Mark Small

KKK: 1920 D.C. Stephenson moved 2 Indiana, ran 4 Congress as a Democrat, lost, & joined KKK. “He was an eloquent speaker, with a powerful personality and great magnetism.” He was assigned to organize the KKK. Leibowitz, “My Indiana,” 1964, pp. 192-93. 1/14

KKK principally backed GOP (they were generally in control) but found support in both parties; @ peak, nearly 500,000 Hoosiers belonged to KKK. Stephenson bragged he delivered KKK (winning) votes in the 1924 governor’s race. Id., p. 191. 2/14

KKK’s Grand Dragon Stephenson, on 4/2/25 “was arrested for the sadistic sexual assault of Madge Oberholtzer. Twelve days later, Madge Oberholzer died and the charge became first-degree murder. Id., p. 190. 3/14

KKK had power in Indiana Some stood up 2 its masked thugs, but Stephenson’s murder of Madge Oberholzer disgraced KKK nationally & opened eyes of many decent Hoosiers who had been hoodwinked by KKK phony appeal to morality Id., pp. 216-17. 4/14

KKK still has members. White nationalism is the manure in which its roots are sunk. For that matter, white nationalism is the manure of which the KKK is made. Its racists have ebbed in numbers, but the past few years have seen a rally. 5/14

KKK is evil. I thought any rational person in this country understood this as a maxim. I was shocked when, after the far-right rally in Charlottesville, the current occupant of the Oval Office said there were fine people on both sides. 6/14

KKK represents evil. I would ask the other GOP candidates for U.S. House from Indiana’s 5th Congressional District to join me in saying simply: “KKK is a hate organization.” That’s all. If we candidates unite and say this it will mean a lot. 7/14

KKK arose, in large part, as a reaction to Reconstruction in the South after the Civil War. The GOP was a force behind Reconstruction. That means someone who really is GOP should agree that KKK is evil. 8/14