Regarding the Klu Klux Klan in America. I met a former member in 1993, in MI who dropped his membership after a short while.. his father and grandfather (and probably on back), had been members also. This is what he told me about the beginning purposes and belief system of the Klan. That it originated in Greece. It was organized here with the sole purpose of keeping their own members in upright standards, maintain Protestant Christian morals .. and keeping the member's race "White"... For instance, if a member was a heavy drinker, or an abuser of family, did not maintain him/herself in upright and moral ethics, did not attend, he would be warned, warned again, and if no changes, action was taken against him until he/she did shape up. Not with burning crosses, violence, etc. These principles were lost to the disgust of the original members... therefore, they dropped membership, even at the cost of their lives being threatened. Many moved as far away from the newly founded clan and it evil ways. Mankind (white that is), did look at people of color as maybe one step above being a animal. Ignorance... without it, we don't learn. With knowledge, we can continue hoping these old outdated, bigoted ideas will vanish..then what will be find to be bigoted about? I just turned 70 years old... raised in Oklahoma and Texas. Gratefully, my parents did not teach bigotry. I too am a Republican, Protestant. The good old church I was baptised in, preached Hell, Fire and Brimstone, we've "Born Sinners" and there was nothing we could do about is, that we would always live in Sin. "Pass that collection, Brother SoAndSo". People were poor from the "depression era" , their loved ones fighting an economically based WWII. Did he forget why they were there? Do heads of Churches still forget today? It was pounded into the members, that the Negro were cursed, the Catholics wanted to take over the world, that the Basilica had a complete City built underground where they plotted "World taker over", that the Jew's killed Jesus Christ (where in fact, we know that's not true, it was the Jewish hierarchy that had him nailed to the Cross. Opportunity is everywhere in this great country. Who is held back... no one is held back... people hold themselves back... Take a look at the success of our immigrant Asians ... To me, it behooves us, no matter what persuasion .. to realize we're still growing, and will do so to the end of time (whatever, or whenever that is)... and "Growing", might just be our real purpose in life. I have to agree with Mr.. Stewart regarding the "facts" of those glorious years. Just like today, Good Times, Bad Times. What have we learned? I think the key is what are we willing to learn. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp