The open-world western video game Red Dead Redemption 2 has been a phenomenal success. The highly anticipated sequel earned $725 million worldwide on opening weekend, the single biggest opening weekend in the history of entertainment. If y0u haven't had time to play the game, and become so addicted to it that you lose your job, alienate your family, and forget to bathe, it is essentially Grand Theft Auto with horses instead of cars.
Red Dead Redemption 2 takes place in 1899, but contains one enticing anachronistic feature: You can kill Ku Klux Klan members with impunity. Following the end of the Civil War, in which President Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves, the first incarnation of the KKK flourished in the American South. Over the years, there have been three incarnations of the repulsive organization, each fighting for the same thing: white supremacy, white nationalism and the "purification" (i.e. whitening) of American society. Historically, they committed horrific acts of terrorism and violence to further their cause. The Klan wasn't officially founded until 1915, with its second incarnation, but Rockstar still decided to include the cross-burning racist cowards, hiding behind bedsheets and pointy white hoods.
Red Dead Redemption 2 features three different KKK-related encounters, usually spawning in the wilderness, because society has no tolerance for their idiotic bigotry. In one scenario, the Klan initiates a new member. In a second scenario, Klan members get into an argument, because so few people turned up for an event. And in a third scenario, a few Klan members struggle to set up a cross to burn, accidentally dropping it on themselves (which is pretty hilarious). Players can watch each scene, then then take cathartic action, killing every Klan member, without any loss of honor.
In case you're lost, Red Dead Redemption is an exploratory game where players' moral decisions have consequences. If you kill someone unprompted, a bounty may be placed on your head in retaliation, and your stellar reputation may suffer. Game Rant describes the moral code as follows:
"While at first glance it may seem like Honor doesn’t affect much, it is actually ingrained in many parts of the game. When Arthur has high Honor, civilians will be more friendly to him in day-to-day activities in the massive open world. When accidentally startling them (perhaps by bumping them with a horse), they will be more open to dismissing the action as opposed to drawing down on Arthur or reporting it as a crime. Witnesses will be more open to accepting a bribe to turn a blind eye to some crime. Honor comes in several tiers, each coming with certain bonuses."
So, if you'd like to take revenge on pixels representing the worst people ever, go for it. But be warned, if you leave one fictional Klan member alive, you might get arrested for murder, which is such a hassle, so it's best to be thorough. And feel free to get creative and opt for sticks of dynamite instead of guns. In Red Dead Redemption, there's no redemption for the Klan.