Ronson summary

In Ronson’s piece, The Klansman Who Won’t Use the N-Word, there is a correlation between names and their meanings.  The names define the characteristics of certain groups through which their identities are created.  In this case, “many Klanspeople [feel] that without hatred there [is] no point in even having a Ku Klux Klan” (184).  This shows that hatred defines the Klan because their goal is to exert a sense of “white power”.  Without this essential characteristic, the Klan can’t be same.  Because Thom Robb, the new leader of the Klan, wants to put forth a more positive image, members have left because of disagreement.  Furthermore when Ronson asks Thom about changing the name of the Klan, Thom doesn’t think it would make a difference because “they’re going to call you Klansmen, they’re going to call you Nazis, they’re going to call you pigs” (183).  Changing names doesn’t work because the identity of the group is still the same.  So, once a purpose has been established through a certain label, it can’t be changed because then the whole image is tainted.  

I liked reading this because I found it interesting how Thom is trying to completely change his Klansmen.  But it was a bit weird because for me, the Klan takes on a bad image.  It seems contradictory that they want to impose their power by being nice.  I don’t think the incarnation of the new Klan makes sense and it isn’t successful because people have left.  Also, Thom’s perspective seems to demean the goals of the Klan.  I don’t think using inoffensive language would work in this case because just the name of the Klan gives off fear.  I found it interesting when Thom mentions the difference between “cross burning” and “cross lighting” (95).  The word “burning” gives a harmful image while the word “lighting” makes it seem like the act is okay.  So it takes one word to change the meaning of the phrase.