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Activist Son of Key Racist Leader Renounces White Nationalism
Derek Black, son of the former Alabama Klan leader who now runs the largest racist Web forum in the world, has renounced white nationalism, saying that he has been through “a gradual awakening process” and apologizing for his past activism.
In an E-mail (pdf) to the editor of this blog earlier this week, Black, 24, wrote that he had come to see the arguments of white nationalism as “principally flawed,” adding that he had realized that American society is marked by an “overwhelming disparity between white power and that of everyone else” and that white nationalism was really about “an entrenched desire to preserve white power at the expense of others.”
“Advocating for white nationalism means that we are opposed to minority attempts to elevate themselves to a position equal to our own,” wrote Black, who recently finished his third year at the elite New College of Florida. “It is an advocacy that I cannot support, having grown past my bubble, talked to the people I affected, read more widely, and realized the necessary impact my actions had on people I never wanted to harm.”
It was a remarkable statement for Black, whose father, Don Black, once served time in prison for plotting a racist invasion of a small Caribbean nation and founded and still runs Stormfront, a white supremacist Web forum. The younger Black was raised in the racist movement, had by age 12 created a racist children’s page on his father’s website, and until recently hosted a radio show featuring racist guests.
But it was also the latest step in a fairly clear evolution.
Last November, Derek Black posted a statement on a students-only forum at his college in which he explicitly said he was not a white supremacist, a neo-Nazi or a Klansman, and revealing that he had some unexpected views, such as support for same-sex marriage, environmental regulation, and legal abortion. But he also said in the statement, which was made public on this blog in December, that he was not renouncing white nationalism and did not see it as incompatible with his other views.
In his E-mail this week, Black said that he was already moving away from white nationalism at the time, but that “I was not prepared to risk driving any wedge” into his relationship with his family, “whom I respect greatly, particularly my father.” But, he added, “After a great deal of thought since then, I have resolved that it is in the best interests of everyone involved, directly or indirectly, to be honest about my slow but steady disaffiliation from white nationalism.” He described himself as having spent “the past few years … disentangling myself from white nationalism,” and added that he had closed down his radio show permanently this January. He said that he had not posted at all on Stormfront this year, and only once in 2012. He said he did attend a Stormfront conference in 2012, but would not do so again this year.
Black also directly confronted some of the main arguments of white nationalism, such as the idea that whites are being victimized by non-white immigration, mixed-race marriages and affirmative action — what amounts, in the arguments of white nationalists, to “genocide” aimed at destroying the white race. He also ridiculed many white nationalists’ “particularly bizarre” hatred of Jews.
“I now consider this belief system principally flawed,” he said. “Most arguments that racial equity programs disadvantage whites who would otherwise be hired or accepted to academic programs mask underlying anxieties about the growth of non-white social status. It is impossible to argue rationally that in our society, with its overwhelming disparity between white power and that of everyone else, racial equity programs intended to affect the deep-rooted situation represent oppression of whites.” Indeed, Black added, “The advancement of minorities in the US is not insignificant, but has not ended (let alone reversed) their circumstances.”
Black was explicitly apologetic. “I acknowledge that things I have said as well as my actions have been harmful to people of color, people of Jewish descent, activists striving for opportunity and fairness for all, and others affected.”
“I can’t support a movement that tells me I can’t be a friend to whomever I wish or that other people’s races requires me to think about them in a certain way or be suspicious of their advancements,” Black wrote toward the end of his four-page statement. “Minorities must have the ability to rise to positions of power, and many supposed ‘race’ issues are in fact issues of structural oppression, poor educational prospects, and limited opportunity. The differences I thought I observed didn’t go nearly as deeply as I imagined. I believe we can move beyond the sort of mind-boggling emphasis white nationalism puts on maintaining an oppressive, exclusive sense of identity — oppressive for others and stifling for our society.”
on July 17th, 2013 at 10:30 am
Good for him. White Nationalism and Racism make no sense.
on July 17th, 2013 at 10:49 am
Nice work, SPLC. I especially appreciate Derek’s heart-felt apology and his well-reasoned, articulate deconstruction of the twisted logic of so-called “white nationalism.”
