Burning Cross

Few things are more eye-catching that a blazing symbol. Cross burning, book burning, flag burning - yes, even bra burning, are sure fire ways to spark interest and enflame people's opinion.

Burning Cross

or Fiery Cross

Burning Cross

In 312 AD, Constantine is reputed to have seen a Fiery Cross in the sky before an important battle. (See Chi Rho Cross.)

In 1547, Scottish clansmen used the Fiery Cross (Crann Tara) as a symbol of unity and loyalty. Whenever an emergency arose, such as an attack or attempted invasion by rivals, the clan chieftain would dispatch runners carrying Fiery Crosses to assemble the warriors for the battle. The last recorded use of the Fiery Cross was during the Jacobite Rising in 1745. Swedish clansmen had a similar communications system (Buþkafle).

In the USA, the Burning Cross is considered one of the hallmarks of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK). Their regalia includes badges such as the Celtic Cross and St. John's Cross. As self-confessed ultra-right nationalists, they use the Burning Cross symbol to terrorise their intended victims. This is completely different from the use by ancient Scottish or Swedish clans.

Confederate
Flag

Contemporary Swedish nationalists use the Yellow Cross. Coincidentally, the Scottish National Party (SNP) uses a Yellow Ribbon but the SNP is far from being 'nationalist'; it is rather a left-of-centre political party committed to Scottish independence. The ultra-right nationalists in Scotland (NF and BNP) use the Scottish St. Andrew's Cross, the basis of the Confederate Flag, which brings us back to the KKK in the USA.

In fact there are few actual recorded instances of the KKK burning a cross. This popular image is largely the result of fictional works such as the 1915 movie 'The Birth of a Nation'.

Don't mock the KKK

It would be a mistake to mock the KKK as a bunch of social misfits.

We can giggle at people who try to look 'cool' by wearing sunglasses at night; they are silly, but do no real harm. Similarly, we can giggle at Klansmen, who:

are white supremacists yet darken their skin with tattoos
are proud to be white but hide under dunce-cap robes
wear slinky satin dresses yet say transvestites are perverts
are proud to be 'White/American/Christian', yet Jesus Christ was not American, was probably not very white, and Jesus was Jewish

The list goes on. But rather than mock KKK members, we should pity them, since they belong to the most despised subculture in the United States.

The KKK acts against any group they feel is causing harm to the USA. Initially these were Catholic immigrants in the 1920s, then African Americans in the 1950s and 1960s, and currently their fixation is with Jews. They still don't like Catholics, blacks, gays and anyone who supports such 'evil and dangerous elements'. They are a fraternity who believe in direct action, usually violent.

In the past, some law enforcement officers might have turned a blind eye but now such attacks are not tolerated. Lawsuits have forced the organisation to curtail its activities and go underground. Despite a modest resurgence following Bush's jingoism of the early 2000's, membership of the KKK has shrunk to an all-time low as sympathisers move to other white nationalist hate groups and patriotic armed militia.

Cross burning; a legal expression of opinion?

The function of the KKK is to either attack or drive away undesirables, through threats or terrorism. If they cannot intimidate people by burning a cross then there's no point in doing it.

Although (in the USA) the KKK are entitled to enjoy freedom of speech, the courts have ruled that burning a cross on public or private property with the intent to intimidate, violates the First Amendment.

Cross burning; desecration?

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.

And all that sounds pretty good. One wonders if these All American Patriots would also approve of burning the American Flag.

If they love the cross, why destroy it through fire?

In 1957 Jerry Lee Lewis, to upstage Chuck Berry, set fire to his piano. Ten years later, Jimi Hendrix burned his guitar on stage. Pete Townsend of the Who smashed guitars and kicked over the drums at the end of gigs. AC/DC, Nirvana, Metallica and others followed suit. Yes folks, deliberately destroying something you love is quite normal!

To say "I'm proud to white!" is as ridiculous as saying you are proud to be human. Being white is not a choice. The white person, or black person, has done nothing to attain their natural skin colour. Learn to play golf well, and be proud of that (if you wish). Study hard and gain entry to a good college, and be proud of that achievement (if you wish). Do something good, make a sad person happy, love the unloved. These are achievements. Being black or white is not an achievement and no cause for pride. ("Gay pride" is another nonsense term.)

See Flaming Cross for other crosses with flames. Note the difference: A Burning Cross is consumed and destroyed by fire; a Flaming Cross remains intact and is the source of flames.