Found this KKK pamphlet in a box from an estate sale dated 1920. Interesting immigration parallels

I know that title may invoke certain emotional response, and rightfully so. However, this document, which I shall quote verbatim, contains no excessive hate speech, racial slurs etc... It is very anti immigration, but no more so than some things we see daily in our lives.

It was tough to pick the proper forum, so if mods see it fit in another area, obviously move it.

Background story, I was at an estate auction a few weeks ago. The place was third generation owned, and the most recent occupant had passed away at the age of 85, so you know there is a lot of history in this old house. I purchased many boxes of old documents and books for a couple bucks a piece, one of the boxes contained a pamphlet in miraculous condition from the imperial wizard of the KKK dated 1920. I will bold the areas I find particularly interesting that seem to parallel some views of today.

The cover reads in large font up top:

Americans,
Take heed!

(Kkk symbolism here)

Issued by
imperial palace
invisible empire
Knights of the Ku Klux Klan
Col. W.J Simmons, imperial wizard

Atlanta GA. December 15, 1920

Page 1:
Titled: scum of the melting-pot by Robert Kaufman

"THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, the Constitution and the Gettysburg address are descendants of the magna charta- supreme symbols of Anglo-saxan souls striving for freedom, justice and humanity. Anglo-saxans established this nation, wrote its code and sent their sons into the wilderness to gather fresh stars for the flag.

Anglo Saxon purpose cowed the intervening wastes, discovered world granaries beneath the prairies, scaled the grim western hills and unmasked Eldorado, questioned sullen deserts until they answered with gardens, and finished on the Pacific the great adventure begun at Plymouth Rock.

Then, when the last taunting horizon had been met and vanquished, when axe and rifle had won an empire, when scattered settlements were beaded on threads of steel, and a safe highway through opportunity had been paved in their generous blood, the pioneers, the risk takers, tossed their port-keys into the ocean and invited all creation to come and leisure in a 'sure thing'.

The making of America is fundamentally an Anglo-saxan achievement. Anglo-saxan brains have guided the course of the republic. Our ideals are Anglo-saxan, our social traditions, our standards of honor, our quality of imagination and indomitability.


But Anglo-saxan opinion is a fast diminishing force in national determinations strange shoddy has lately crept on the loom in which we weave our destiny; intermarriage is steadily diluting the foundation strain, and if we continue to hold gates and veins wide open, Anglo-saxan conscience will soon cease to captain our genius.

It would slander a vast body of loyal citizens not to admit the devoted service of all who fought for us, wrought with us, valiantly supported the country in every crisis. Yet, a review of the past fifty years discloses that each successive tide of immigrants has displayed less and less sympathy with our institutions, is more confirmed in it's racial solidarity, more resistant to environment and assimilation.

Ominous statistics proclaim the persistent development of a parasite mass within our domain- of political system is clogged with foreign bodies who stubbornly refuse to be absorbed, and means must be found to meet the menace. We have taken into ourselves a Trojan horse crowded with ignorance, illiteracy and envy. We have Hessionized our essential enterprises until Allen workers predominate the basic industries of the country and hold further progress at their regardless mercy.

Provocateurs of revenge and anarchy-opportunists and demagogues-are already forging their strength into a weapon that bodes democracy I'll.

Reckless state laws admit them to local elections without process of naturalization, and inadequate naturalization tests put votes into their hands before we fairly get English into their heads.

The will of America is not calling land over for strikes-the fist of America is not brandishing I.W.W. bombs-the choice of America is not sophisticating Congress and legislatures with snide statesmanship.

Nay, the voice of America is being slowly drowned in jargon voice crying hate between labor and capital-hate between blindness and vision-hate between culture and coarseness-hate between law and license-even hate between the Anglo-saxan peoples.

ON TO THE MELTING-POT AND CLEAN IT O'THIS SCUM "

A lot to read, I know... But look at some of the parallels again in bold. Now, I'm not saying that it you believe that we should halt certain immigrations you are as bad as a 1920 Klansman, just suggesting that hey, obviously people were freaking out about immigration nearly a hundred years ago with very similar talking points, but we as a country (for the most part) turned out okay in the end.

Until I read this, I had strong feelings against certain immigration. Now, I'm starting to question if maybe we are getting a little ahead of ourselves. It will take a while for certain cultures to assimilate, but after a few generations I like to think they'll figure it out.

Thanks for reading! Peace and good vibes to you all

a reply to: seaswine

You're right, this reads like it could have been written today.

You cannot equate Southern racism and the Klan to some common-sense wariness about immigration from Anywhere these days. We need a new Ellis Island to sort folks out, as quaint as the idea may be. Glass-Steagle and NORAD sounded quaint once too, and they sure don't now. As for the Klan, it was started by a die-hard General Nathan Bedford Forest, who had made a fortune in slave trading previous to the Civil War. That shows you where that sentiment Really came from. a reply to: seaswine

a reply to: AvroVulcan

Thanks for weighing in.