Though Don and Chloe Black deserve nothing but scorn for indoctrinating their young son into their little family business, all it evidently took was for Derek to meet the people he was supposed to hate for him to reject the sick, sad little world he grew up in.
Welcome back to humanity, young man.
on July 17th, 2013 at 11:10 am
Stormfront is going to be turned into a interracial dating site
on July 17th, 2013 at 11:21 am
If true, I’ll shake his hand.
on July 17th, 2013 at 11:42 am
God bless his red head, and may the Florida sun go gently on his freckled hide.
on July 17th, 2013 at 12:15 pm
I wonder how the folks over at Stormfront will take (are taking) this. The fact that Don’s own kid jumped ship should make some of its members take notice.
on July 17th, 2013 at 12:32 pm
Congratulations to Derek for taking this step.
As I and others have pointed out on here, the reason why white nationalism is treated differently than black nationalism(which is in fact a small minority point of view which was ruthlessly harassed and stamped out by the government) is because “white” is a social construct bound up with oppression. White is not Irish, English, German, Polish, or whatever. It is the negation of those cultures and identities designed specifically to bind masses of people to their own exploiters and set them at odds with “non-whites” who are in fact their real brothers and sisters by class.
on July 17th, 2013 at 1:55 pm
Don, if you’re reading this, it’s never too late.
on July 17th, 2013 at 3:29 pm
Good for him. I’m sure this journey must have been difficult for him. But he is no doubt stronger for it. Personal transformation of this magnitude is rare. He should be proud.
on July 17th, 2013 at 3:58 pm
“I once was lost but now am found, Was blind, but now I see.”
- John Newton, former slave ship captain turned abolitionist
on July 17th, 2013 at 4:00 pm
If it’s not sincere, then he is smart enough to make it sound convincing. But I think it is sincere. Welcome, Derek, to a much wider world of potential friends and allies.
on July 17th, 2013 at 4:12 pm
Such a noble thing to renounce his backwards belief in racism.
on July 17th, 2013 at 4:20 pm
The kid is at a little known but elite university in Florida. I guess that post-secondary home schooling doesn’t fly. Some conservatives keep their children out of college by design.
on July 17th, 2013 at 4:21 pm
This man is demonstrating more intelligence and courage at his young age than most people do in a lifetime.
on July 17th, 2013 at 4:30 pm
I will second Ruslan on this. It is never too late and I would use the late Senator Robert Byrd as a stellar example.
on July 17th, 2013 at 4:59 pm
Good for him! This gives me hope in our younger generation. Young people are waking up everywhere!
on July 17th, 2013 at 5:23 pm
This is great news. I am not surprised that, based upon his well-stated and thoughtful comments, he is a person who does not accept that which he has been spoon-fed his whole life. IMHO, there are very few true intellectuals (but some, of course) involved in that movement. It seems that the few that are truly gifted with intelligence don’t stick around too long…thank God.
Of course there’s going to be a bit of skepticism for a while, but if he’s as sincere as he sounds, perhaps the SPLC could/should give him a platform to speak/write about the change. Guest blogger? Featured article? He may be able to provide some insight from the vantage point of someone raised from the get-go to hate. Other than the kids from “Prussian Blue,” it’s not too often that we’re presented with the opportunity to get such insight.
Come on, Don. It’s your turn. We all learn from our children and, particularly on the issue of race/racism, you’ve been given the perfect opportunity to learn a lot from your son.
As much as it pains me to say, and as much as I disagree with what Don does and what he stands for, I have to give him proper credit for helping raise a child that not only can think for himself, but one who also has the courage to do so.
on July 17th, 2013 at 5:38 pm
Derek actually graduated from New College this past May.
on July 17th, 2013 at 5:46 pm
New College is a remarkable place, and I’m glad to see his time there wasn’t wasted.
on July 17th, 2013 at 6:24 pm
Wow. He went to college, met people who looked different than he does and learned we are all basically the same. Good for him!
on July 17th, 2013 at 6:45 pm
Hooray! Welcome to the real world, Derek! SO PROUD OF YOU!
It is very hard for children of racists to leave the Movement when they are still relying on their parents for basic survival needs. You also need to keep in mind that these kids usually grow up in abusive homes and are conditioned to be afraid of the world outside of the Movement. Also, consider the mindset of the racist – especially the big name ones. Most are narcissists or sociopaths. Imagine growing up that way. Derek has come so far in conquering these demons. HaShem bless.
