Ku Klux Klan
Origin
Ku Klux Klan also named as KKK or The Klan was formed sequentially with three movements that each reign one after another. Klan is a Greek word, which means a circle or a band of brothers. Ku Klux Klan is the name of the movements that formed in United States and had a vital role to play in the Reconstruction Era of 1860 (Hannity, 2004). The first movement, which was established by six veterans of the confederate army in Pulaski, Tennessee, had a sole purpose to bring violence against African Americans in the southern United States in the late 18th century. It continued to operate for almost 10 years and then died after that. The first Klan was based upon a very small organizational structure but later on various other small groups established and spread throughout South, adopting same name and methods. The first Ku Klux Klan focused upon secrecy and had its identification by some unusual costumes including masks, conical hats, and robes and had their own language spoken through code words that no one else other than the members could understand. The basic reason behind such costumes of the members of Ku Klux Klan was to hide their identity and in order to bring strength to their first movement, adopting the practices that could bring fear and terror among the people.
It developed as a vigilant group with the aim to restore the white supremacy and use violence, threats, murder, target freedmen and their allies and more specifically Black and white Republicans. The first movement continued to operate its movement throughout 1860-1870 until force acts were introduced by Federal government and Klan crimes were prosecuted. When Force acts enforced the activities, Klan got weak and suppressed at last. Later on 1915 second movement emerged for a follow up in Atlanta Georgia. In the early and mid 1920’s second movement thrived nationally when there was a time of prosperity. It used very modern business system to recruit the members, adopting the same white costume and with the sole purpose to be outlandish and spread fear among people. The second movement added few more things such as mass parades cross burnings. That was the time when immigration was at its peak and urban industrialization was socially tensed which brought positive impacts to the Klan by maximizing the number of people joining it and spreading out towards Midwest and West. The movement had a goal to purify the politics and call out for strict morality. It wanted 100% Americanism with almost 15% of the eligible population joining it. However, when its criminal activities and external opposition crossed limits, its membership was hugely affected. By 1930, its violent episodes seemed to get weaken when after World War II third Klan emerged to oppose the progress among minorities and Civil Rights Movements. During the period of 1950-1960 the third Klan often forged alliances with governor’s offices as and with southern police departments.
Goals
According to Ku Klux Klan movements, they emerged with the purpose to provide every right to Americans and Christians by holding Christian morality and American values, but in spite of that, many denounced their activities and aims. It acted as a vehicle to resist the policies established by Republican Party Reconstruction. Its violent campaigns were directed towards white and black republican leaders. It wanted to reestablish white supremacy by democratic victories (Blee, 1993, pp. 596-606). White Protestants nativist groups had a major role to play to burn the crosses, adopt bombings on black schools and churches, use marches and rallies, criticize immigrants, blacks, catholic Jews, and organized labor.
Ideologies
Ku Klux Klan as an American hated group adopted an ideology of saving and ensuring the future of children and protecting the white people. They opposed African Americans and went against the non-white immigrants. Their ideology formed against their enemies and following the religion of Christianity however, with the passage of time it started accepting non-Christians as the members too. Ku Klux Klan even changed the ideology, attracted, and welcomed plenty of neo Nazi groups and racist skinheads to strengthen its power. No matter what membership it consisted of it continued the idea of targeting black Americans its ultimate objective with spreading violence against Jews, Catholics, lesbians, gays, and immigrants as well. According to their ideology, anyone who would go against them or help black Americans to enjoy their civil rights would receive their threats and would have to undergo violence in any form. The infamous group tried every effort to weaken the rights of blacks and made strong use of violent attacks, rapes to challenge the white supremacy, which acted as Ku Klux Klan’s seal or trademark.
Tactics
Klan’s violent periods can never be forgotten in the history specially through hindering the movement of civil rights in South, bloodshed, and oppression. When the government of United States formed the Reconstruction, KKK developed out of the frustration and took out their anger on African Americans. Their scary tactics such as the practice of cross burnings even in front of the homes of people with terrorism acts like beatings, church burnings, assassination of politicians, invasion of black’s homes, kidnappings, and even deaths are some of the cruel tactics that the group implemented. They preached hate and their violent thinking spread fear among people. America had its own way of life and as a result, it did not want anyone else to rule the nation. KKK was a result of such thinking and dominating nature. KKK had prejudiced feelings for anyone who would threaten the America’s power and domination of whites.
