What would you do?

[Rebel Yell]

From the amount I have read about the Klan, it has not been, in any of its incarnations, an organization I would tolerate. Your results may differ. I wouldn't get into the business of parsing which incarnations were less full of "idiots" and "assclowns" than any of the others. My attitude about anyone who would tolerate the Klan in any way is basically, "If the sheet fits, wear it."

So, you rooted against William Wallace in Braveheart?

[linda22003]

Read the description of the "original" organization. Jolly, jolly fellows who dressed up in linen to amuse their mommies and sweethearts.
Even if that were a fully accurate description, I can't imagine any southern woman being amused by her depeleted household stocks of linen being cut up and made into costumes by men trying them on with "boyish glee".

[Rebel Yell]

Read the description of the "original" organization. Jolly, jolly fellows who dressed up in linen to amuse their mommies and sweethearts.
Even if that were a fully accurate description, I can't imagine any southern woman being amused by her depeleted household stocks of linen being cut up and made into costumes by men trying them on with "boyish glee".

OK, you made me laugh right there. Funny how easily amused people were when there was no TV.:D

[linda22003]

So, you rooted against William Wallace in Braveheart?

One has nothing to do with the other.

Reconstruction took a horrible form of revenge against the South, and went way too far in terms of "punishment". Lincoln alone, I think, could have made the peace more equitable, but some short-sighted Southerners killed him. A good book on this topic which I read many years ago is Thomas Turner's "Beware the People Weeping".

[linda22003]

OK, you made me laugh right there. Funny how easily amused people were when there was no TV.:D

No kidding. Thank God THAT was invented.

[noonwitch]

Read the description of the "original" organization. Jolly, jolly fellows who dressed up in linen to amuse their mommies and sweethearts.
Even if that were a fully accurate description, I can't imagine any southern woman being amused by her depeleted household stocks of linen being cut up and made into costumes by men trying them on with "boyish glee".

I know this is fiction, written 60 years or so after the Civil War-I read Gone With The Wind for a "History through literature" Mickey Mouse class in college. The movie is less clear, but doesn't hubby #2 get killed by the Yankees when Frank, Ashley and all the other dimwitted gentleman participate in an early form of the Klan to avenge the attempted robbery of Scarlett by a former slave (from which she was rescued by another former slave)? Rhett Bulter saved the survivors by getting his prostitute friend to lie to the Yankees for them and say that all the men involved (except poor dead Frank) were at her house the night in question.

Of course, everybody blamed Scarlett for going out and actually thinking she had the right to be a businesswoman without having a man to drive her around. Everyone but Melly and Rhett, that is.

[Gingersnap]

Okay, having read the context for the question I would "join the rebellion". However, context is everything. The examples offered were rebellion against the tyrannical Edward, against British sovereignty, and against the brutality of the carpet-baggers. Of course, I'd fight against any of those things.

That doesn't mean that I think rehabbing the Klan is a useful idea. However, I'm perfectly okay with people flying the Confederate battle standard. I'm okay with symbols as a whole - including Nazi symbols. Even burning crosses don't bother me as long they are set alight on church camp property (as they used to be in some denominations). Symbols aren't a problem - behavior can be a problem.

[Rebel Yell]

That doesn't mean that I think rehabbing the Klan is a useful idea.

Whoa, whoa, whoa!!!!!!!!! That wasn't the purpose of the post by no means. I just thought it was an interesting question. Put yourself in that time and in those circumstances, what would you do? And for most, leaving the country wasn't really an option.

[linda22003]

Whoa, whoa, whoa!!!!!!!!! That wasn't the purpose of the post by no means. I just thought it was an interesting question. Put yourself in that time and in those circumstances, what would you do?

Well, for one thing, I would have been on the winning side. My whole family was Union.

[Gingersnap]

Well, for one thing, I would have been on the winning side. My whole family was Union.

Okay - that was funny. Brutal but funny. :D