Secular Culture While religious events did push the Confederate ideal, secular cultural mediums also were quite effective. The movie Birth of a Nation was another major move by the South in creating the Lost Cause Myth. D. W. Griffith, the director of the film, glorified the combat roles of both sides but clearly characterized the start of the war as the actions of extreme abolitionists. He also characterized Reconstructions as blacks and radicals taking over Southern legislation and leadership. The final nail in the coffin was the characterization of the KKK. At the end of the film, they were shown saving a woman from rape by the hands of an African American. A Birth of a Nation was an instant success, and viewers from all over the country flocked to see it. This film marked the rejuvenation of the KKK and ended the period of reconciliation between the Veterans. Communal gatherings and combined monuments are a thing of the past, as polarization continues to increase (Janney). Gender power structure Some women wanted to get involved with the KKK and similar groups, but the reality of the gender landscape at the time did not allow for that. Some women discouraged their husbands from attending the Klan raids