route. it s always a fight, and it s a battle that is never fully finished. go back to the beginning. thomas jefferson wrote what many believed to be the most important document, civil document in human history. he was a slave holder. we have never lived up to our american ideals. jefferson himself didn t. but what he wrote has pulled us towards justice for more than two centuries, and it still does. it remains this nation s north star. take a look at the klan. klu klux klan. after the civil war, we saw a rise in the klan. it was beaten down only to rise up again in the 20s. in fact, in august of 1925,
rise in the klan. it was beaten down, only to rise up again in the 20s. in fact, in august of 1925, 30,000 fully clad klans men and their robes and pointed hats, marched down pennsylvania avenue. the streets of washington. imagine, imagine that today. and then the klan was once again beaten back after the civil war. how? the courts, the press and, yes, presidents stood against them. that is the point. our institutions often imperfectly stood against hate at moments when we were most tested. american presidents have stepped up in the past.
in fact, in august of 1925, 30,000 fully clad klansman watched down pennsylvania avenue, the streets of washington. imagine, imagine that today. and then the klan was once again beaten back as it was after the civil war. how? the courts, the press, and, yes, presidents stood against them. and that is the point. our institutions often imperfectly stood against hate at moments when we were most tested. american presidents have stepped up in the past. george h.w. bush renouncing his membership in the nra. president clinton after oklahoma