CH2: The Klan & Real Estate Agents

There were several things about this chapter that stuck out to me. I think the point I feel most strongly on is that people with knowledge have the power. Experts use the knowledge they have to the detriment of someone who is just an everyday consumer. I feel that so many people are blissfully unaware of everything that is going on around them because they choose to be. In America, everything is so specialized that most people can get by without knowing much about anything. If you can't cook you just eat out at a restaurant. If you can't change the oil in your car you pay a mechanic to do it for you. The problem with everything being specialized is that the people you get to do your work for you in all likelyhood know more about that specific trade than you do. You can hope that these people are honest with you but they are only human after all. And if you don't know what they know, there is a chance that you may be taken advantage of. That is why knowledge is so vital. It can change the balance of power.

I also have an interest in history. Recently I have been learning in detail about the Plessy v. Ferguson case which is why the KKK section caught my interest. I don't understand how the KKK can still be operational. Although racism is by no means gone from society it is strongly frowned upon and is deemed socially unacceptable. For someone to take part in a racial hate group like this in today's society,they would have to have pretty much zero concience. I also can't understand why local communities couldn't indentify the problem and stand up to get rid of them.