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Autobiography of a Recovering Skinhead
About Me
- Frank Meeink
- The Autobiography of a Recovering Skinhead is Frank's raw telling of his descent into America’s Nazi underground and his ultimate triumph over hatred and addiction. The live lecture of Frank ’s downfall and redemption has the power to open hearts and change lives. Frank’s violent childhood in South Philadelphia primed him to hate. He made easy prey for a small group of skinhead gang recruiters led by his older cousin. At fourteen, he shaved his head. By sixteen, Frank was a skinhead gang leader on the East Coast. By eighteen, he was doing hard time in an Illinois prison. Behind bars, Frank began to question his hatred, thanks in large part to his African-American teammates on a prison football league. Shortly after being paroled, Frank defected from the white supremacy movement. The Oklahoma City bombing inspired him to try to stop the hatred he once had felt. He began speaking on behalf of the Anti-Defamation League and appeared on MTV and other national networks in his efforts to stop the hate.
Yes, Frank. The Tea Party has missed the boat. The leaders (Palin, etc) are suspect,ie I don't believe that they believe all the retoric they generate BUT they know it's popular and it will get them votes.
ReplyDeleteMany people in the US are xenophopic and feel that people "different from me" are responsible for the unwanted changes they are experiencing in their lives.
The Tea Party people want us to go back to a time that is gone forever. The reality is that globalization is here to stay, captialism as we knew it has to (and is going to) change, and finally the US must be a cooperating member of the international community.
First of all, just wanted to say that I just read the book and was totally blown away. I experienced a lot of similar things growing up, though on a much smaller scale. "Overcoming hatred" is a nice concept, but along with that is an inspiring story of growth, reflection and maturity. It takes a strong person to strive for those things. It is nice to know that the kids you work with have at least one good roll model in their lives.
ReplyDeleteAs for the teabaggers...whew...yeah there's a lot of craziness there huh? Some of them really are hateful people. Some of them are just confused and misinformed. Even with the few that are able to communicate somewhat intelligently, even with them there seems to be a lot of negativity, and that almost never ends up being constructive.
Anyway, I think this blog is a great idea. I think you have a really unique and interesting voice, and your blog would surely get a wide readership if you decide to keep it going! I hope things are going well for you on the never ending path of growth and learning that we're all on.
Hi, people attending the Tea Parties are defenders of the Constitution. We are for limited government. The United States is a Representative Republic and was not designed to be socialist. Slowly by slowly the progressive movement has been shifting our country closer and closer to Communism. The Tea Party attenders are normal, every day people. They are mothers, fathers, retired veterans, active duty military, students, and anyone else who believe in Conservative values. This is not about the Republican Party or the Democratic Party. This is about a Conservative Movement that is truly worried about our country, our children, and how the government is becoming more and more intrusive into our lives. We're over taxed with little representation. We're peaceful, loving people who give to society in big ways. We beileve in freedom but we also believe in working hard to achieve our dreams. We believe in helping others by giving. Here's a little known fact, charity gives more to people in need than the federal government could ever dream to give. When people are allowed to their own money big dreams can be achieved, businesses grow and flourish, giving to charity increases, jobs are created. We don't want to be a society of serfs and our government the nobles. We believe in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We love God and our rights come from God not from Government. We're not crazy,out of touch, racist, misinformed or hateful. Those are the words the media wants you to believe. I'm very proud to attend a Tea Party and I don't define myself as a Tea Bagger. The term is so limiting. I'm a defender of truth and freedom.
ReplyDeleteYes, Frank. I agree.
ReplyDeleteWhat I am most puzzled about is why the Tea Party members silently stood by while President Bush implemented one of the biggest and costliest changes to one of our SOCIAL WELFARE PROGRAMS, The Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, at an estimated cost to the U.S. of $549 billion. In comparison to Obama's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, according to the Congressional Budget Office, this legislation will reduce the deficit by $138 billion over the first decade and by $1.2 trillion in the second decade, as compared to current legislation.
These same Tea Party members also obviously didn't pay attention while Bush took a U.S. federal budget surplus of at least $230 billion and turned it into a deficit of $438 billion, a total of $668 billion. And it is estimated that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will cost $752 billion, which is not funded through the regular appropriations process. Not including the spending of the $230 billion surplus, his accumulative cost to the U.S. during his administration totaled almost $1.2 trillion.