Methodologies
Ku Klux Klan came up with the mission to protect the white supremacy and maintain the white race in United States. Its methodologies moved accordingly to terrify African American and allow them not to even dare to vote. Their methods included assaults, murders, and threats that would destroy the peace of black’s life (Dixon, 2013). Their homes and places were burned and bombed with favorite method of lynching which was justified on the grounds of traditions or protecting the community. The methodology of lynching was often due to the reason that black male would keep a relationship with white women which was not acceptable at all. The worst thing was that the murderers were so powerful enough that they did not encounter any arrest, conviction, or punishment because of their cruel outcomes. African Americans and non-whites were considered dangerous for white civilization and there was cultural majority of whites that began the concept that whites would not grow without prejudice and hatred feeling for blacks and non-whites.
Hamas
Origin
In the eastern Mediterranean Sea, there is a land known as Gaza Strip that consists of various Islamist groups and among them, the most powerful one is Hamas also known as “Islamic Resistance movement (Mishal, 2003, pp. 569-589).” Designated as Foreign Terrorist Organization, the establishment of Hamas dates back to 1987when Israel was occupying Gaza Strip and west bank. It began its first Intifada and started bombings to show its opposition against accords between Palestine liberal organization and Israel. It came as an Islamist organization, which means anyone who is willing for society and government to convert and follow plenty of Islam’s prescriptions. In the 1920, in Egypt the Islamic fundamentalist Brotherhood Movement emerged under the leadership of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and registered legally as Al Mujamma Al Islaimi. In the 1950’s Gaza Strip was under very much influence of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood movement and achieved power by plenty of social and charitable organizations. Moreover, it took a control of mosques too and exerted great influence upon them. With the passage of time, the movement grew extensively and turned into most commanding factor that could even challenge the authority of PLO. By 1987, adopting the same ideology, the organization was nationally formed as “Hamas” and until 1990 and 2000; it fought against Israel and continued its violent attacks and bombings.
Hamas formation was due to the accident when various Palestinians were killed by Israel driver and resultantly events followed and Palestinians rose to go against Israel and west bank, which was their occupation in Gaza. As an outcome of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood movement Hamas was formed by six Palestinians and having the leader named as “Yassin.” Initially Hamas worked on the ideology of Brotherhood Movement and acted upon their model, working for the Palestinian refugees in Gaza Strip. In the occupational territories, charities and social institutions had a good control and that acted as a good point for Hamas when it could take their support. On the other hand, Israel had an intelligence agency named as Mossad, which was recruited to weaken the youth of Palestinians as according to Hamas. Timely, it developed very good reputation to save the lives of Palestinians and giving them their rights. In 1989, Hamas attacked Israel for the first time by kidnapping and killing the two Israeli soldiers. In addition to that, it was the time when Hamas built a strong relationship with Hezbollah too. As a result, Yassin leader was arrested immediately by the Israel defense forces and was sentenced to life in prison. The same time 400 activist of Hamas were deported to South Lebanon that was under the control of Israel (Agha & Malley, 2006, pp. 22). Running the activities from two major departments, in 2005, Hamas activities started to come on full swing when it began to participate in the process of Palestinian politics. It became the very first Islamist Group getting the power and strength by democratic means, getting various seats in the parliament in 2006. That was the time when Ruling Fatah party was in direct conflicts with Hamas that defeated it through violent crashes and by 2007 was able to govern the Gaza portion of Palestinian territories. Resultantly, Israel and Egypt took actions and used various economic blockades against Gaza so that their borders could be sealed and there would be no connections.
Goal
Hamas came up in to existence to fulfill various purposes such as to wage a war against Israel and secondly to convey the programs of social welfare. Hamas has an extensive history of offensive attacks and its persistent denial to keep spreading violence has given to it a status of Terrorist group. After its establishment in 1988, it brought out Islamic Covenant according to which Israel’s existence was not acceptable to it at any rate. It stated that in order to save the Palestinians there was only one solution of Holy War that was possible. As a result, its sole purpose was to eradicate Israel and replace it with Islamic republic of Palestine. It took Jihad as a mean to save Palestine and wanted its every inch to be called through the name of Allah. It aimed and stressed to create the Islamic Republic all over Palestine for which it was possible to begin the struggle of Jihad, joining not only the Muslims from Palestine but from around the globe. Since the beginning until 1990, Hamas took a range of measures and continued campaigns according to which women were forced to wear hijab and stay at home and were given instructions to be segregated from men. Alongside the promotion of polygamy, women were harassed verbally and physically too if they would not wear Hijab. When Hamas operated various attacks against Israel, Israeli forces exposed and that resulted in Hamas changing its military apparatus and developing the preventive measures. It aimed to separate the political leadership with military activity, joining hands with various other terrorist organizations to instruct, determine, and direct the terrorist activities and establish policies. In a very short period, it became an international terrorist organization from solely the domestic one.
