The Democrats Created The KKK

[Prometheus85]

There was this guy on Fox News saying
The KKK was founded by a Democrat, had only Democrat followers, was endorsed by Democrats, and sent their members to congress as Democrats.
First, it's important to note that, yes, the Democrats were indeed the party of slavery and, in the early 20th century, the party of segregation, too. But correct me if I’m wrong, didn’t the parties switch and the republicans of today resemble the democrats of the past and the democrats today resemble the republicans of past?

 

[Curious George]

There was this guy on Fox News saying
The KKK was founded by a Democrat, had only Democrat followers, was endorsed by Democrats, and sent their members to congress as Democrats.
First, it's important to note that, yes, the Democrats were indeed the party of slavery and, in the early 20th century, the party of segregation, too. But correct me if I’m wrong, didn’t the parties switch and the republicans of today resemble the democrats of the past and the democrats today resemble the republicans of past?

Yes and no. Many people who once supported segregation switched parties. That is true. Many people who were against segregation switched parties. There is a discussion to be had on how widespread the "southern strategy" is and was used, but no republicans are not the democrats of yesteryear anymore than democrats are the democrats of yesteryear. We cannot paint republicans or democrats with such a broad brush, especially on a singular issue. The history of racism in politics is colored both red and blue.

 

[Sunstone]

But correct me if I’m wrong, didn’t the parties switch and the republicans of today resemble the democrats of the past and the democrats today resemble the republicans of past?

You are correct, I believe. So far as I know the switch was predicted by President Johnson, and began as a practice with Richard Nixon. Nixon's exploitation of white voters willing to switch from Democrat to Republican in order to support racism was known as the Southern Strategy.

Today, there has been a new twist on it. White male voters without a college education who are nevertheless "doing well" (think, say, a construction worker) are traditionally a Democratic voter. However, they are now moving to the Republican side in droves, largely for racist reasons.

At the same time, white male college educated voters are traditionally Republican voters. Today they are switching to the Democrats in droves, largely to escape racism.

So the realignment of the parties along racist lines that began in the late 60s is still continuing today.

 

[Prometheus85]

Yes and no. Many people who once supported segregation switched parties. That is true. Many people who were against segregation switched parties. There is a discussion to be had on how widespread the "southern strategy" is and was used, but no republicans are not the democrats of yesteryear anymore than democrats are the democrats of yesteryear. We cannot paint republicans or democrats with such a broad brush, especially on a singular issue. The history of racism in politics is colored both red and blue.

This ignores the shift in the party system that occurred between the times of the New Deal and the southern strategy , where the Democratic Party found itself decidedly more liberal (pro-labor Union , pro-equal rights) and staunchly conservative Democrats (known as Dixiecrats) switched to the Republican party.

 

[Kangaroo Feathers]

Rightwing tribalists: "Democrats were the party of slavery! Democrats started the KKK!"

Modern Democrats: Tries to improve race relations, calls to remove racial disparity in culture and society, calls to remove Confederate statues

Rightwing tribalists:

 

[Valjean]

The right wing created the KKK.
Sometimes the right votes democratic, sometimes republican.

The left has always fought for democracy, fairness, human rights and equality. The right wing has always been about hierarchy, competition and maintaining the social and economic hegemony of the elites.

 

[Curious George]

This ignores the shift in the party system that occurred between the times of the New Deal and the southern strategy , where the Democratic Party found itself decidedly more liberal (pro-labor Union , pro-equal rights) and staunchly conservative Democrats (known as Dixiecrats) switched to the Republican party.

Expanding the number of issues from one to two will still not give you a way to paint Republicans or Democrats as the old democratic party prior to the civil rights acts and the national labor relations act.

You can not that these were transformative of the democratic and the republican parties but people rarely fit so nicely into boxes, and when people say that the parties switched it is a very general statement based on statistical differences in voters. It is especially foolish to think the republicans becamethe racists or the democrats always were the racists.

 

[Valjean]

Historically, Democrat vs Republican does not always reflect liberalism vs traditionalism. The party platforms are erratic. They're loaded terms.

Better to go with liberal/conservative or left/right. They're more politically stable.

 

[Brickjectivity]

Public schools about 60+ years ago taught the KKK was a para governmental organization created out of necessity for preserving order in the wake of abolition. I saw one of the History texts. This was not something everybody believed, but it was the propaganda of the time in many places.

The Republican party had formed around the time of the Civil War and replaced the Whigs and was heavily against allowing Kansas to become a slave state. Its first successful presidential candidate was Abraham Lincoln, and it was able to achieve victory due to a split in the Democratic Party.

