East Texas Newspaper Celebrates KKK 150th Anniversary with Front Page Feature #LongviewTexas

[ABX]

This newspaper has been pushing and pushing and pushing division - constantly, but their latest attempt takes the cake.  The editor there openly admits he wants to be an activist, not just report the news. I also know many of the reporters there are not happy at all with the direction the paper has been taking.

Residents of Longview Texas are calling for a boycott of the city newspaper, after it published a Sunday morning cover story on the 150th Anniversary of the Ku Klux Klan....

http://jackontheweb.cbslocal.com/2016/08/07/east-texas-newspaper-celebrates-kkk-150th-anniversary-with-front-page-feature/

Here is the article in question ->
https://www.news-journal.com/news/2016/aug/06/klan-at-150-group-sees-opportunities-in-us-politic/

And an even worse attempt to justify it ->
https://www.news-journal.com/news/2016/aug/07/editorial-knowledge-key-fighting-hatred-division/

[LilLamb]

I'm confused. I assumed the article in some way glorified the KKK. It seems to be straight forward reporting of history and the continuance of the Klan to present day.  I might need to read it again, but the only thing I think people could find objectionable is that it mentions that David Duke supports Donald Trump. 

[geronl]

I'm confused. I assumed the article in some way glorified the KKK. It seems to be straight forward reporting of history and the continuance of the Klan to present day.  I might need to read it again, but the only thing I think people could find objectionable is that it mentions that David Duke supports Donald Trump.

 does it highlight the fact that the KKK was a wholly Democrat organization?

[ABX]

I'm confused. I assumed the article in some way glorified the KKK. It seems to be straight forward reporting of history and the continuance of the Klan to present day.  I might need to read it again, but the only thing I think people could find objectionable is that it mentions that David Duke supports Donald Trump.

The implication (actually overtly stated in the title) that : Group sees opportunities in U.S. political trends and tries to tie it to just Republicans.

They also completely ignore that one of the Klan leaders endorsed Hillary. http://radaronline.com/celebrity-news/kkk-supports-hillary-clinton/

[LilLamb]

does it highlight the fact that the KKK was a wholly Democrat organization?

Yeah, there is that, of course not. I will get behind someone that wants to gripe about that, but in reading the comments that is not what people are upset about.

[ABX]

Yeah, there is that, of course not. I will get behind someone that wants to gripe about that, but in reading the comments that is not what people are upset about.

The other thing is that this newspaper has been doing this for a while, trying to pit people against each other, get people angry, and make groups continue to feel victimized by other groups. The klan is becoming virtually non existent but they write this and present it like it is a major issue in the area. At least around here, it is mostly a bunch of toothless unemployed rednecks living off disability or welfare.

[LilLamb]

The implication (actually overtly stated in the title) that : Group sees opportunities in U.S. political trends and tries to tie it to just Republicans.

They also completely ignore that one of the Klan leaders endorsed Hillary. http://radaronline.com/celebrity-news/kkk-supports-hillary-clinton/

I see your points, but I can't blame the reporter for not reporting that one crazy klansman has publicly endorsed Clinton. I look at the article and I see that Trump and the Republican Party, as it sits in 2016, whether we like it or not, do happen to be the best fit for KKK members. It makes me uncomfortable as hell which is why, as of Trump's nomination, I am no longer a Republican.

[LilLamb]

The other thing is that this newspaper has been doing this for a while, trying to pit people against each other, get people angry, and make groups continue to feel victimized by other groups. The klan is becoming virtually non existent but they write this and present it like it is a major issue in the area. At least around here, it is mostly a bunch of toothless unemployed rednecks living off disability or welfare.

The KKK has splintered into many groups that have the same spirit. The same is true of the Black Panthers.
I lived in East Texas for long enough to know the spirit of the klan was alive and well there. I think it's ridiculous to talk about prejudice and bigotry without acknowledging the door swings both ways. It was the 150th anniversary of the Klan, so I think the article was appropriate to the occasion.