Office of Management & Budget Director Peter Orszag stated in November 2009 that of the $9 trillion in deficits forecast for the 2010-2019 period, $5 trillion are due to programs from the prior administration (Bush), including tax cuts from 2001 and 2003 and the unfunded Medicare Part D. Another $3.5 trillion are due to the financial crisis, including reductions in future tax revenues and additional spending for the social safety net such as unemployment benefits.
If anyone can explain these idiosyncrasies in the thinking of the Tea Party in rational terms, then I might take their philosophies a little more seriously.
In this respect, there is something more insidious going on below the surface of the Tea Party than most people realize.
Just because you attend a Tea Party does not mean you support moderate Presidents. This is not about defending Republicans, this is about defending the Constitution and over spending. Today's Republican is like yesterdays Democrat and today's Democrat is sliding more and more socialist. That's how it works if you want to destroy a system of government, slow incremental steps.
ReplyDeleteI have attended a Tea Party. I noticed no intimidating or coercive behavior. Everyone seemed well behaved and polite. The event was held on private property and misbehavior was not tolerated.
ReplyDeleteThe people at the event proceeded to an adjacent highway for sign and flag waving form of protest. Not effort was made to censor or control the content of signs.
Most of the passing traffic seemed to be supportive of the effort and message. Most of the signs repudiated high taxation or tyrannical government.
Why dont you actually attend a TP meeting BEFORE yall make up your minds. You might be suprised to see it is not what you see on MSNBC and CNN. There are people there of all races,religeons, and other affiliations the main stream media does not show you. Come in person then make up your mind. That is what open-minded people do.
ReplyDeleteWeather it takes a "Tea Party" or some other Party I agree that something must continue to be done to defend this country's constitution. Once we allow the government to take a right away from us it's pretty much gone forever! If we allow the powers that be to take the constitution away from us it too will be gone forever and I for one DO NOT want that to happen. Those far left individuals are consiously trying to abolish the constitution, some on the right are trying to do the same,(George Bush and the Patriot Act) is a fine expamle of the right pulling constituional rights away from us. The Government must be stopped!
ReplyDeletePlease for the love of whatever God you believe in, Protect the Constitution and aim for Limited government, less spending and we will all live in a better place...
Frank,
ReplyDeleteYes I agree with you. I am responding to the above comment from Fran regarding defenders of the constitution. the majority of the Tea Party is made up of women, men, etc.. however they are white. I do not see people of color or ethnicity at these events. What I find most troubling about these comments from Pro Tea Party people in the news, blogs etc. is that these same people who are in the Tea Party complain that the country is becoming socialist or communist which ofcourse is ridiculous and that the government is infringing on their constitutional rights, sat quietly by while the previous Bush administration took over and took our freedoms away from us, and when we meaning Americans disagreed with Bush and Cheyney we were labeled anti american or god forbid a liberal. It was the biggest government take over and control over individual rights and freedoms in the history of this country. Honestly the only thing I can contribute it to is that these people (Tea Party) are extremely angry that they have a Black President. So Yes I am in full agreement. The Tea Party wants to set us back to the 40's, segregation, anti-semitism etc....
It's an interesting point, but the brownshirts were organized specifically to break strikes. They were a violent movement from the get. The Tea Party isn't violent, and its difficult for me to picture circumstances under which they would become violent. Remember, they are bankrolled by business interests.
ReplyDeleteAnd, no offense TP'ers, but y'all would need to get in much better shape. I walked through the April 1 rally at Love Park in Philly and all I saw was a bunch of chubby old dudes who like to dress up as Ben Franklin.
Regarding propaganda and a distinctly biased misrepresentation of society, I agree. In terms of violence, perhaps not. But the brown shirts (nur Scheisse ist Braun) and the Nazi party were primarily a conservative backlash against the liberalism of the Weimar Republic, communism, and reparations. Regarding Weimar in particular, the outrage was against Jazz music, whiskey, and women showing their ankles. In this aspect, the brown shirts were simply moralistic conservatives, misled into believing that xenophobia was the appropriate response to the beginnings of a global society. I do not, in this regard, see a fundamental difference in the actions of the Tea party, or rather the neo-conservative arm of the republican party.
ReplyDelete