[Hugin]

There have been at least 3 distinct periods of the KKK. To speak of them as if they are all the same is misleading in itself. The original KKK formed by Nathan Bedford Forrest and others after the Civil War was disbanded by Forrest a few years later. The second was the nationwide mass movement of the 20s that had millions of members, and was considered respectable for a time, until leadership scandals brought it down. The 3rd came into being in the 50s as small often violent groups that share ideology and symbols but aren't connected. The author takes a quote which I assume is about the 2nd period, and uses that to portray them as describing the current Klan--"the KKK is really a reform organization".

[cripplecreek]

The second was the nationwide mass movement of the 20s that had millions of members, and was considered respectable for a time, until leadership scandals brought it down.

The progressive scumbag period.