In a world where accused KKK members are not allowed legal representation, the mere (unsubstantiated) accusation of being a ideological member of such a group becomes a weapon to end all discussion and silence the out group.

Applying mob rules (as seen on Twitter and other social media) to the legal world is most certainly a step backwards from a civil liberties perspective.

If only that were true, because pretty much everyone accused of being a bigot seems to still possess the ability and willingness to spout hatred and bigotry all over the TV, Internet, and the halls of Congress. Having your Twitter privileges taken away from you - if that happens to you at all - is hardly the end of the matter.

We are not yet in a society where such people are denied legal representation, so I'm not sure what bearing that such people still existing has on such a hypothetical world?

If you are saying that there still exists a number of actual racists acting racistly on social media, I would agree, but a not-insignificant number of them have been banned!

Social media isn’t the only place to get your message across. And even if a few have been banned, there’s an infinite number of copycats who share their views and who haven’t been deterred from expressing themselves.

Yeah, the American right is definitely silenced in today's media landscape. I can think of dozens of people banned from every appearing on Fox News becasue they were accused of racism.

> The internet revealed that facts are real, but interpretations are extremely up for grabs. I mean is is really a “hard left turn” to stop defending the KKK

Speaking of strawmen...

It is a hard turn to stop defending everybody's rights though. Where everybody includes the entire spectrum from Robert Byrd to Mother Teresa.

> or is the author just living in a world where people don’t grasp how truly outside of contemporary society that the KKK operates in?

Speaking from authority as a KKK member, what I have seen of the contemporary society that the KKK operates in is that there appears to perhaps be a tiny core group of people who voluntarily become KKK members. These people are largely viewed as sideshow freaks and circus clowns who (aside from perhaps Gov. Ralph Northam? /s) have basically zero power as a group . And then you have the other far larger cohort of us who have been unwittingly "volunteered" KKK membership by various "experts" who don't like our opinions but are otherwise incapable of rational discussion of them.

It's a great system. First you make some group so abhorrent that their rights should not be defended. Then crown yourself the sole expert and arbiter of who does and does not belong to that group. The best part about it is that you get to be the one defending the marginalized from bullies and discrimination, and defending human rights and democracy from fascists.

> Speaking from authority as a KKK member, I ...

Wait, what? Are you serious? If so, that's quite an admission to make openly.

Or did I read your comment incorrectly?

I think you missed this part:

> And then you have the other far larger cohort of us who have been unwittingly "volunteered" KKK membership by various "experts" who don't like our opinions but are otherwise incapable of rational discussion of them.

The KKK / Nazis don't deserve any rights! Also, coincidentally, every single person who disagrees with me is a KKK Nazi white supremacist.

Ok straw man.