Issue 1
…from the editor
Life After Hate. Indeed there is. 20 years ago, I would have cursed the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on his birthday, as I was wholly convinced that his message of peace and brotherhood threatened the future of my race.
Lena, Love, Loss & Laos
I met her on the playground in the 2nd grade. Lena was shorter than me with luminous skin the color of mahogany, wide, almond shaped chocolate eyes, the cutest little nose with a bridge that barely rose above her cheekbones, and impossibly glossy, straight black hair. There was no one like her in my little [...]
Let the Song You Sing Be One That Embraces, Not Disgraces, Humanity
The April 2008 issue of Alternative Press magazine, which hit the streets on March 7, 2008 featured an Op/Ed piece written by me. After many years of leaving behind a life I no longer associate with, I felt it was necessary to make it known to all what my past entailed, how it affected me, and how proud I am of the man I am today.
Of Sisters and Saboteurs
“How did you hurt yourself, honey?” she asked with a concern that would have been touching and tender had I not been smart enough to see the thinly veiled, insulting trap.
dolor
(chapter 1 of 11 in “My Life After Hate”) Human beings will never be free from pain, nor should we ever be. Pain is an invaluable teacher as well as a builder of character and vehicle of spiritual growth. But not all pain is necessary, or necessarily constructive. We, as human beings face a choice: [...]
why
(chapter 2 of 11 in “My Life After Hate”) Why Life After Hate? To help people learn to set aside their prejudices and get to know each other. Being a bigger guy with a lot of tattoos, I face more prejudice than most white people do. I realize that I’m a bit of an eyesore, [...]
Riverwest interview
(chapter 3 of 11 in “My Life After Hate”) In the beautiful late summer of 2008, a friend introduced me to a sociology PhD candidate who was working on her dissertation about Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood. Sandwiched between the perpetually fashionable East Side and the severely depressed North Side, Riverwest was the setting for my descent [...]
how
(chapter 4 of 11 in “My Life After Hate”) It’s going to be very hard to understand that everything made sense to me back then. It all made sense as it was happening—for the most part I guess. But what about the nice old black lady at McDonald’s who asked about the swastika tattoo on [...]
The United Nations, the MDGs, and Me
On September 8, 9, and 10, 2004 I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the 57th Annual DPI/NGO conference at the United Nations in New York City. The theme of the conference was based upon the mantra, Millennium Development Goals: Civil Society Takes Action. Initially, the thought of being a part of the conference was intimidating; however, once the initial nervousness subsided I was certainly glad that I was a part of this unforgettable conference. The following account aptly describes what I felt as I approached the goliath known as the United Nations, on the morning of September 8th, 2004.
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
