I appreciate the research involved in compiling this article. Many years ago, my cousin Kathleen mentioned that the Klan had burned a cross in front of our grandparents’ house in Colorado. I was incredulous, since both sides of the family are Caucasian, of Irish descent. And she elaborated that the Klan was incensed that our grandfather would marry a Catholic girl (he subsequently converted to Catholicism and remained very devout).
Our grandparents were already deceased when Kathleen relayed that story but I always wished I had more details. Thank you for providing more of the picture.
Coincidentally—or perhaps not—most of our grandparents’ descendants—-seven children and 38 grandkids—-lean liberal, left or decisively progressive in their political views. I have always detested the far right in America, as a gay man with many Jewish friends, including the mother of my own kids. My antipathy has grown with each new ugly and increasingly violent wave of hate-promoters: the Religious Right, the Tea Party and now the Trump Insurgency.
I so much wish I had the chance to tell my grandparents how proud I was that they stood fast against the wrong side of history.