In an environment where the media seems to have a field day with mistruths, recent accusations from CNN against GOP’s Scott Perry peak the list. The network, apparently relying on unverified audio from a private meeting, has tried to smear Perry’s reputation. Unabashedly, Perry challenged popular beliefs by pointing out the historical affiliations of the KKK, a fact which the liberal media would rather ignore or distort for its convenience.
Perry allegedly stated that most young folks err in viewing the KKK as a right-wing extremist group when, in actuality, it was the military wing of the Democratic Party. This statement stirred outrage from CNN’s Annie Grayer, who promptly refuted Perry’s claim, insisting that the Democratic Party has no affiliation with such radical groups.
Echoing Grayer’s sentiment, other outlets like The Philadelphia Inquirer, the New Republic, and The Daily Beast were quick to jump on the bandwagon, labeling Perry’s comments as unreasonable and ludicrous. They rounded off their assaults with selective quotes from academics that effectively sidestepped the entire truth about the deep-seated connections between the KKK and the Democratic Party in the past.
A simple reference to American history, however, verifies a markedly different narrative. Columbia University historian Eric Foner’s account describes the KKK as a military entity operating in the best interests of the Democratic Party. It’s even been referred to as the ‘terrorist arm’ of the Democrats by University of North Carolina historian, Allen Trelease.
When one ventures deeper into history, the connection becomes harder to ignore. The Democratic Party’s convention in 1924, for instance, was sarcastically termed the ‘Klanbake’ due to the large number of Klan member attendees. William Gibbs McAdoo, the Klan’s favorite for the presidential candidacy that same year, served under Democrat President Woodrow Wilson, a known Klan enthusiast. Wilson’s support for the KKK was so unequivocal that he even permitted a Klan-centric movie, The Birth of a Nation, to be presented at the White House.
The ties between the Democrats and the Klan weren’t confined to that era. Robert C. Byrd, a longtime Democrat Senator from West Virginia, held a leadership position in the Klan, known as the Exalted Cyclops. Byrd’s fearful racial prejudices have been well documented over the years. Despite this, his good friend, none other than Joe Biden, gave a eulogy at Byrd’s funeral.
Taking everything into account, it becomes pretty apparent that Perry wasn’t off-base in linking the KKK and the Democrats. One could even argue that the identity politics upheld by the modern Democratic Party are the offspring of historical segregation supported by the Klan, a fact corroborated by the multiple linkages between the KKK and past functionaries of the Democratic Party.
In conclusion, rather than buy into the misleading narrative that the mainstream media sometimes peddles, it’s vital we dig up the whole truth from the annals of history. This is especially important when it comes to the inconvenient truths of murky affiliations between radical groups and political parties.
