Final answer:
The killing of David Stephenson supports the concept of the Ku Klux Klan being a terrorist organization because it demonstrates the group's use of violence, including murder, to enforce its white supremacist ideology and intimidate its opponents.
Step-by-step explanation:
The way that John Stephens (albeit the student likely refers to David Stephenson) was killed - through the actions of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) - supports the idea that the Klan was a terrorist organization by demonstrating its use of violence, intimidation, and murder to achieve its goals. David Stephenson, an Indiana Klan leader, was convicted of second-degree murder in 1925, showcasing the extent of the Klan's willingness to enforce its ideologies through illegal and violent means. Historically, the Klan emphasized its intent to maintain white supremacy and often resorted to acts of political assassination, including the murder of a sitting U.S. congressman from Arkansas and three state congressmen from South Carolina to solidify its power and strike fear among minorities and those advocating for their rights. These tactics distinctly align with the characteristics of a terrorist organization, which is defined by the use of violent acts to create fear and achieve political or ideological objectives. Despite the KKK's initial guise as a fraternal organization, it swiftly devolved into a group that used terror as its primary instrument for maintaining racial hierarchy.