KKK vs. IRA: Comparing Domestic and Foreign Extremist Groups

Introduction to Domestic and Foreign Extremism

Terrorism has a long and violent history; this is especially true of religious terrorism. While the conditions under which each extremist group operates differ, similarities nevertheless exist. An examination of two terrorist groups — one domestic (the Ku Klux Klan) and one foreign (the Irish Republican Army) — illustrates the differences and likenesses in their respective beliefs and goals, training techniques, tactics to gain social compliance, target selections, and psychological profiles of their leaders. After analyzing such contrasts and comparisons, it seems prudent to discuss the ways in which these terrorist groups are best subdued and defeated.

The Ku Klux Klan: Origins, Ideology, and Recruitment

The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) is a domestic reactionary extremist group whose roots reach back to the mid-1800s; it surfaced in the South as a protest against the emancipation movement. The KKK not only opposed the post-Civil War government due to fears of losing democratic rights, it also espoused white supremacy, with a principal tenet of black inferiority. It was outlawed in 1871 due to its violent practices, of which murder was integral. However, in 1915 the KKK was re-established, expanding its ideology to include beliefs about the inferiority of women, Jews, and non-Christians. Foreigners also appeared on their list of enemies. The KKK claims its actions are a defense of Christianity — a necessary reaction to ward off atheism and non-Christian beliefs and practices. There is therefore a Christian fundamentalist thread running through its ideology. Considering such perspectives, it is not surprising that the KKK consisted of white, Protestant American males. Although fragmented and stripped of significant power and resources, the KKK continues to operate throughout the country in smaller, often competing cells.

It is interesting to note that terrorist groups are comprised of individuals who share several personality traits. Many scholars "have characterized terrorists as action-oriented, aggressive people who are stimulus-hungry and seek excitement" (Reich, 1998, p. 27). Moreover, they tend to externalize events and have often experienced childhood psychological damage. It is common for terrorists to have felt marginalized prior to their involvement in the organization. A new sense of belonging increases the likelihood of continued membership. While not all terrorists are adolescents or young adults, the majority of recruits derive from these age groups. Coupling the mentioned personality traits with a developmental stage susceptible to manipulation, vulnerable youth are most attracted to the alluring benefits that extremist groups provide.

The population from which the Ku Klux Klan selects its members is similar to that just described. Injured youth are favored recruits since they are more receptive to indoctrination and KKK dogma than their healthy adult counterparts. Flyers, rallies, newspaper articles, and the Internet are among the media through which the KKK seeks new associates; intimidation also plays a role in recruitment. Once selected, candidates undergo an intense and extensive period of initiation.

KKK Training, Tactics, and Target Selection

The training techniques applied to KKK recruits are manifold. New members are immediately pressured to limit or cut off existing relationships. Furthermore, recruits are expected to spend the majority of their time with other KKK members; being part of the KKK becomes a full-time commitment. KKK members are trained at paramilitary bases where they are taught to use sophisticated weaponry. In addition, they learn how to operate grenades and explosives. Ambush techniques are also part of KKK training curricula, as is hand-to-hand combat. Members are also trained to operate in gangs, doing so under cover and at night. Such training is framed as defensive — KKK members claim they are merely equipping themselves with skills that protect their way of life.

Although terrorist organizations have unique characteristics, there are common threads in their hold over public sentiment. "Some features of terrorist acts give power to a few incidents to incite widespread fear that vastly exceeds the objective threat" (Reich, 1998, p. 167). The unpredictability of terrorist endeavors is one such attribute; when people are uncertain of when, where, and how a terrorist act will occur and towards whom it will be directed, a deep and wide sense of panic and fear arises. Terrorist acts also produce similar reactions because they generate injury and oftentimes death. Another consequence is a collective feeling of helplessness; the threat of seemingly random public violence creates a perceived loss of control over one's life. Lastly, people quickly recognize the interdependency of modern society, implying a greater possibility that a terrorist act will affect them personally (Reich, 1998, p. 168).

The ways in which the KKK gains community compliance encompass several tactics. First, it presents the argument that its targets — blacks, Jews, non-Christians, and others — are the sources of societal problems. This line of reasoning is particularly appealing to the segment of society that suffers economically, as it provides a focused outlet for built-up frustration, anger, and despair. Additionally, the KKK regularly employs intimidation; citizens are frightened into submission or are driven out of their communities. Those who oppose KKK actions and those who sympathize with KKK targets become targets themselves. The KKK has paraded through neighborhoods and held rallies in often successful attempts to bully not only its targeted populations but also the broader community. It also utilizes media — newspapers, the Internet, and similar platforms — to force society to acknowledge its ideologies, actions, and aims. The Internet is particularly effective in providing an extensive communication network for like-minded individuals to share and perpetuate their views.

KKK targets include blacks, Jews, non-Christians, women, foreigners, and white sympathizers. Throughout the history of the KKK, Black Americans have been consistently and relentlessly targeted — harassed, beaten, tortured, and lynched, with their property destroyed. Civil rights leaders have also been targeted, as they are viewed as a threat to KKK interests. Churches and synagogues have been burned and bombed. Women have been raped, foreigners have suffered abuse, and white sympathizers have been ostracized, persecuted, and often forced to relocate.

Social conditions serve as fodder for KKK activities. The size of its membership is intimately tied to the social events of the moment; it typically swells during civil liberty movements. The KKK emerged as a protest against anti-slavery laws, and there was another surge in followers during the 1960s in response to newly granted civil liberties. Social advances for disabled people also fueled retaliatory actions. Currently, the gay rights movement is an object of KKK terrorism. In short, the KKK exploits most situations in which social tension and turmoil exist, in an attempt to destabilize society and further its causes.