“ [...] the Ku Klux Klan had branches in nearly every southern state” (history.com). The KKK seemed to be everywhere in the south causing cognitive dissonance because the klan was the majority and if you weren't part of the klan you were another. “Doctors, lawyers and ministers have become loyal supporters of the KKK” (pbs.org). “[...] included mayors, judges and sheriffs [...]” (pbs.com). Many people in the South were klan members and many people in law enforcement, such as police, lawyers, etc., were part of the klan. People in the South who were not in the klan felt cognitive dissonance because the majority of the population, including law enforcement, were in the klan. To get rid of their cognitive dissonance, they change their behavior, for example by going to a meeting or looking into the klan. The fact that non-members did these actions led their thoughts to think that the klan wasn't that bad. Because the authority figures were members, people felt unsafe if they were members