Okay, I've been watching this and haven't heard the photographer address the negative parts about the KKK. But when he said "She's a great lady" my body cringed. I hope to hear more balanced commentary as I move through this essay. FYI, I'm forty, black, and grew up in the south. These guys were so horrible I had nightmares about them until 4 years ago.

So because she thinks of you as her "son" you tend to agree with all the horrible things they do to people?! Anybody can put on a smile, and coming from the south, that isn't a hard thing to do, so just because Satan offers you a smile and a dance you'll follow him anywhere? Hm, didn't think so! Open your eyes, man. Look at what they do and say about hating on people! They catch you like a fly to honey! Sweet until your stuck and and die without any hopes of escaping your doomed fate. That's sad. FYI, I don't have you guys and gals as a person, I just hate what you do and "teach".

**CORRECTION**

I don't 'hate' you guys and gals...

Sweet until your stuck and (only suppose to be one 'and').

this guy is no photojournalist. a good journalist would not let the 'nice' things this woman does affect his viewpoint. he might say, "she cooked for me," though eating her food probably wasn't appropriate it might have been the only way for him to gain access, as in some homes you MUST eat to be accepted. i have watched this photoblog, and listened, kind of like a kid picking a scab, just couldn't help myself, and am left with the same raw, bloody mess. nothing seems to change. the appalling thing is not her sewing these rags, but that there are orders coming in every day, if we believe that. this photographer should have mentioned that he couldn't have made this connection if he wasn't white.

She blesses a robe before going to the customer...she blesses a robe going to a hate filled agent of intolerancre. I'm sure her god is proud!

What a great woman i meen she actully blesses the robe agains blak peeps because she has had her hed poisend by thos rednek chiken [deleted] white mother [deleted].

Then people wunder why us blaks preach [deleted] white redneks rites it aint nuttin but a blak world for us to share with rite minded white people

peace

I agree this journalist is not objective at all. He is making this piece out to be a warm and fuzzy editorial piece! I can understand that if you spend time with people long enough, you can see that they too are human and have feelings, but I wouldn't turn your back for too long with these guys if I were you! You go ahead and feel all warm and fuzzy when you are around these folks, just don't forget their message of hate and intolerance my friend. Do you think if he was to write a piece about Hitler he'd be so nice and loving? I think I'm afraid of the answer.

This photographer is a joke... what a stupid guy

He seems to be making the point that no one is all bad and I would tend to agree the woman may be full of hate but that doesn't mean she's some sort of devil she's just tragically misguided by her upbringing.

Notice the confederate flag patch on the arms of the robes.
You know, the confederate flag that is so harmless and has no connection to hate and racism.

mrjones and others write that the author does not discuss "macro" issues in what is a story about a "micro" issue. I fully sympathize with you, having lived in the South (while in the military) and having had to directly confront the klan while in the service. But let's get this clear. The intent of the story is to explain one tiny element of the Klan's support structure that exists in nearly every corner of the south and southwest.

Like any subversive, reactionary group, the klan needs to use the greater population in order to "swim as fish in the sea," with the sea being the general population. Read the history of revolutionary warfare and you will learn how important people like Miss Ruth are to an underground movement.

Yes, she is a seamstress. But more than that, she is a part of a network of support which has kept the KKK in existence for all of these years. Without that grassroots support, the KKK would have died long ago.

So, in current context, let's try to understand in intimate detail the American Taliban, the KKK, just as we struggle to understand and deal with other terrorist groups. That is what they are: terrorists. And they depend on a sea of Miss Ruths to survive.

If they're so 'proud' than why do they all cover their faces, hmmmm?