Tactics and Methodologies
Hamas tactics were violent and included explosions, fire rockets, shooting on Gaza’s civilians, kidnapping and suicide bombings. Its tactics to spread violence were mainly targeted to IDF tanks, IDF soldiers, Israeli ships, and Israeli communities. Since its establishment until 2000, it continued to use its power for weakening Israel. In 2004, the founder of Hamas Yassin assassinated and the leader named as Abdul Aziz al-Rantisi took over his position (Reid & Chen, 2007, pp. 177-192). In 2005, persistent violent struggle of Hamas brought some results and Israel was ordered by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to free from Gaza so that Hamas could stop its activities. With strong fighting capability, Hamas did not stop. On the other hand, Israel wanted to get free from Hamas in Gaza, thus attacked all the tunnels dug by Hamas and in such attempts, various leaders of Hamas were killed too.
Comparison
KKK was anti Semitic that means had a hatred for Jews. KKK and Hamas Organizations largely are very similar to each other with the difference that in America it is called Ku Klux Klan where as in Palestine it is called Hamas. According to Hamas Jews were responsible for communist revolution, French revolution, and World War I and II (Reid & Chen, 2007, pp. 177-192). Hamas believes that through fighting with Jews and killing them in attacks, fighters would directly move to paradise. On the other hand, KKK had no such tactics that could take the lives of their members. As a result, Hamas declares to be more dangerous and life threatening. Hamas consist of extreme Muslims that are ready to give up their lives to protect the world from Jews on long-term basis. Hamas as a freedom fighting organization uses extremely dangerous tactics and weapons with technical strength such as rockets, missiles, suicide attacks, bombings, having Iron Dome Missile defense system. Currently, it is one of the most powerful terrorist organizations having extremely complex networks. It can be compared to the Islamic State but not with KKK. Islamic State and Hamas are the outcomes of Brotherhood Movement that have the sole purposes to destroy the existence of Israel and eradicate its name from the earth. They target civilians and that include even the Muslim fellows. It does not accept the presence of Israel as a state of Jews. Hamas operations are not scattered to the national extent but is considered international gaining support from other nations such as majority Muslim countries that provide its financing majorly. KKK, which was from USA consisting mainly of Christians, was a domestic and though had brutal attempts but was not considered terrorist organization. It believed to protect white dominance and fought against blacks and later on against Jews and non-Catholics. On the other hand, Hamas is representative of Israeli operations against Palestinians, which is a view according to the Muslim world. Currently various countries have accepted Palestine officially as a country which means such countries have accepted the political will of Hamas in Palestine as well. Moreover, both used brutal tactics but KKK was racist fighting USA based organization adopting racist and militant approach where as Hamas was religious organization fighting for Gaza and Palestine. In the current era, Hamas is considered as dangerous using bombings, suicide attacks, missiles as the weapons. As far as KKK is concerned, it used scary costumes, burnings, assassination, kidnappings, and beatings as the tactics and often was responsible for massive death penalties but did not move to the extreme tactics that Hamas use. It started to diminish its value in the 1970’s due to the court cases, internal conflicts, domestic splits, and the infiltration of government. Presently it consists of few thousands of members, and various other organizations operating under its name.
References
Agha, H., & Malley, R. (2006). Hamas: the perils of power. New York review of books, 53(4), pp. 22.
Blee, K. M. (1993). Evidence, empathy, and ethics: Lessons from oral histories of the Klan. The Journal of American History, pp. 596-606.
Dixon, T. (2013). The clansman: An historical romance of the Ku Klux Klan. University Press of Kentucky.
Hannity, S. (2004). Deliver us from evil: Defeating terrorism, despotism, and liberalism. ReganBooks.
Mishal, S. (2003). The pragmatic dimension of the Palestinian Hamas: A network perspective. Armed Forces & Society, 29(4), pp. 569-589.
Reid, E., & Chen, H. (2007). Internet-savvy US and Middle Eastern extremist groups. Mobilization: An International Quarterly, 12(2), pp. 177-192.
