Burning Cross - Ref

Posted by Jim on November 13, 2001

In Reply to: Burning Cross posted by R. Berg on November 11, 2001

: : A burning cross is a popular icon used by the Klu Klux Klan and random, freelancing bigots for both ceremony and as a warning to potential victims. I read that Scottish clans once used a burning cross to summon clan members to battle. Is there any connection between the ancient and contempory use of a burning cross as an icon of or summons to action?

: Such a connection has been claimed: apparently the man who introduced cross-burning into the KKK cited the Scottish custom as a precedent. See link below for more.

::Thanks for the Supreme Court tip. Also found a website called "The Straight Dope" www.StraightDope.com/ classics/a4_196.html that explains how a burning cross was adopted from the Scottish custom by the Ku Klux Klan and used as "brand identification".

• Burning Cross ESC 11/14/01