Reply #132: Simple, in both cases you have religion involved...

[spin]

The Klan is primarily composed of conservative Protestant Christians.

The KKK acts against any group they feel are causing harm to America; including African Americans, Jews, Catholics, immigrants, and anyone who supports such 'evil and dangerous elements'. They are a fraternity of white supremacists who believe in direct action, usually violent.

*******snip*******

The KKK see themselves as Good, Upstanding, All American Patriotic Christians and claim that lighting the cross is a symbol of their faith. The fire signifies Christ as the light of the world. Light drives away darkness and gloom. Fire cleanses and purifies.
http://www.seiyaku.com/customs/crosses/burning.html



Let's not forget that Al-Qaeda is Sunni Islam, and Iran is Shi'ite Islam, throw in the plethora of tribal loyalties in Iraq alone, mix in the intervention of Iran and Syria, add the continuous incitement of the various political/ideological agendas that lies at the core of radical Islam, and we have the chaos of what is Iraq today. However, what we need to realize is that the cycle of tribal warfare and of deteriorating urban life that began in the thirteenth century (much more here) with the Mongol invasions, is depicted every day on our TV screens by cable news.
http://www.freedomszone.com/archives/2006/11/archaic_tribal_warfare_in_iraq.php

When you believe that you are fighting for God or Allah, you tend not to be polite and considerate to those who don't believe as you do.