Editor’s note: this post was written by Sean Dolan of Chicago. We will be linking it on Sean’s articles and dossiers and we congratulate him on leaving the white power behind. We are always overjoyed when people leave the white nationalist movement and do our best to support them staying out. We are happy to share resources, connections, and support when nazis are ready to leave the hate behind. Email us for more info.
I was once a neo-Nazi and member of a white supremacist group called Anti-Antifa Chicago.
I grew up on the North side of Chicago my whole life. I even spent time in the Illinois prison system for 4 years due to all my terrible mistakes. To this day I’m still trying to make up for some of them. Being poor, down, and broken lead me to make some terrible mistakes, one of them joining the white power skinhead scene. As I have had some time to sit and think, I realize I was used and abused and just plain lied to.
I grew up a punk rocker. I used to go to shows hang out with friends then I became a skinhead. Since then, I never felt at home anywhere else. When I met Jon Argumedo, I made the mistake that cost me many meaningful relationships and just overall problems. Jon was a good manipulator and sadly completely brainwashed with white power beliefs. He’s no different than a gang member with his mentality and actions of him. It was hard and frightening to finally step away from him and Anti-Antifa Chicago.
Through my girlfriend, I’ve meet some great people from the Chicago Trans community. They helped me and guided me through my journey leaving racism and white supremacy. They helped me realize that there is a better world as long as we have love.
To everyone in Chicago and beyond, I wholeheartedly apologize for being a neo-nazi skinhead and my participation in Anti-Antifa Chicago.
I’m sorry that I have pushed away everyone who cared about me and tried to warn me.
I’m sorry for anyone who I have hurt and offended, I’m willing to make it better.
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Editors notes: CAFA received feedback expressing disbelief and mistrust as well as some intense questions of our motives for posting statements from white nationalists who choose to de-radicalize and leave the hate movement. We understand that these situations dwell in the gray areas of antifascism. These ideas are complex and dynamic, and the nuance of supporting formers can be difficult to understand. We get it and we want to be clear: we support fascists departing the white power movement. We will help them disentangle and work to rebuild their lives, to the best of our abilities. Our intent is simple: we want less fascists organizing and building power. And we are not alone. Watch the 2020 Power Report # 13 interview by Dan From The Internet (more info here ) with Spencer Sunshine , author of 40 Ways to Fight Fascists: Street-Legal Tactics for Community Activists . The exchange solidly encapsulates our values with regard to deradicalization, goals, outcomes, and some suggested frameworks and cautions for the community’s potential roles.
Get deradicalization support or s hare info about white nationalists anonymously!
Reach out to AntiFascistChicago @ riseup.net
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