Sierra Mist and the KKK: what is the connection?
90021
These kind of urban myths pop up all the time and only fool the uneducated in society.  I remember about eight years ago there was a similar myth to not purchase Snapple because there were ties to the KKK.  Their proof?  On a Snapple Ice Tea bottle it depicted a slave ship and gave the code for the KKK--a "K" inside a circle.  Morons around the country believed it and it spread like wildfire especially within the black community.  I must have had thirty black students at my school tell of this "revelation."  About thirty seconds of research resolved the alleged "racist conspiracy."  The ship on a bottle of Snapple Ice Tea was of the Boston Tea Party.  NOT some stupid slave ship.  The KKK insignia (A "K" within a circle) of course meant it was kosher, for Jewish consumers.  It had NOTHING to do with the KKK.\n\nSo much for the level modern intellectual curiosity.\n\nStay away from similar such ridiculous theories.  \n\nHere are some more bogus claims:\n\nPopeye's Fried Chicken puts a chemical in their food that makes black men sterile over time.\n\nChurch's Fried Chicken had ties with the KKK\n\nThe word "picnic" had racist origins of black lynchings in Civil War days\n\nTommy Hilfiger appeared on Oprah Winfrey and made racist comments against blacks\n\nLiz Clairborne appeared on Oprah Winfrey and made racist comments against blacks\n\nand on and on and on.  Be careful what you believe.
860096
The origins of the use of the costume are unclear, but it does seem certain that it was originally intended to be some kind of disguise. Although the organization has no relationship with Spain, the contemporary white gown with a cone hat follows the Spanish Roman Catholic "Nazareno" tradition, where such garments have been commonly used since time immemorial in festivities such as the Holy Week symbolizing the act of penance. In Spain and former colonies the pointed hat is called "Capirote".\n\nIt has been stated that the novels of Sir Walter Scott and others influenced the organisation in various ways—for example, in the use of the Fiery cross—so they may have also influenced the KKK's costume.\n\nThere are a number of explanations given as to what it represents:\n\nThe ghosts of the Confederate troops in the American Civil War. \nThe white represents the white race, reflecting the racist ideals of the organization. \nThe pointed hood also resembles that of a medieval executioner (although this was usually black, and that of grand inquisitor.) \nThe red cross on the white costume, and the horse resembles that of crusaders. \nThe costume was similar in design to those worn by the Spanish Inquisition, with the exception of the hood. \nThe white outfit may also be reflective of supposed Druid costume.[1] \nBecause of the symbolism and appearance of these costumes, superstitious blacks in the South thought KKK night riders were the actual ghosts of Confederate soldiers, riding their horses out of Hell to find a drink of water.\n\nThe KKK's own militaristic origins in the Civil War also played a part in developing, and turned the Klan into a Proto-Fascist organization (true Fascism did not arise for several decades, and then in Europe).\n\nThe KKK still exists in the US today - predominantly in the South, and has ties to numerous other "purity" groups.
7748
dirt?\n\nputnam county is the home of the ku klux klan.  probably some of them are members, but i don't know.  you're playin' with fire there, man.
283118
You have got to be kidding.\n\nhttp://members.shaw.ca/spudnewt/sierranaked.jpg/\n\nBut seriously, the founding of the United States; the invention of the locomotive; the Louisiana purchase; the invention of internal combustion engine; the civil war; the invention of the airplane; the industrial revolution....
912255
hey, I'm all for that.  maybe if kkk, and my clone, redcatt69, didn't have such miserable lives and had someone to hug them, they wouldn't be so angry and pathetic!  hate is a pointless emotion...\n...love is the bomb!
1092226
Mr.KKK is planning some thing!!
360309
Which American Dream? The KKK helps show quite plainly just how deep certain feelings run in some people. We like to believe that we have moved beyond "race" and have open societies, but KKK, skinheads, and white supremacist still gather and propagate hate. This retards the American Dream only in that not all Americans share the same dream.
503433
It has been alleged that United States President Warren G. Harding was inducted into the Ku Klux Klan during his administration. The evidence is highly disputed.
469626
The name Ku Klux Klan comes from the Greek word kuklos, circle.
1109714
Nathan Swartz the founder, Jeffrey Swartz owner now, and it's not true about KKK. It's urban legend based on the poem by Maya Angelou.
