Aryan Outfitters - Meet the KKK's seamstress of hate couture

[dalton99a]

http://www.motherjones.com/media/2008/03/aryan-outfitters-kkk-seamstress/

Aryan Outfitters
Meet the KKK’s seamstress of hate couture.
Anthony KarenMarch/April 2008 Issue

Coming from five generations of Ku Klux Klan members, 58-year-old “Ms. Ruth” sews hoods and robes for Klan members seven days a week, blessing each one when it’s done. A red satin outfit for an Exalted Cyclops, the head of a local chapter, costs about $140. She uses the earnings to help care for her 40-year-old quadriplegic daughter, “Lilbit,” who was injured in a car accident 10 years ago.

The following is a photo essay about Ms. Ruth by New York photojournalist Anthony Karen, a former Marine who has spent several years photographing members of the Ku Klux Klan. The essay includes audio of interviews with Karen and Ms. Ruth.

Listen to Anthony Karen introduce himself and his photo essay:

[MrsCoffee]

1. That last picture is child abuse.

Only a demented piece of shit would put their kid in that outfit.

[madaboutharry]

2. Five generations in the Klan

“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite." - Nelson Mandela

I don't know if Mr. Mandela would be right about these people.

[Initech]

3. They may be hate mongerers, but at least they look fabulous!

[Solly Mack]

4. :(

That poor child. No chance at all. None.

That's abuse.

[Siwsan]

5. It is disconcerting she sells enough of those robes, at those prices, to help support her daughter

I'm sure there are some 'safety net' resources being accessed, but $140 as a top price for one of those robes? I sew, and while I'd never make anything that vile, if I was sewing robes for, let's say, some Druids, I'd charge more than $140!!

How many must she be sewing, to make any sort of profit?

Or, am I overthinking that article?

[Retrograde]

8. I thought the same thing

With the plain white ones she may be able to cut out several at once then assembly-line the construction. But with the costs of fabric today (even if she gets it wholesale) plus other materials and overhead she'd likely be working for less than minimum wage on special orders like this. Must be a labor of love

(I sew as well, because I enjoy it, but if I were to sell my work I'd be making pennies an hour.)

[Aristus]

6. Disgusting. Just because it's your family doesn't mean you should perpetuate it...

My family's generational involvement with the Klan ended with my mother.

Her two uncles were Klansmen. When my mother first started dating my father, her uncles invited to take him out "with the boys" one night. They were walking out to the car, and my father noticed shotguns resting on the back seat. He realized that they were taking him to a Klan rally. To his credit, he did what my mother called an "Oooh! Look at the time! Gotta go!" bit, and got out of there.

My parents raised us right.

[shenmue]

7. "Blessing each one when it's done"