I agree you cannot fully EQUATE the two. I posted this more for an "interesting read" type of thing.

Equatable, no. Similarities, undoubtedly.

So wait ... the KKK was objecting to anyone foreign who was here legally.

People today object to people who come here illegally.

Maybe it's just me, but I think that's a big difference.

"Suppose you were an idiot and suppose you were a member of congress; but I repeat myself." -Mark Twain

"The arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed, lest Rome fall." -Cicero

Point is, do things ever really changed?

originally posted by: AvroVulcan
You cannot equate Southern racism and the Klan to some common-sense wariness about immigration from Anywhere these days. We need a new Ellis Island to sort folks out, as quaint as the idea may be. Glass-Steagle and NORAD sounded quaint once too, and they sure don't now. As for the Klan, it was started by a die-hard General Nathan Bedford Forest, who had made a fortune in slave trading previous to the Civil War. That shows you where that sentiment Really came from. a reply to: seaswine

Just for the record, the KKK was nationwide. In fact, the Klan even expanded into Canada, particularly in Saskatchewan.

a reply to: ketsuko

I understand this difference. It's the language that is used to describe the immigrants, legal or not that I'm talking about.

Also there are many people today that wouldn't mind getting rid of certain legal immigrants/those on the path to legal immigration.

Maybe replace the words "anglo-saxon" with the words "native americans", and re-read it.

A lot to read, I know... But look at some of the parallels again in bold. Now, I'm not saying that it you believe that we should halt certain immigrations you are as bad as a 1920 Klansman, just suggesting that hey, obviously people were freaking out about immigration nearly a hundred years ago with very similar talking points, but we as a country (for the most part) turned out okay in the end.

Did the country turn out ok? I wonder, since we have nothing with which to compare.

originally posted by: seaswine
a reply to: ketsuko

I understand this difference. It's the language that is used to describe the immigrants, legal or not that I'm talking about.

Also there are many people today that wouldn't mind getting rid of certain legal immigrants/those on the path to legal immigration.

Those people have always been around and always will be around. I don't expect that will really ever change. They were the same ones who didn't want the Irish even before this pamphlet. Not only that but this pamphlet came at the tail end of the last great wave of immigration. Most of those immigrants came from Southern and Eastern Europe. So if your ancestors are Italian or Polish ... this pamphlet is talking about you.

Not only that, but it wasn't long after this glut of immigrants that immigrant levels were harshly restricted for a period of 40+ years. It did allow for the immigrants to settle into the US and become a part of our country. Thanks to that, we now have pizza and polish sausage as part of our heritage.

a reply to: ketsuko

I know, where do you think the term wop came from to describe my people? Without papers.

a reply to: seaswine

The KKK was against all forms of immigration. If you check more of their literature, they were very open about that. (Sorry, I'm not linking to their crap). And don't forget, they reached their peak in the 1920s, claiming to control more than 20 State legislatures at the time. So it's not like they were some fringe group back then. They were also the biggest forces keeping the racial Segregation laws in place.

a reply to: seaswine

Sounds to me like they called it.

Unfettered immigration has fully crushed and all but extinguished the middle class.

The parallel is different today insofar as the lines are drawn along territorial lines, and not racial ones.

a reply to: Sargeras

It isn't the immigration that is the problem. It's the pace of it aided and abetted by the lax attitude toward illegal immigration. We can only support so many of the world's poor and destitute at a time as they find their feet in our culture, and once they are up and running, then we can look to bring in the next group.

But seek to bring them all at once, and we all fall together. Then no one is helped at all.

a reply to: ketsuko

Absolutely agree that we must be careful accepting too many too quickly. Too much of anything is a bad thing. But sometimes, the right amount can be very beneficial.

There's no doubt that we are currently waking a slippery slope that does need to be well regulated.

a reply to: seaswine

Cant you take a picture and post it, would be much better.

Sincere regards, Mannegishi

a reply to: Mannegishi

I can take a picture but I'm only working with a cellphone. Laptop is broken.

I'd be willing to send it to you via email if you'd be OK with that. You feel free to message me privately it you'd like.

It is a really interesting piece historically speaking. So if you enjoy history in all its ways, it's worth a look.

1920. Just a few short years before the 1924 Democratic National Convention "Klanbake Rally" where tens of thousands of democrats put on their klan robes and marched the streets of NYC with burning crosses.

This week we will once again have thousands of racist democrats and socialists in the NYC streets marching against Trump.

The more things change...

a reply to: enlightenedservant

And almost entirely democratic party members at that time.

Don't leave out that important bit.

The kkk was started by democrats and controlled by democrats when they were most powerful and did most of their lynchings of both black and white republicans.