788339
Well I think the main problem is that the KKK is not trying to push Christianity as much as it is trying to promote racism.  Now I do understand that the Klan has Christian roots, but I believe the analogy is a bit off.  I would think (and I am a Christian mind you) that those who blow up abortion clinics and stuff like that would be a better analogy than the Klan.
426731
Singling people out no matter what the race, creed or color is wrong. I'm disappointed to hear that this happened especially on the elementary school level. It perhaps sent out a message, but one we are trying to avoid. As my school prepared for a MLK Day celebration one elequent speaker came to our school and said the following:\n\n(Yes, I'm paraphrasing)\n\n "In our day and age, I feel that sometimes people of my own race are bringing judgements upon themselves unnecessarily. They preach of equality, but when given the rights, want more. Yes, we cannot deny the treatment of Blacks was unacceptable. But must we dwell on the past instead of embracing the future? If we seek equality, why do we draw attention upon ourselves? Why have a "Black History Month?" Is there a "White History Month?" We are asking not to be set "a part." Yes we insist on our own month to celebrate our fine figures from the past? Shouldn't EVERY day of every month be a celebration of what these fine people did? We should live by their words, not force their word."\n\nI think what the world needs is to accept that we are more open-minded than we were 30-40 years ago. Sure, we have pockets of our population that will never be. But the change has been immense. Thank God! This speakers words spoken so elequently made so much sense to all those in that room that day. I think it brought the school together with a "sigh" of relief. All races realized we were working together.....no one is set apart. There is no need to favor a soul in our world today. We all prove who we are by being.....who we are. \n\nThank you for sharing the poem. My hope is that schools such as this, ideals such as this, practices such as this will so very soon be a thing of the distant past.
255651
You're very perceptive.  \n\nIt's still rampant. Especially in rural, southern areas.  But, you can find it in the big cities, too, where large groups of one race live together and don't accept it when other races come in (such as So. Central LA where the Blacks hate the Mexicans, etc).\n\nIgnorance plays a big part and it's sad..
577029
in the early 19th century,the area around Independence and St.Joseph,Missouri was the "far west". Any farther west was for the most part wild and unknown country. The native tribes considered the erosion causing "rolling carts" and the immigrants travelling them to be trespassers. Tribal relations with the Europeans would decide how  these disruptive white people would be dealt with. It is only after many incidences of treachery, slaughter of cherished food stock animals, land-grubbing,and mass immigration that the natives ran out of answers to the great white problems which seemed to divide their culture with roads and unwanted problems.The phrase "Manifest Destiny" seemed to imply that it was a divine right of the settlers to plant themselves anywhere they wanted to. Often small infractions became larger problems. Misunderstandings with native culture became prejudice and hatred. Native misunderstandings of caucasian culture seemed to prophecize the end of their millenium old customs and traditions. When the trails to the west became more proliferant and widespread and immigration robbed natives of sacred ground,food,and heritage--the tribes retaliated in the only way left available to them--with the same hostilities they used against other imposing tribes. You can only imagine their shock and horror at the explosion of migration when the railroads were built. WHen the Santa Fe trail was completed-the expansion of the US was still in full bloom-many people were seeking the gold and silver fields of New Mexico,Arizona,and California. The southwestern tribes were neither allegiant to Mexico or the Spanish,and now, alien  Europeans were coming to stake their own claims,and subdivert the land with their own strange customs and mannerisms. By the time Geronimo died in the early 20th century,most of these tribes had been secluded to small reservations or removed completely to Oklahoma--
749
Ignorance.......pure and simple ignorance!\n\nbut really-\n\nThe Red scare was partly responsible for the revival of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s!
419287
The KKK isn't really a secret society, but both Senator Byrd and former Justice Hugo Black were members.\n\nI hope this answers your question. I am not really sure why you would refer to Byrd as the furture Senator, he has been a Senator for a long time and will probably be dead soon. Hugo Black was appointed to the Supreme Court by FDR and died in 1971. Both were prominant Democrats.
809269
because it is a life stereo type by the minorities becauswe of past history in the sigrigation acts that it was like that it isnt that way now but the idealistic gang stereotype with minorities is like that and kkk is russian stupid and nazis have been gone for 60 years get your facts right. and also the kk have been gone since the collapse of the soviet union almost 17 years ago you are really unintelegent arnt you?