below his eye. "What's that mean?" I ask. He pauses and cocks his head to the side, as if to size me up. Glancing around quickly, he leans in close. "Killed a n****r," he whispers into my ear, smiling.

So much for the slickly crafted messages. If you hang around long enough, the politically correct polish wears off fast.

***Comments and opinions expressed below this post and other related posts do not reflect the opinions or views of National Geographic Channel and its partners.***

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6 Comments

Crazy people. Even crazier people filming them!

As a member of the african american community and a southerner I would like to thank you. America needs to know and understand that even with the changing times these types of things are still going on. Only a fool would stay blind to the truth that America is still trying to live up to being the land of the free!

when does meet the klan go on air?

The whole "we're non-violent and law abiding" rhetoric is just a scam to avoid lawsuits. Ron Edwards (leader of the Imperial Klans of America) tried this in his recent trial and lost. One of the witnesses called by the SPLC was Kale Kelly, who admitted on the stand that Edwards had told him to assassinate Morris Dees, the chief trial counsel for the SPLC, in 1999 when Dees was suing the Aryan Nations. That plot was foiled by an FBI informant who had infiltrated the AN and spent 3 years undercover. Dave Hall was the informant, and he also prevented other assassination attempts and the bombing of the Earl Cabell Federal Building in Dallas, Texas. Hall and Tym Burkey, the FBI agent who ran the case wrote a book about the 3 year undercover operation which was published by Random House this past April. Into The Devil's Den: How an FBI Informant Got Inside The Aryan Nations and A Special Agent Got Him Out Alive, also details two trips that Hall made with Kelly to Edwards' compound in Kentucky, the second trip wearing a wire. You can read more about the book at www.intothedevilsden.com , and there are links to interviews with Hall and Burkey. In Part 3 of the KNX interview Hall talks about the trips to Edwards compound.

I believe the attitude of the government (who mandates/legislates/regulates), the media (who decides what slant is given to what they choose is newsworthy), and the universities (who are funded by the government, which mandates/legislates/regulates), is very biased, partial, unequal, and resentful against the ideology of the Ku Klux Klan. Lets acknowledge they are highly offended and very disgusted.

Well, those equally protected Constitutional Americans in the Ku Klux Klan are just as equally highly offended and very disgusted by their government,news media, university...a.k.a. propaganda machine.
Lets face it: It is the highly offensive and disgusting part that gives way to "Hate". And I firmly believe a hater of a hater is a hater...no more, no less. That's a fact. No matter what side of the issue you are on, if you allow your disgust to allow you to hate, then you aren't strong enough to "debate".
What truly offends and disgusts the members of the Ku Klux Klan is: Bestiality. It is highly offensive and illegal to see two different human animals (tho possessed with the same soul...different nonetheless) walking down the street with their mixed children/symbols of procreation with another animal. Very disgusting and highly offensive. Where is the equal consideration afforded to the anti-bestialitist view's as is Constitutionally mandated. Not Ideologically mandated....Constitutionally mandated? Where's the equallity afforded to them? Where is the toleration afforded to their beliefs and values? Where's the equal air time, class time, news time afforded to their beliefs and values when they embrace the fact that bestiality is illegal in most states? Because it is freaky, twisted, undisciplined, gross, bestial, highly offensive, and disgusting to them, where's the toleration, respect, open-mind, and equal consideration that bestialitists so highly demand to receive from them? That's what I wanna know.
To say our government is not leading a massive brainwashing campaign to brainwash our masses into believing the k.k.k is wrong and the melting potters are right is a government operating well outside the scope of any authority the Constitution or I afford it. Seriously, factually, and obviously. It's not hard to prove that.
The arguement to stick to your own animal is based and supported by far more superior reasoning than any bestial arguement can muster against it. After all, what is wrong with a passion for preserving our own, while affording a platonic love to the souls possessing different animals? We are all equal, because our Constitution protects us and mandates that. Don't mean we have to breed ourselves out of existence.
Look at Hawaiians. There were over 500,000 of them a little over 100 years ago. We colonize Hawaii, and today there are fewer than 5,000 left to themselves on their own island so they can preserve their unique race and culture. Look at the drastic reduction of the African American numbers in this country today. Our bestialitist melting potters are breeding them out far more successfully ( and with far more enthusiasm and support and encouragement) than any ole 5,000 strong perceived hate group could ever hope or dream for. Ever think of that "National Geographic?".
White people have a voice too. And every race has their Ku Klux Klan attitudes and views. I am proud of the Ku Klux Klan for being strong enough to humiliate themselves for something they believe in. Especially in the face of so much resistance. They remain undiscouraged. Some members of the K.K.K ( as with some members of any other races' K.K.K equivalent) just need to control their passion, disgust, and offense enough to never allow it to reflect a strong hate.
Debate, don't hate. Because an anti-bestialitist has the superior reasoning. : ) Scientific fact proves we are different animals. And the law says breeding with different animals is illegal in most states. The definition includes "having sexual intercourse with animals "other than human" because it's written politically correct, with biased consideration mandated towards bestialitists. But the concept applies to our own different animals within our species just the same...it's just not politically considerate to the bestial melting potter view.
Thanks for reading, and have a very pleasant day! Keep up the good work Ku Klux Klan, you must know you're already right....so tone down the passion, and turn your disgust and offense into superior debate. Simply drop the wrongfully perceived hate.

Frank , Kansas

Frank Post, Kansas

I think Frank should be more offended by the dictionary definition of bestiality : savagely cruel or depraved behavior i.e. there seems no end to the bestiality of human beings.
If he wants to get technical about it, Frank, as a supporter of the KKK Has been practicing bestiality his whole life. Way to go Frank!

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