Back in December, when The Daily Show’s Trevor Noah had conservative host Tomi Lahren on to debate, a whole lot of folks wondered what the point was. “It seems fruitless to some,” said Noah later, but “the alternative is to stay in those bubbles that you talk about, so why not have a conversation?” Exemplifying this same attitude, career musician Daryl Davis has made it his life’s mission to build bridges by befriending KKK members—and who, since 1990, has collected tons of Klan memorabilia, including 20-odd Klan robes and hoods.
See, befriending Davis, a Black man, has shaken some of them—including former imperial wizard Roger Kelly and former grand dragon/gubernatorial candidate Scott Shepherd—to the point that they’ve left and renounced the movement. Davis believes that the key to resolving this nation’s original sin lies in listening, civility, and understanding. “Always keep the lines of communication open with your adversaries,” says Davis, lecturing at UC Irvine.