Imperial Klans of America

I didn't even know that there was a such thing as the IKA. Let alone that they have a headquarters, nay, were founded just outside of Louisville. I was a little shocked when the documentary I was watching opened and I saw the Humana building and the second street bridge. Of course, my first thought was, 'Man! That city sure looks like Louisville!'. When the announcer began his sentence with "Louisville, Kentucky" my reaction was 'Oh, for God's sake!!" Why, of all cities in the Union, why Louisville? Of all the cities in Kentucky, why Louisville?

After I sighed and hung my little head, I continued watching. I noticed that this 'new age' Klan, as I had researched lightly years before, was not in the style of the KKK of old: lynchings, beatings, burnings, and bombings being the main methods of message transmission. The IKA a claims that they aren't violent. They do not believe that there should be any interracial sexual relationships, they believe that they need to do everything in their power to maintain the purity of the white race, or it will cease to exist. Lastly, they seem to believe that there is an impending race war (much like Charles Manson). They feel a need to educate themselves about white history and prepare their bodies for the war. They do not accept/keep members who are on drugs, commit crimes, or acts of violence without just cause. For instance, confronting and beating someone on the street would be cause for dismissal (or 'banishment' as they called it) from the klan. Whereas, shooting and killing someone who had broken into your home with the intent to burgle would be exactly the type of situation that would make the IKA feel like owning a gun was a necessity.

Even if we are headed to a single-race world, I can't really see why that's such a terrible thing. Then terrorist groups focusing on race would have little or no fuel for their fire, and the capacity and tendency towards tolerance would be increased because everywhere you looked, no one else was all that different. If anything, it seems like it would bring the nation and the world together in an unprecedented manner.

I believe that the IKA, the KKK, and other hate groups have every right in the world to feel like they don't like a certain group of people based on superficial reasons. I think that the problem comes into play when they begin wrecking other people's lives based on their beliefs. When the beat people to death or burn down their homes, hang them or refuse them service of employment--these are the moments when there is an encroachment of rights.

The IKA leader, Ron Edwards, notes that this current atmosphere of increased presence and visibility of racial minorities (illegal immigrants, the election of President Obama) was resulting in a feeling of radical change, and when coupled with the failing economy and the depression, anxiety, and tension that comes along with that situation was the perfect breeding ground for hate group and gang member recruiting. History Channel reports that, since 2000, the membership of these sorts of groups has risen by 52%.

I'm interested to see what will happen in the coming years pertaining to these sorts of issues. Who knows?