If only we could have gotten Joseph Hall :(
on July 17th, 2013 at 7:06 pm
Really happy for him. That wasn’t an easy journey or step to take. I hope other young white nationalists who got sucked into that ideology will be influenced to renounce race hatred too.
on July 17th, 2013 at 7:15 pm
Derek, welcome to the light. I greet you with open arms, a friend and brother in humankind.
on July 17th, 2013 at 7:39 pm
See, there is hope for everyone.
Sounds to me like the young man has taken some Sociology courses.
on July 17th, 2013 at 7:58 pm
Yes as long as his commitment is true. He is correct that the arguments are flawed and it’s really ridiculous watching racists in action.
Why in the world do we tolerate such ignorance to begin with?
Well good move and I hope others follow him in renouncing the stupid dogma they have been infected with.
on July 17th, 2013 at 9:39 pm
Oh my goodness…..this is simply awesome news.
It must have been quite the change for him…..being the son of a Klan leader and all. But changed, he has, and I hope that he continues to better himself, and others, thru this new journey he has undertaken.
Truly, this is an occasion to be happy, and thankful; the world is indeed moving on. =)
(P.S. Ruslan and Greg, indeed, it’s never too late to renounce racism and other forms of prejudice, and to turn over a new leaf.)
on July 17th, 2013 at 10:00 pm
It’s stories like this that give me hope. God bless the SPLC and people of goodwill!
on July 17th, 2013 at 10:04 pm
There are ways to be a nationalist, and a preserver of culture and tradition, without being an angry white nationalist.
These are worth pursuing.
The anger and other emotional reactions are not.
on July 17th, 2013 at 11:08 pm
This is extremely encouraging. I met Derek Black, on several occasions, while I worked for the FBI, and while with Willis Carto and William Pierce. This was between 1997 and about 2003. He was in the process of being thoroughly indoctrinated into the realm of racist hatred. I always thought that it was particularly tragic to see such an exceptionally bright kid being brainwashed, and I’m very glad that Derek has rejected such harmful ideology and ways. Congrats, Derek!
on July 17th, 2013 at 11:30 pm
This apology is very good news and beautifully stated by Derek. His conversion may serve as a witness to other racists to turn their life around. Seeking forgiveness out of love is a powerful antidote to hate.
I wish Derek the very best in his continual journey of awakening.
on July 18th, 2013 at 2:35 am
I’m a member of Stormfront. Now, before you get your collective panties in a twist, hear me out. I go to the same college as Derek (hard to swallow though that may be), and I know him personally, though not on a more intimate basis than acquaintances-nearing-friends. He was never aware of my white nationalist affiliation, though I knew of his. Simply put, this letter doesn’t sound like him, and it could very well be a prank pulled by one of the students here at school. There were multiple student forum threads about Derek at odd points, all of them nasty and filled with vicious hyperbole, and his mere presence at the school was enough to make the more, shall I say, rabid novocollegians’s blood boil. I wouldn’t put it past one of them to write this email, along with the pseudo-intellectual straw-man takedown of white nationalism.
But i could be wrong, in which case I can’t honestly blame Derek too much. He comes from a reviled family, and he may want to put some distance between himself and Don, so he won’t always be known as the son of a Klan member. White nationalism itself has its flaws, starting with a very fluid definition of itself; it means drastically different things to different people, many of whom are not savory individuals. Whatever the case I wish good luck to Derek, he’s an intelligent guy and a kind person, and deserves the best in life.
on July 18th, 2013 at 3:48 am
TBTG! Congrats, Derek!
on July 18th, 2013 at 5:01 am
Now if we can get the children of black nationalists to do the ame.
on July 18th, 2013 at 6:19 am
Don’t forget that both parents are racist, and his mother grew up relatively privileged in WPB through his mother (her father owned a car dealership), and she has friends in high places (the Fanjul sugar barons for whom she works). How did he get into an elite school anyway with his views? Connections?
Let’s see where he is in a few years before we “celebrate” this “conversion”. I do hope it takes, however.
