Select one of the following four domestic terrorist groups: KKK, Black Panthers, Weathermen, and Fuerzas Armadas de Liberación Nacional. Analyze the group based on your readings this week. If necessary, conduct research to analyze the group. You can use the South University Online Library databases to conduct your research.
After analyzing the group, answer the following questions:
Who organized the group?
What is the group’s purpose or objective?
What methods of attacks has the group conducted?
Who or what was the group’s target? Explain using examples.
Which are the two key attacks the group conducted?
Does the group still exist? Why or why not?
If the group no longer exists, how was it defeated by criminal justice officials? If the group still exists, what measures should criminal justice officials be taking to defeat the group?
Full Answer Section
Who or what was the group’s target? Explain using examples.
The KKK's primary targets have been African Americans and white Republicans who supported Reconstruction. However, the group has also targeted other groups, including Jews, Catholics, and immigrants.
Some examples of KKK attacks include:
- In 1921, a mob of KKK members attacked the town of Greenwood, Oklahoma, killing up to 300 black residents.
- In 1963, a KKK bomb killed four black girls at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama.
- In 1964, three KKK members murdered civil rights workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner in Philadelphia, Mississippi.
Which are the two key attacks the group conducted?
Two of the most significant KKK attacks were the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 and the Birmingham Church Bombing of 1963.
The Tulsa Race Massacre
On May 31, 1921, a mob of white residents, including KKK members, attacked the Greenwood District, a black neighborhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The mob burned down over 1,400 homes and businesses, and killed up to 300 black residents.
The Birmingham Church Bombing
On September 15, 1963, a KKK bomb exploded at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, killing four black girls. The bombing was part of a campaign of violence by the KKK against the civil rights movement.
Does the group still exist? Why or why not?
The KKK still exists today, but it is much smaller and less powerful than it was in the past. The group has been weakened by internal divisions, law enforcement crackdowns, and public condemnation.
If the group no longer exists, how was it defeated by criminal justice officials? If the group still exists, what measures should criminal justice officials be taking to defeat the group?
Criminal justice officials have defeated the KKK in the past through a combination of law enforcement crackdowns, public education, and community outreach.
Law enforcement crackdowns have targeted KKK members and their activities. For example, in the 1980s, the FBI launched a major crackdown on the KKK, which resulted in the convictions of dozens of KKK members.
Public education and community outreach have also played a role in defeating the KKK. These efforts have helped to expose the group's hateful ideology and to build public support against the group.
If the KKK still exists, criminal justice officials should continue to take these measures to defeat the group. They should also work with community leaders to develop strategies for preventing young people from joining the KKK.
In addition to the above, criminal justice officials should also consider the following measures to defeat the KKK:
- Increase intelligence gathering and sharing: Criminal justice agencies at all levels should work together to gather and share intelligence about KKK activities. This will help them to identify and track KKK members, and to disrupt KKK plots.
- Develop and implement community-based counter-terrorism programs: Criminal justice agencies should work with community leaders to develop and implement programs that counter KKK ideology and recruitment efforts. These programs should educate young people about the dangers of the KKK, and provide them with alternatives to hate groups.
- Support victims of KKK violence and intimidation: Criminal justice agencies should provide support to victims of KKK violence and intimidation. This may include providing counseling, security, and other assistance.
By taking these measures, criminal justice officials can play a vital role in defeating the KKK and protecting the public from the group's violence and hatred.
Sample Answer
Domestic Terrorist Group: Ku Klux Klan (KKK)
Who organized the group?
The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was founded in Pulaski, Tennessee, on December 24, 1865, by six former Confederate soldiers. The group's original purpose was to terrorize and intimidate African Americans and white Republicans who supported Reconstruction.
What is the group’s purpose or objective?
The KKK is a white supremacist hate group that advocates for the superiority of the white race. The group's objectives include maintaining white supremacy, overthrowing the U.S. government, and establishing a white ethnostate.
What methods of attacks has the group conducted?
The KKK has a long history of violence and terrorism. The group's methods of attack have included lynching, arson, bombing, and beatings.