Mississippi Burning Directed by Alan

¶ … Mississippi Burning directed by Alan Parker [...] specific tactics used by the Ku Klux Klan in the movie, as well as the tactics used initially, and the eventually, by the FBI in their investigation of the Klan. The KKK used wanton acts of terrorism in their tactics to kill the three civil rights workers, and they targeted one because he was Jewish, and all of them because they were attempting to help the black community. They were terrorists, and as deadly as any terrorists that face the country today, because they were organized, full of hatred, and convinced of their own self-righteousness.

The Klan's actions, at least as they were depicted in this film and chronicled in court records, indeed amounted to terrorism. They targeted specific people because of their religion and beliefs, and cold-bloodedly led them into a trap after arresting them and denying them their rights. Because they planned the crime, and then worked hard to cover it up, and because it was based on racial animosity, it was a crime, but it was a crime of terror. The KKK is a group of domestic terrorists who wage war on anyone who is not white, like them.

As the young black activist says at the beginning of the film, "Oh they ain't playing you better believe me" (Mississippi Burning). The boys are terrified, the audience is terrified, and the KKK members who kill them could not be anything else but terrorists. They are no different from worldwide terrorist organizations who target western nations because they support Israel or are not Muslim. Terrorism is based on hatred, misunderstanding, and self-righteousness and the KKK have all these things, even today. It does not seem as if anyone who was a member of the clan should be held responsible for the killings. However, it seems they all have the same mentality, and any one of them could have done the same thing. Only those who participated in the killing should be held responsible, but the others should certainly be shut down or severely controlled, so they do not commit other terrorist acts.

The efforts of the FBI to solve this case were certainly in the greater good, and they did solve the case, even though the trial was a mockery. It seems the FBI could have done more to have the case moved to a more neutral location to help ensure a fair trial, which certainly did not happen. Indeed, the FBI gave high priority to the case, and even opened an office in Mississippi during the investigation (Editors). It is difficult to see how they could have done more. Not all of their decisions were ethical, but neither was the decision to murder three young men simply because of their convictions.