Only time will tell.
on July 18th, 2013 at 7:32 am
How great to see this. if only there were more who would follow his route–to LEARN to think, to reflect. It can be done, but the task demands willingness, and wishing won’t make it so. Glad to see even one awakening in my eight decades of living in a frightening world, while working to be knowledgeable and pass it own. Thanks to young Black. How interesting, is name.
on July 18th, 2013 at 7:35 am
Throwing off the fetters of a dogmatic racist upbringing, this young man has the world before him. He is to be congratulated.
on July 18th, 2013 at 9:19 am
A college eju’ma’kation taught him a few things? Gee, what a dull surprised. This is the same thing that happened to that young woman (granddaughter) of the leader of the Westboro cult…she was sent to college at U of K. As some of you may recall, she left after “debating” a gay man on -line. Colleges teach “critical thinking”– the kiss of death to cult leaders!
These arrogant hypocritical cult leaders are all alike when it comes to their little darlings being educated by “elitist”. These leaders always seem to have gobs of $$ to send their little darlings off to the “best of the best” expecting them to return “groomed” and ready to use their education to promote (daddy and mommy) “world view”…
Our system of “open-to-the-public education” (federal or private) has always been THE answer to defeating multi-generational cult indoctrination. Cults (political/religious) have always been hell bent on destroying any and all education systems that are not under their control. They job is all about keeping followers isolated, superstitious, busy following orders and catering to their demanding whims; this has been going on since the 60′s.
Side-bar: Warren Jeff’s would have never allowed HIS cult families to do what they are currently doing if he were still around; the FLDS are now taking their kids back to town and enrolling them in public schools again. FLDS followers were “ordered” to remove their kids fro PS about 10 years ago…it was part of Jeff’s plan to “bleed the beast” of federal funding for local public schools located in his “territory”; the idea was to force PS to close for lack of funding based upon enrollment.
Another example of this kind hypocrisy is found int that cult “minster” who runs the “Quiverfull Movement”…his daughters would never be caught dead wearing “modest clothes/no make up” or “breeding” as order for his followers. Those women look like the “Fox and Friend” bimbos; they travel/ live in mansions all over the world instead slumming with the rest of cult “women folk” in some god-forsaken isolated cult pockets in US. Hypocrites!
on July 18th, 2013 at 9:39 am
Good for him. As others here have observed, time will tell whether his “awakening” lasts. Actions speak louder than words. But his letter does sound sincere, and the fact that he chose to write to SPLC (the long-time enemy of any racist!) says something.
on July 18th, 2013 at 10:57 am
I went to New College with Black and was always creeped out by him.
He needs to do a lot more to make up for his past, but this is a positive start.
Until white men are happy for white women in healthy sexual relationships with black, Jewish or Latino men, they will still be supporting a system that dehumanizes and limits us all.
on July 18th, 2013 at 2:12 pm
As a Native American woman, (Chiricahua Apache), it always interested me to see fat, balding, pink-faced men blathering on about “their” territory. How ironic.
I congratulate Mr. Black on his ability to think freely and the courage to speak out. May he find some peace in his newfound intellectual land.
on July 18th, 2013 at 3:16 pm
I just want to say how thankful I am to read this heart felt article. I am so proud of this young man. I hope more people white, black and of all races creeds and colors to stop the hate and realize that we are all one!. Thanks again to the SPLC. Brooklyn, NY
on July 18th, 2013 at 3:20 pm
It’s so good to see a comment from another Native American woman. I am Crow and Oglala Lakota and totally agree with Peggy Gooday.
God bless you Derek! Welcome to the light; you will be happier. A young man with your intelligence and guts make this a better world. May your tribe increase.
on July 18th, 2013 at 3:52 pm
This is a very encouraging and heartwarming story !
on July 18th, 2013 at 3:55 pm
@Peggy Gooday
You (and most here I presume) have greatly misunderstood the concept of white nationalism, it’s not about territories nor country but about our people, the white race and the possibility for future generations of white children to exist.
