2008 Woodie Awards
Former skinhead works to eliminate hate
by Nicole Smith
Issue date: 2/14/08
Section: Campus News
White supremacy is rooted in the belief that "white" is the superior race.
Movements all around the country are based in this mentality and advocate for dominance of the white race, socially and politically. Neo-Nazism - also known as neo-National Socialism - is closely linked with white supremacy, and is based in beliefs that spawn from World War II Nazi ideology. Simply put, these movements are associated wih hate, prejudice, violence, discrimination, and often anti-Semitic and racist beliefs in a goal to dominate minorities.
"A white supremacist puts race first. Basically, it's the fact that everything that's white is right, and everything that's not is wrong," said Tom "TJ" Leyden, former white supremacist. "There are so many facets of the white supremacy movement, but basically when you boil down to it, that's the core of their beliefs in a nut-shell."
Leyden will discuss "Turning Away from Hate" 7 p.m. Monday in the CSU Ballroom. It is the main event for Eliminate Hate Day on campus. The event is free and open to students, staff and the public.
Leyden started a white supremacist "skinhead" group in Redlands, Calif. after his parents divorced at age 15. He later married a woman with similar beliefs and raised two sons. After 15 years as a leading white supremacist, Leyden traded in his hate-filled lifestyle for a life of love, diversity, and tolerance. Today he dedicates his life to confronting hate crimes, racism and anti-Semitism by social action, community involvement and education.
In his presentation, Leyden will discuss how he became part of the white supremacist movement, his involvement within the movement, new techniques they use for recruiting and how he got out.
"What's great about TJ is he had a revelation," said Jessica Flatequal, assistant director for the LGBT center. "This profound change of heart is incredibly rare. Leyden tells a unique personal story that sheds light on the true danger and overwhelming prevalence of this hate movement."
Leyden said Minneapolis is one of the most heavily active areas for the white supremacist movement.
"It is one of the hot-beds for white supremacy, with the National Socialist Movement(one of the largest neo-Nazi groups in the United States)and Hammerskin Nation," he said.
"Most people don't realize that not all racists are rednecks in pick-up trucks with baseball bats, there are highly-educated people who are adamantly racist, like doctors and lawyers," Leyden said. "It's everywhere. There are college professors that are racist and involved in some of the biggest white supremacist movements in the United States."
Leyden urges students to open their eyes to the truth behind the movement.
"If you're not white and racist, then you are a target," he said. "I attacked blacks, Hispanics, and Asians, but 90 percent of all my victims were white."
Their hate isn't limited by race though, it extents to religion, sexuality, ethnicity and beyond. There are also many women actively involved in the movement.
"Girls in this movement are almost as violent as the guys," Leyden said.
Leyden is the very first "skinhead" to ever leave the movement and voluntarily give up information to law enforcement. He has testified against former friends on trial for hate crimes and has spoken to more than 650,000 students about the hate movement and the crucial importance of diversity and tolerance.
He recently wrote the book Skinhead Confessions: From Hate to Hope, has worked on the governor's advisory panel in the state of California on hate crimes and was a featured speaker at the White House Conference of Hate.
Judy Shepard, the mother of Matthew Shepard - the victim of a fatal hate crime on the basis of sexual orientation - endorses Leyden on the Campuspeak website: "Mr. Leyden has now dedicated his life to confronting issues such as racism, anti-Semitism, and hate crimes through education, community involvement, and social action. He does so personally, dramatically, and with sincerity through his powerful presentation," Shepard said.
Eliminate Hate Day used to be Eliminate Hate week, but was narrowed to a single day to really focus on its purpose and hopefully make more of an impact on students. Leyden's presentation is sponsored by the LGBT center, IMPACT and the Institutional Diversity Office.
"What's interesting about Eliminate Hate is that although the LGBT center kind of takes the lead, it brings a lot of various communities together to talk about hate in a more broad sense about all people's rights," Flatequal said.
Nicole Smith is a Reporter staff writer
Movements all around the country are based in this mentality and advocate for dominance of the white race, socially and politically. Neo-Nazism - also known as neo-National Socialism - is closely linked with white supremacy, and is based in beliefs that spawn from World War II Nazi ideology. Simply put, these movements are associated wih hate, prejudice, violence, discrimination, and often anti-Semitic and racist beliefs in a goal to dominate minorities.
"A white supremacist puts race first. Basically, it's the fact that everything that's white is right, and everything that's not is wrong," said Tom "TJ" Leyden, former white supremacist. "There are so many facets of the white supremacy movement, but basically when you boil down to it, that's the core of their beliefs in a nut-shell."
Leyden will discuss "Turning Away from Hate" 7 p.m. Monday in the CSU Ballroom. It is the main event for Eliminate Hate Day on campus. The event is free and open to students, staff and the public.
Leyden started a white supremacist "skinhead" group in Redlands, Calif. after his parents divorced at age 15. He later married a woman with similar beliefs and raised two sons. After 15 years as a leading white supremacist, Leyden traded in his hate-filled lifestyle for a life of love, diversity, and tolerance. Today he dedicates his life to confronting hate crimes, racism and anti-Semitism by social action, community involvement and education.
In his presentation, Leyden will discuss how he became part of the white supremacist movement, his involvement within the movement, new techniques they use for recruiting and how he got out.
"What's great about TJ is he had a revelation," said Jessica Flatequal, assistant director for the LGBT center. "This profound change of heart is incredibly rare. Leyden tells a unique personal story that sheds light on the true danger and overwhelming prevalence of this hate movement."
Leyden said Minneapolis is one of the most heavily active areas for the white supremacist movement.
"It is one of the hot-beds for white supremacy, with the National Socialist Movement(one of the largest neo-Nazi groups in the United States)and Hammerskin Nation," he said.
"Most people don't realize that not all racists are rednecks in pick-up trucks with baseball bats, there are highly-educated people who are adamantly racist, like doctors and lawyers," Leyden said. "It's everywhere. There are college professors that are racist and involved in some of the biggest white supremacist movements in the United States."
Leyden urges students to open their eyes to the truth behind the movement.
"If you're not white and racist, then you are a target," he said. "I attacked blacks, Hispanics, and Asians, but 90 percent of all my victims were white."
Their hate isn't limited by race though, it extents to religion, sexuality, ethnicity and beyond. There are also many women actively involved in the movement.
"Girls in this movement are almost as violent as the guys," Leyden said.
Leyden is the very first "skinhead" to ever leave the movement and voluntarily give up information to law enforcement. He has testified against former friends on trial for hate crimes and has spoken to more than 650,000 students about the hate movement and the crucial importance of diversity and tolerance.
He recently wrote the book Skinhead Confessions: From Hate to Hope, has worked on the governor's advisory panel in the state of California on hate crimes and was a featured speaker at the White House Conference of Hate.
Judy Shepard, the mother of Matthew Shepard - the victim of a fatal hate crime on the basis of sexual orientation - endorses Leyden on the Campuspeak website: "Mr. Leyden has now dedicated his life to confronting issues such as racism, anti-Semitism, and hate crimes through education, community involvement, and social action. He does so personally, dramatically, and with sincerity through his powerful presentation," Shepard said.
Eliminate Hate Day used to be Eliminate Hate week, but was narrowed to a single day to really focus on its purpose and hopefully make more of an impact on students. Leyden's presentation is sponsored by the LGBT center, IMPACT and the Institutional Diversity Office.
"What's interesting about Eliminate Hate is that although the LGBT center kind of takes the lead, it brings a lot of various communities together to talk about hate in a more broad sense about all people's rights," Flatequal said.
Nicole Smith is a Reporter staff writer
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