In Oklahoma it has just been announced that the house passed a bill outlawing membership in, or active recruitment for any militia or Ku Klux Klan groups. Brilliant. Their main line of thought here seems to be the Oklahoma City bombing. We all know that Timothy McVeigh was NEVER a member of the Klan and he was not affiliated with any militia. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Mike Shelton included both groups as an amendment to a gang bill. He said "the Ku Klux Klan has a long history of violence and domestic terrorism". Really? Funny thing. We do not have one member who was ever convicted OR accused of any domestic terror acts or any acts of violence.

    As a matter of fact, we go way out of our way to make sure we do not take any applicant who has a history of any of these acts. Our numbers could be twice that what we have now if we did not screen people so closely. We also have many non violence waivers posted throughout our reading areas, and one that applicants must sign before being admitted. We also are not affiliated with any militias, Nazi groups, or Skinhead organizations.

     When asked by Rep. Mike Reynolds if he characterized the Black Panthers as an unauthorized militia, Shelton replied, "are they going around terrorizing communities, doing drive by shootings, using ammonium nitrate to blow up buildings? When they start doing that, they would be considered (that). I guess the fact that some Black Panthers at the last Presidential election were at polling places carrying night sticks doesn't count?

     Sooo, the Klan is judged by events that happened 40 or so years ago, but the Panthers are not? Does double standard ring a bell here? If he is going to judge one group by their past then why not another? Most Klans today work totally with in the limits of the law. The ones who don't certainly would be open to paying the penalties for any offenses they commit, but why should others who do no wrong? Take us for example. We have supplied information to many different police and federal agencies without asking for any recognition. We do this because we believe certain things should not be happening in our communities (rapes, assaults, drug dealings, murders, etc.) and we know the police can not do it all themselves without help and information from the citizens. We are also very careful to obey the laws as we know just how closely we are monitored.

     Now, say the government comes along and outlaws membership in the Klan. Then what? All Klansmen simply disappear? To a Klansman, his beliefs are his way of life. These values can not be done away with simply because some officials sign a piece of paper. What will happen is most will go underground and become truly invisible. No more will words of truth go out across the net, in articles, or on phone lines. Communications would change drastically as a members freedom would depend on him keeping everything top secret. Letters would be hand delivered, codes would be used, night meetings in secret locations would be the norm, and the worst of it could be any prone to violent acts would feel free to do them. After all, they would legally be a criminal anyway, right? The very ones we ban now would most likely become active with certain ones who do not care about law and order. This gap would widen also as some of those who followed the lawful path would feel betrayed by the very ones they tried to obey.

     Any way you look at it, outlawing membership would only be for the worse. We all know that local and federal authorities monitor our every move. We obey the laws not only because we believe in them and value them, but also because we do know how closely we are watched. To make us criminals only because some don't like our beliefs is not only unconstitutional, it is also counter productive IF your reason is to curb crime.

     Once something like this starts, where does it end? Who is next? The Christian Coalition, the Knights of Pythias, the Methodists, the Boy Scouts? Who? Outlawing organizations that are not breaking the law because you don't like them is violating the Constitution in many ways. If the government throws out the Constitution, what follows? Anarchy? Probably.

     The real stickler here is Shelton's belief that the Black Panthers are an exception. Go read their web site and see what they call for. It is far from law and order, believe it. His saying that they are non violent today while accusing us of being violent is far more than an insult, it is downright stereotyping and bigotry. The rope and gun are not the tools of today's Klan any more than they were those of the original Klan. When some started doing violent acts in the name of the Klan, the original founder, General Forrest, ordered the Klan closed.

     There will always be McVeigh's and ones like him no matter what organizations are in existence. He did not get his direction from the Klan as ours are the ways of Christ. We are a Christian order, and this may be one of the big factors in why we are so persecuted. Remember, it was Christians with guns who started the first revolution. Maybe, just maybe, the way our government is going today they are worried about a second revolution. I know I would be if I were pulling some of the things our elected officials are.

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Imperial Wizard - Cole Thornton

Imperial Klaliff - Max Werner

Imperial Klazik - Ken Hill

Emperor - Phil Lawson

Imperial Kleagle - Jon Remington

Imperial Klabee - Joel Allen

Imperial Klokan - Glenn Horton

Imperial Klokan - Ron Knight

Imperial Klokan - J.C. Connors

Imperial Klokan - Jim Noble

Imperial Klarogo - Billy Edwin

Imperial Kladd - Bill Ford

Imperial Kligrapp South - Jack Thomas

Imperial Klokard - Derek Stuart

Imperial Knighthawk North - Paul Coleman

Imperial Knighthawk South - Bill Patterson

Imperial Klexter - Tom Crouch

L.O.T.I.E

Imperial Commander - Cleve Thornton

Imperial Kludd - Sister Nancy

Imperial Kligrapp - Illinois Lotie