It’s our right to exist just like any other people of this planet.
on July 18th, 2013 at 4:07 pm
This young man is truly a deep and independent thinker. It is one of the most difficult transitions in adulthood – to oppose the teachings of the family that raised you. I applaud you and if you ever need to point to the support of an African American person, count me in. I expect you will have regrets and backslide on this, because it’s new territory, but your heart is in the right place. I am awestruck, by the way, at the literary quality of your statement — besides being societally positive, it’s damn good writing! He is going places.
on July 18th, 2013 at 4:16 pm
Given his history, I do not see how anyone can view him as having any credibility. I do not trust him, and I do not believe a word he says. As far as I’m concerned, his recent statement changes nothing – He is still as bad as his father and all those like them.
on July 18th, 2013 at 4:36 pm
Stormfront is slowly abandoning white nationalism, and slowly becoming a website that is against GMO foods, and members who want to protect the second Amendment, and similar things.
on July 18th, 2013 at 4:50 pm
Welcome back from the Dark Side. Those cookies weren’t really worth it, were they?
on July 18th, 2013 at 5:28 pm
It is very heartening when young people who have been raised to hate turn toward joining the larger human community. Welcome!
on July 18th, 2013 at 6:07 pm
This is great news and I applaud Derek for what he has done, it takes courage from a man with a father that is in the position he is. Derek Black I think it is great what you have done.
on July 18th, 2013 at 6:11 pm
People can and do change, I accept Blacks as true until he shows different. The true test will be his actions. I am a former racist and I apologize for what I said and did in the past. But I also took action in speaking out. I hope Derek will do the same
on July 18th, 2013 at 6:36 pm
Excuse me, Swede. It is the right of children to exist, notwithstanding their ancestry. Take the DNA scratch, I dare you.
on July 18th, 2013 at 6:38 pm
I can’t help but feel very impressed at the level of introspective depth someone needs to have, to go from once being virulently white nationalist and raised as such, to then developing empathy for non-whites and their struggle for equality. That requires incredible amounts of self-criticism and brutal honesty, that I don’t think most people have normally. We’re usually pretty self-absorbed and unwilling to accept much change, at least I am. I can’t help but feel that if I was that white kid, and raised by them, that I wouldn’t have wanted to put forth the intense effort required to question myself and all that I’ve been indoctrinated and brainwashed with, due to my own mental laziness. Unwilling to pin myself down outside my comfort zone and put my thoughts, beliefs and attitudes under painful scrutiny.
on July 18th, 2013 at 8:18 pm
Black Nationalism does not teach Black people to hate anyone. It teaches us to love ourselves and to see all Black people as members of a global community. Loving my people does not mean I hate anyone else’s.
on July 18th, 2013 at 11:37 pm
This is great. Now I hope that he parlays this into activism among WHITE people and not just a traveling dog and pony show to teach us people of color how much he’s changed.
I firmly believe that white people need to learn how not to be racist from white people.
on July 19th, 2013 at 2:58 am
“You (and most here I presume) have greatly misunderstood the concept of white nationalism, it’s not about territories nor country but about our people, the white race and the possibility for future generations of white children to exist.
It’s our right to exist just like any other people of this planet.”
“Whites” are not your people. If you are Swedish, you are Swedish, period. People whose phenotype matches what we call “white” exist all over the earth and are not going to disappear. If “white” phenotypes could evolve from non-white humans, there is no reason to believe that this collection of physical traits will disappear. “White” is not a country, not a culture, not a heritage. It’s a contrived identity created to enforce a certain exploitative relationship(in the American colonies) and it’s definition changed radically over time. People still quibble over it today on WN sites.
on July 19th, 2013 at 3:08 am
@Jamie
“White nationalism itself has its flaws, starting with a very fluid definition of itself; it means drastically different things to different people, many of whom are not savory individuals. Whatever the case I wish good luck to Derek, he’s an intelligent guy and a kind person, and deserves the best in life.”
Why do you think WN has so many unsavory people within it? I mean, if you point out all the unsavory white people to WNs they’ll typically give you some explanation that involves the Jews and MTV(because lots of people still watch MTV, am I right or what?) corrupting white youth, bla bla bla. This would imply that the WN movement, being against this, should contain the cream of the crop of white people. And yet…It doesn’t. It contains the worst of the worst. Con men, pedophiles, rapists, convicted felons, schizophrenic conspiracy theorists, religious nuts, and just plain stupid, ignorant people make up maybe 98% of the movement. Don’t even try to deny this; you have an account on Stormfront. I know you see this.
