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Walking the Walk
Racism cannot be overcome without understanding it’s history and everyday impact on our lives. If that history is not actively and universally condemned—it will continue to be repeated, and the negative impact on today will be magnified. We must all universally condemn racism ourselves before we can ask others to.
Seven, Thanks to You!
Another month has been spent, living, learning, laughing, lollygagging and here we are. Issue 7 has materialized and I’m amazed, as usual, at just what a group of passionate individuals can put together when they decide to join forces. From last month to this month, that has been the lesson. That when you have a [...]
Parents, Don't Let Your Children Fight Violence with Violence
My good friend posted a link to an article that was published on JS Online last week and urged me to read it. It was about Hmong and gang violence. My initial reaction after reading the article in its entirety was disappointment because I am not a proponent of any type of violence for any [...]
¡Bienvenidos a la Vida despues de odio: numero cinco!
In the past 30 days, we’ve celebrated Earth Day and then Mother’s Day. Both holidays pay homage to the being who brought us into being, and both have interesting stories of how they were brought about. Earth Day was founded by Environmentalist and Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970. Since then, Earth-conscious people worldwide have [...]
Will Fellows: Shall Not Be Recognized co-creator
“I view some of what’s going on in the political arena, this roller-coaster going back and forth, as just a natural process of cultural change happening. It’s not all going to happen in a neat all-at-once kind of way. It’s going to go this way and then that way and forward and backward, and then lurch left and right.”
A Forgotten Dream
Elizabeth Broton Rodriguez packed a few belongings for her and her young son Elian. She hoped that she would be able to get the things they needed when they reached their destination. She was so scared. Her heart was pounding in her chest and her hands were sweaty. She was careful not to let her [...]
Life After Hate: 4th issue!
It’s Issue 4, Life After Hate readers! As Arno, all of our contributors and I have crafted each issue, it’s been interesting to see how the gestalt of each month’s cumulative work has a particular personality. Some issues come out very extroverted, celebratory and community-oriented. Some issues come out very serious and brave and confront [...]
boundaries of relationships
In my poetry I play with the boundaries of relationships and try to turn identity labels on their heads. I believe that our prejudices stem from our families of origin and reveal themselves as weeds in subtle and not-so-subtle ways in our various relationships. Parenthood caused me to recognize some prejudices that I didn’t realize [...]
war, peace, and BHG
(chapter 11 of 11 in “My Life After Hate”) Months past the anniversary of Barack Obama’s inauguration, I’m chagrined to admit a significant sense of disappointment. It’s easy to look back on the idealism that motivated me during the campaign and feel foolish for ever believing that a Democratic majority controlling the government would produce [...]
Shall Not Be Recognized
“Richard was the light and love of my life. He always, always encouraged me. Every problem that came up, he was there for me. He provided such balance for me and he was so protective of me and I of him. I was always afraid I would die first and that he wouldn’t get my [...]
Sammy Rangel “FOURBEARS: Myths of Forgiveness”
FourBears: The Myth of Forgiveness: isn't a simple memoir; it is a graphically illustrated guide from tortured child, to remorseless beast, to healing and change. This book is about helping others find their way out of their history and into the here and now. Proof that what once held you down can now hold you up. After the book reflects on a horrific upbringing it looks to offer key and ground breaking insights of the inner workings of the mind of a victim and later a perpetrator of hate and violence. Service providers working in treatment centers and institutional settings would greatly benefit from this work. Anyone facing issues with forgiveness and change might find a process toward healing and recovery.
Recommended Reading
Frank Meeink—Autobiography of a Recovering Skinhead
TJ Leyden—Skinhead Confessions
Arno Michaels—My Life After HateMusic
Wizard Fingaz & Soul Sathe embarked on a collaborative project known as Tribal Sorcery · deep conscious hip-hop
