Why does KS have fewer hate groups than their neighbors? (Topeka: 2014, crimes)

[Mathguy]

Someone asked why there wasn't more positive news and threads about Kansas so I decided to take it to heart. Well, we have fewer hate groups for starters.



I guess I'm not surprised by our neighbors to the south and east given the general meth\trailpark vibe but am a little surprised by others.

[thriftylefty]

Kansas owes a lot to William Allen White for forcing the Klan out of politics, and thus out of power in Kansas during his gubernatorial campaign in 1924. He was applauded nationally for his efforts by The New York World and oddly criticized by the Christian Science Monitor. He along with the fact that Kansas was settled by refugees and immigrants.

In the areas populated by settlers the Klan remained active up until the 60's. The Kansas County that shares a boarder with our neighbors to the south and east was known to have an active Klan in the 60's. By comparison the Kansas County adjacent to it was populated mostly by; Italians, Lebanese, Syrians, Polish, and Slovenians in the mines and had very little history of Klan activity.

[Mattks]

I think a lot of the original free staters were fairly open people, if you look at the original Kansas constitutions, I believe 2 were rejected by the Federal government for giving too many rights to women and minority's . But Kansas had near universal suffrage when if first became a state, I think only Iowa had given voting rights to women and minority's by that time. Maybe with the exception of SE Kansas I don't think Kansans gave the Klan any room. Most Kansas immigrants were from the north or Europe, Southerns weren't really accepted for a long time. My family moved to Eastern Kansas in the late 1860s from Wisconsin and were very anti-Southern at that time. Kansas did have some extremist Socialist groups which is interesting, 2 of the largest socialist newspapers in the US were based in Topeka. Even before Brown Vs Education, there was a lot of people complaining about segregation in th school, I believe only 1 school remainded segregated, all parks, most businesses, government was already desegregated. I remember the Topeka Capitol Journal ran an article just before Brown Vs Education about how these white and black kids would play together in a park before school and then have to go to seperate schools and how all the parents, both white and black were complaining to the schools about that. That type of atmosphere wouldn't have been accepted many places, the south or some places in the north, so I think the atmosphere in Kansas just never invited hate groups.

[2000_Watts]

It has fewer people

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by 2000_Watts

It has fewer people

The original graphic, which doesn't appear to be a good link anymore showed it as a ratio per 1 million people.

So, good point....but it was adjusted for.

[AnywhereElse]

Frankly, I don't understand the concept of "fewer hate groups". I read some history on Emporia and learned that back in the day, they treated what were basically the illegal aliens like blacks were treated in the south, segregated from themselves. I was also totally blown away by the feelings toward blacks here versus where I grew up in MI.

Nothing like hearing or seeing white trash be hostile about any other group.

It doesn't take an known hate group to make things very uncomfortable.

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by AnywhereElse

Frankly, I don't understand the concept of "fewer hate groups". I read some history on Emporia and learned that back in the day, they treated what were basically the illegal aliens like blacks were treated in the south, segregated from themselves. I was also totally blown away by the feelings toward blacks here versus where I grew up in MI.

Nothing like hearing or seeing white trash be hostile about any other group.

It doesn't take an known hate group to make things very uncomfortable.

Very true.

Also, I think if you went into Nazi Germany circa 1935 you'd find only 1 hate group. Granted it was most of the country but still....it's just one!

But, it does go to show how you can find statistics and present them without deeper thought or any semblance of fairness to try to show how good\bad a place is.

[Mattks]

Here is a link to a "hate map"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...as_hate_groups

My town (Topeka) has one, the Westboro Baptist Church. A nice bunch of nutjobs... lol

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church

[AnywhereElse]

Originally Posted by Mathguy

Very true.

Also, I think if you went into Nazi Germany circa 1935 you'd find only 1 hate group. Granted it was most of the country but still....it's just one!

But, it does go to show how you can find statistics and present them without deeper thought or any semblance of fairness to try to show how good\bad a place is.

Of course, the best way to know a state is to live in several different areas of the state and get to know the people and their attitudes. In many ways, it is the ones on the "down low" that are most dangerous.

[Rubi3]

Originally Posted by AnywhereElse

Of course, the best way to know a state is to live in several different areas of the state and get to know the people and their attitudes. In many ways, it is the ones on the "down low" that are most dangerous.

For some reason people have begun using the term to describe many practices, but what it really means is men who claim to be heterosexual, but sneak around to have sex with other men.