It seems to me that you’re probably young and somewhat new to the movement, and you’ve probably heard a few of the “intellectual” types explain to you about how they’re trying to build something more high-brow, trying to break with all the skinheads and militia nuts, or something along those lines. I know a young man who was told those same things years ago. He joined a self-proclaimed “elite” or “exclusive” organization but instead of finding these high-brow intellectuals he was immediately surrounded by skins, ex-cons, and of course, old creepy conspiracy nuts. But he believed what others had told him on the internet, and he suppressed his doubts by repeating the mantra that this was the “old” movement, on its way out. He thought he could change things from the inside.
Over the years he saw that things did not change. Never before in his life was he exposed and compelled to interact with so many people who were ex-cons, thugs, paranoid nuts, con men, or worse. He was supposed to give these people the benefit of the doubt and not question them because they were white, and they were “for the race.”
His story goes on but there was one point where he started to notice that the movement leaders didn’t really want critical thinking types like him, the kind they said they needed when he considered joining. In fact it seemed they wanted the opposite- the idiots, ignorant, the paranoid. Those people are more reliable and easier to dupe.
That young man left the movement and it was the best thing for him. I can only hope Derek will experience the same feeling of relief which was described to me.
on July 19th, 2013 at 9:24 am
At the risk of sounding overly cynical I’ll say this: Years of indoctrination & psycho-linguistic programming as a child are NOT easily wiped away. Perhaps this young man is ingratiating himself to the progressive movement for reasons other than stated. A mole maybe? A conduit for funneling classified information to his ultra right wing brothers? A leopard does not change his spots.
on July 19th, 2013 at 10:26 am
Peggy, Constance,
Camai.
Koniag/Yup’ik… well.. and some white…
:)
on July 19th, 2013 at 11:08 am
i hope he also plans on apologizing to all the students he made feel alienated and marginalized during his time at ncf.
renunciation is nice, but it doesn’t really change the way he made those people feel.
on July 19th, 2013 at 12:46 pm
To the doubters of Derek’s authenticity/sincerity: Maybe I’m naïve, but what he says rings true to me. Derek I hope you read these comments–don’t let those of us who believe in you down.
@Ruslan’s comments on July 19, WOW! Your first posting re phenotype, yes. In my University days, after a bioloby/genetics class I say, “It’s all in the phenotype!”, in regard to racism. Swede, read it and learn. Ruslan has provided you with an excellent tutorial.
Ruslan, your second posting had me entranced. I believe in redemption for anyone at any age. For the young you and Derek are examples. Good for you and keep up the good fight.
@MRJ–Shodaje
.
on July 19th, 2013 at 1:37 pm
“Kenn said,
ON JULY 18TH, 2013 AT 5:01 AM
Now if we can get the children of black nationalists to do the ame.”
Way to go Kenn. Your logic is insuring this journey of equality and tolerance will be a long one.
on July 19th, 2013 at 2:02 pm
In my most recent post I asked Derek to not let those of us who believe in him down.
More importantly, don’t let YOURSELF down, Derek.. Sounds like you are on the right road, what we Native Americans call the Red Road.
on July 19th, 2013 at 2:25 pm
Steve, maybe it’s time you turned off Alex Jones?
on July 19th, 2013 at 3:19 pm
I don’t see any sincerity at all , just a convenient change of heart that is nothing more then temporary until he finishes college.
And he says he still greatly respects his dad, and you call that a victory?
Now I think his new jewish friends could have done a better job of indoctrinating him to also slam his father.
FAIL.
on July 19th, 2013 at 4:22 pm
No Aron, I think it is you that needs to wake up and smell the coffee, Derek quite a little actor sounded equally sincere in conning posters at stormfront, he sounded VERY SINCERE to me, and such a sudden change? Little hard for any person to swallow, actually.
You have to examine his motives.
on July 19th, 2013 at 6:08 pm
Let’s give the guy a break here . . . I say this to those trying to evaluate his sincerity.
on July 19th, 2013 at 7:37 pm
Well, Albert, either you’re a frustrated white nationalist and cynic, or just a cynic, but I read Derek’s essay, too, and one thing I’m good at is analyzing writing…and I think what he wrote was fairly sincere.
