So starting in 1983 that's roughly five conversions a year assuming the figure of 200 people in the article. So a 1,000 years to get through all 5k members according to bruceb's post. The man is a legend but it goes to show how difficult it is to deradicalise people who are deep in an ideology of hate. Something relevant to think about with things going on around the world right now.<p>Stopping people from going down the rabbit hole in the first place is really the only viable long-term solution - easier done with individuals than entire communities sharing that ideology as the norm.
Another favorite example of de-radicalization through compassion: <a href="https://youtu.be/SSH5EY-W5oM" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://youtu.be/SSH5EY-W5oM</a><p>I'm a firm believer that the antidote to hatefulness is connection, which leads to empathy, which leads to love
I tried to do that in college and all I got was the FBI listing me as a white supremacists.<p>It turns out the KKK member I tried to befriend was working for the FBI and the university I was attending. He was there to fake a white supremacists movement so they could cancel all the merit based scholarships and replace them with race based scholarships<p>I needed my scholarship.
Stellar audio portrait of him here, told first-person: <a href="https://loveandradio.org/2014/02/the-silver-dollar/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://loveandradio.org/2014/02/the-silver-dollar/</a><p>Sonically it’s beautifully produced, but a transcript is in the link as well.
It's an impressive accomplishment and obviously kind of a marvel that this is what he feels called to do. Only respect for the man and his activism.<p>But I hate the tone that often emerges when this is brought up or referenced, especially common since 2020. As if Davis's approach is the <i>correct</i> way for black people to address the racism of white people, contrasted against the "wrong" ways like BLM protests and organized direct action.<p>The man put himself in significant danger over many years. For impressive and personally meaningful but ultimately very small scale victories. That can't be the standard we expect from black activists. <i>White racism is a problem white people are obligated to solve</i>. If you are are white it is <i>your</i> role to be doing this, don't make a black man do it for you.
The KKK is like 5k in a country of 320 million. It has no power and hasn't had for a long time.<p>Good that people quit but the KKK at this point is more of a media creation than a any kind of threat.