"In 1860 the Democrats split over the slavery issue, as the Northern and Southern wings of the party nominated different candidates" -- from Republican Party | Definition, History, & Beliefs

First, it's important to note that, yes, the Democrats were indeed the party of slavery

They were divided over it, and this caused them to lose the presidency to the new Republican Party. In other words the Democratic Party was not the party of slavery, but its base was in the non-industrial South where the plantation owners lived. It was nearly the party of slavery -- almost, but it appeared there was not agreement within the party. The Republicans and Whigs were much more populous in the industrial North. The political struggle was over the nature of new states, whether they would allow slavery or not. Abolition was winning hearts and destroying the Democrat power base.

 

[David1967]

There was this guy on Fox News saying
The KKK was founded by a Democrat, had only Democrat followers, was endorsed by Democrats, and sent their members to congress as Democrats.
First, it's important to note that, yes, the Democrats were indeed the party of slavery and, in the early 20th century, the party of segregation, too. But correct me if I’m wrong, didn’t the parties switch and the republicans of today resemble the democrats of the past and the democrats today resemble the republicans of past?

In some ways.

 

[Katzpur]

But correct me if I’m wrong, didn’t the parties switch and the republicans of today resemble the democrats of the past and the democrats today resemble the republicans of past?

I think you're right. Today, only about 17% of Mormons are Democrats. Back in the early days of the Church, pretty much the opposite was true. Today, an awful lot of Mormons seem to think you can't be both a good Mormon and a Democrat. If you go on the Facebook page for Mormon Democrats, you're bound to run into ads from groups trying to convince LDS Democrats to leave the Church since we apparently already have one foot out the door anyway. We are definitely the minority, but I love to point out to people that this hasn't always been the case.

 

[Valjean]

The political designations are mercurial. The Southern Democrats used to be pro-slavery and small government. The Republicans used to be federalist and anti-slavery. Things change.

Use liberal/traditional or right/left -- they're more stable.

 

[Stevicus]

There was this guy on Fox News saying
The KKK was founded by a Democrat, had only Democrat followers, was endorsed by Democrats, and sent their members to congress as Democrats.
First, it's important to note that, yes, the Democrats were indeed the party of slavery and, in the early 20th century, the party of segregation, too. But correct me if I’m wrong, didn’t the parties switch and the republicans of today resemble the democrats of the past and the democrats today resemble the republicans of past?

Well, yes, although the parties never existed in a vacuum, so they changed along with America itself. I don't think either party is/was as monolithic as some of these current portrayals would suggest.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

The left has always fought for democracy, fairness, human rights and equality. The right wing has always been about hierarchy, competition and maintaining the social and economic hegemony of the elites.

Such simplistic rhetoric isn't helpful.

 

[Jollybear]

People hold views, not partys!

A party is made by people....who as said hold views. So party ideologies are made by people. These platforms dont change in a party UNLESS someone INFILTRATES and POISONS the party platform. Those evil imposters!

In anycase, the devil has inspired many folks to conspire and poison and destroy the country!

 

[Enoch07]

There was this guy on Fox News saying
The KKK was founded by a Democrat, had only Democrat followers, was endorsed by Democrats, and sent their members to congress as Democrats.
First, it's important to note that, yes, the Democrats were indeed the party of slavery and, in the early 20th century, the party of segregation, too. But correct me if I’m wrong, didn’t the parties switch and the republicans of today resemble the democrats of the past and the democrats today resemble the republicans of past?

It's true but the Dems haven't changed. They changed the chains and whips they use to enslave now is all.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Yes and no. Many people who once supported segregation switched parties. That is true. Many people who were against segregation switched parties. There is a discussion to be had on how widespread the "southern strategy" is and was used, but no republicans are not the democrats of yesteryear anymore than democrats are the democrats of yesteryear. We cannot paint republicans or democrats with such a broad brush, especially on a singular issue. The history of racism in politics is colored both red and blue.

Back to the dixiecrat to Republican LIE again I see.

There was no party switch.

You want to know how many became Republicans?

I'll tell you, only three people went over to the Republicans. And I'll even give you the names.....

Strom Thurmond

Jesse Helms

Mills E. Godwin, Jr.

 

[Twilight Hue]

It's true but the Dems haven't changed. They changed the chains and whips the use to enslave now is all.

Control , wealth, and power , is all they desire for themselves.

 

[Twilight Hue]

The right wing created the KKK.
Sometimes the right votes democratic, sometimes republican.

The left has always fought for democracy, fairness, human rights and equality. The right wing has always been about hierarchy, competition and maintaining the social and economic hegemony of the elites.

I'm guessing you don't live in the People's Republic of New York or the People's Republic of California.

Both have the distinction of being the least in terms of Economic and personal Liberties and Freedoms.

Besides , the KKK is completely Southern. Except maybe with an exception to the state of Maine. Yea. There was slavery in the north as well.

 

[Valjean]

Such simplistic rhetoric isn't helpful.

Eppur si muove