Yes, it looks to me like Derek got some help in writing it, which is not a bad thing — all writing can benefit from editing — but I found it a moving description of a slow but steady rise from racism and ignorance and stepping up to a level of empathy and understanding of humanity and human beings.
What Derek did took immense personal courage, and I can understand him still “respecting” his father. Don Black may be a vicious hate-spewing racist to 99 percent of the world, but to Derek, he’s still “Dad,” and you are kind of required to “love” your family, even if you don’t necessary “like” them. A family is a club you are required to join without anybody asking if you wanted to or not. For him to feel otherwise would be less than human.
Derek’s rise from junior fascism doesn’t surprise me. He has been up close and personal with the harsh realities of the WN movement, such as it is, and as Ruslan Amirkhanov regularly and eloquently describes, filled with human waste — hardened criminals, con men, lunatics, fanatics, uneducated men, and overheated teenagers.
At the same time, it still took courage and depth of character — living in that WN environment, a youth might have few alternate role models and examples at hand as baselines to help him break from the self-contained hothouse. But on the other hand, youth often rebels against parents, if only to establish their own identity.
We have also seen other children of neo-Nazis break with their families — The “Prussian Blue” girls and Erik Von Brunn’s son are the most recent examples. Intelligence Report had a cracking good article about children of neo-Nazis who broke with their parents recently. It is probably a trend, as these kids see just how outdated, irrelevant, mindless, and silly this rhetoric is in today’s world. Prattle about “Khazars” and the Bilderbergers and “Generation Identitaire” is absurd to them.
I hope that Derek, now that he has made his break with his old world, takes advantage of this opportunity. He should certainly write about his trail to his epiphany, and I hope he devotes his energy, if not his career, to community and public service. A young man with high ideals, great energy, and considerable empathy for his fellow human being can make a major positive contribution to this world.
When his final words are written, it will be interesting to see how they will compare with those of his father’s life. Of Don Black, all they will be able to say is: “He hated.” Of Derek Black, they will be able to start by saying, “He learned, grew, and rose.”
on July 19th, 2013 at 11:12 pm
Obviously I too hope that Derek’s words are sincere, for his sake. However, there is little to gain from pretending to renounce WN just to get by in college or something like that. First, he achieved a high position in the movement; even before you do something like that, you’ve got enemies. If some people don’t like your line on something- presto! You’re a “Jew.” Everybody is looking for a way to tear you down to take your place. Now if you publicly renounce your beliefs to the SPLC, well you’re not coming back from that. Sure you might be able to dupe a small amount of people but all your enemies have a nuclear weapon to use against you.
on July 20th, 2013 at 1:09 am
Derek:
I am glad that you are abandoning racism. Being white is not equal to being racist. Love your family, they are still your family even if you have different views. I wish you the best and professional and personal success.
Enjoy life now free of the weight of discrimination and supremacy.
on July 20th, 2013 at 8:51 am
Steve, Albert, I don’t want to question your bona fides, but if I were a buttburnt WN, I might be poisoning the well for a “traitor” just like this.
Ruslan, your friend showed great wisdom, and I hope Derek might proceed in his footsteps.
on July 20th, 2013 at 2:57 pm
Let us hope that Derek Black will help authorities on identifying the people at Stormfront that hide behind screen names. These racist are a cancer that must be eradicated.
Don Black and David Duke have a tremendous amount of money given to them on their website. Some may have been from criminals that continue to terrorize America with the hatred. Derek could really help America by assisting groups like the SPLC on the bizarre inner working from his fathers website.
on July 21st, 2013 at 6:40 am
This is good news! I applaud the courage of young Mr. Black. We are being shown that there is hope for the future, and that his generation (the future of our country) can think for themselves and have the intellect to make informed decisions dispite years of indoctrination.
for those with less enthusiastic, pessimistic views on this announcement, everyone has a right to an opinion, but this is a young man on a journey. It often takes several years to reassimilate into the real world. Blaming others for one’s own actions and “slamming” others is counter productive and may hinder young Mr. Black’s journy. Who knows? Dad
May Follow in his son’s footsteps one day.
on July 21st, 2013 at 7:59 am
Is it bad form for me to be skeptical here?
