Epic Fail: Mistaking groups

April 12 2016 Church Pop

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It’s normally beautiful sight to see someone who is living the consecrated life to be out and about in public with their habit. 

But, recently, on the campus of the University of Indiana, it was a cause for serious panic. On April 4th, 2016, a frightened student posted on Twitter that he had spotted member of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) walking around campus with some sort of weapon in his hands.

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An email was even sent out to students by a resident assistant warning them of the threat, but saying that nothing could be done since wearing a KKK uniform is protected by the First Amendment. 

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Notice he believed that the person was carrying a whip. Of course, this was just one big misunderstanding: The person wasn’t a member of the KKK but a Dominican priest; and he wasn’t carrying a whip but a rosary.

How does something like this happen? Is all of this a result of poor education, the small number of habited members of religious orders – or both?
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A reason would be the secularization of Western society and the lack of familiarity with religious dress.

Of course, as Western society is very politicized, some will be aware that the KKK (Ku Klux Klan) exists, even while, by some in this case, a lack of focused reasoning (perhaps a little research would help?) means the KKK uniform is confused with that of a Dominican priest.

April 13 2017: BBC This white hood carries many meanings

(I am not going to post the photo on my website, but please check the link. I do not want my website potentially blacklisted by persons that make hasty conclusions)

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Captured during a parade celebrating Holy Week (which precedes Easter Sunday in the Christian calendar), the photos chronicle the procession of la Borriquita brotherhood, whose members (or ‘penitents’) hide their identities with pointy hooded hats (or ‘capirotes’) in a ritual that dates back at least as far as the Inquisition. Historically, the capirote was intended as a mark of humiliation and was worn by those publicly punished by Church officials for doctrinal violations. In time, the cap was adopted by Catholic brotherhoods as a voluntary guise for their flagellants (those flogging themselves as penance for their sins).