I get the feeling he’s merely smart enough to jump a sinking ship.
Of course, we have to be at least open to possibility of enlightenment for all, even him.
on July 21st, 2013 at 1:02 pm
Good for you Derick! I know you are a changed man and I will keep you including your dad in my prayers to help solved a long lasting problem of White Nationalism.
on July 21st, 2013 at 3:21 pm
Good for you, for finding your own voice.
on July 21st, 2013 at 10:18 pm
I am proud of Derek. His father is a criminal who brainwashed his son. Derek, like me, will enjoy life much better now.
on July 22nd, 2013 at 9:11 am
Albert, I understand your sentiments, but I believe you are old enough to shave…with Occam’s Razor.
on July 22nd, 2013 at 3:06 pm
Just playing Devil’s advocate but if Derek were trying some kind of ruse, this would be the stupidest move ever. He has been marked down as a traitor forever by a lot of people already. This is a boon not only to anyone who ever had a quarrel with Derek, but also with Don Black. Should he try to “come back” one day and announce it was all part of some secret mission or whatever, he would never win back the movement’s trust.
on July 24th, 2013 at 1:12 pm
I like Young Black’s strategy. Great idea!
on July 25th, 2013 at 2:21 am
Good on you Derek. You sound like your growing into a bright young man.
Redemption is the sweetest story.
on July 25th, 2013 at 11:08 pm
I just went back to Stormfront after a decade out of the movement as I do occasionally just to show myself why I left. I found this story and clicked on this link. I became a racist because I was the victim of a hate crime, I was not raised that way. It took me years to deal with this, and while I’ll never be a liberal, I now reject the same things Derek does. There are things you learn in the movement that can’t be unlearned, so we “formers” are a special breed, and we think very differently about race, and I believe, much more deeply and thoughtfully than most people, of any heritage.
I just hope Derek is reading this, and that he does not feel pressure to become a flaming liberal, as he was pressured to be a WN. It sounds like he’s able to filter the bull***t out and think for himself. I credit his parents for that, one thing they did right. I am so very proud of him and he has my support 100%. Also, I hope he is not moved by people in the movement calling him a race traitor. Nothing in comments degrade our European people, and I pray he can find the balance between love of your own people and also love for others. Please don’t turn into a self-loathing liberal who adheres to positions pre-determined for you, as you did s a WN.. Have self respect and dignity. You have earned it!
on July 26th, 2013 at 11:33 am
Katherine, I am a liberal, and I like myself quite well. Ultimately, it is the haters who are self-haters.
on July 27th, 2013 at 4:53 am
How wonderful that someone so brainwashed with hate and fear all through his formative years can start thinking for himself and being brave enough to make the turnaround, first mentally, then actually and openly. Respect for this young man’s courage. It’s not realistic to hope the rest of his family will follow, but for his, and their own sake, I do. Sure their racism hurts people, but most of all it hurts themselves. It’s awful to have to live in fear of others all the time, and to have hate coursing through your system is unhealthy and makes one simply unhappy….
on July 29th, 2013 at 3:11 pm
As an agnostic Jew who was surrounded by anti-Semitism from many of my male peers throughout my formative education & my freshman college year at UConn, I deeply appreciate Derek’s moral courage in expressing his epiphany away from the bigotry in which his parents shamefully raised him. His parents’ ugly brand of bigotry was one of the key reasons I ignorantly supported the death penalty in high school, but have since been similarly enlightened against that position. His astute intellectual honesty renews my hope in the human spirit that people are not always mentally imprisoned for life without parole, pardon the pun, in the cultish paradigm that demands they view their own ethnicity as superior to all others. His parents may be tempted to disown him, but if I was in his position with a father who distorts the quality and integrity of his education, I would struggle not to want to disown my parents entirely. Thank Gaia he found the wisdom in his soul to evolve beyond this hideous bigotry. He should be a role model for all the Republican white supremacists infecting our House & Senate at the federal level, who wear their vitriolic hatred of President Obama like a badge of honor on their sleeves.
on July 29th, 2013 at 3:45 pm
He has courage and wisdom far beyond his years.
Just goes to show that some of the most beautiful things can grow out of a pile of crap.