My descent into America’s neo-Nazi movement — and how I got out | Christian Picciolini

At 14, Christian Picciolini went from naïve teenager to white supremacist — and soon, the leader of the first neo-Nazi skinhead gang in the United States. How was he radicalized, and how did he ultimately get out of the movement? In this courageous talk, Picciolini shares the surprising and counterintuitive solution to hate in all forms.

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70 Comments on My descent into America’s neo-Nazi movement — and how I got out | Christian Picciolini

    • David S. – most people don’t have a problem with anti-white discrimination, including whites themselves, which is why their numbers continue to shrink as a percentage of the global population. Whites are heading for extinction and most are eager and willing to facilitate this genocide due to overwhelming control of global media such as TED by those institutions and individuals committed to white genocide.

    • Even as I have tired of TED this one is a winner. Amazing message, recognizing the common humanity in us all, where we are found to be undiscriminated, of a common humanity, amazing that it can be equated by some as discrimination [anti-white]

    • Dack Hacksaw… anti-white discrimination means discrimination towards those that are anti-white. White discrimination means discrimination towards those that are white. So, what you’re saying is backwards, which is what I was trying to point out.

  1. The past is very strong. Even after Hitler’s death more than 70 years, many people are influenced by him very much :-0

    • Well, Dack. I think you are most probably projecting your own unhealthy thinking patterns seeing as this is how you choose view people who work in these sort of environments. But perhaps you are “just trolling”.

    • David – no I have no interest in kids to be honest. So I can’t say I am projecting. I also don’t spend time around them, unlike you, who seems to have spent rather a lot of time around them for some reason. I guess you enjoy kids.

    • That’s not what i was getting at but whatever. Yeah, i would like to have kids of my own one day. So what is your point? That we should hate kids?

    • Hitler also used a severely romanticised version of the past to fuel the movement.
      Watch Adam Curtis “The Living Dead: On the desperate Edge of Now”

    • Racism often works against the interests of white people. For example, racist rhetoric used to get votes for people that then pursue policies that harm those same voters.

    • A lot of these responses that are saying that white folk are described as “the devil” are confusing to me. I’ve seen and read a lot of those articles and videos about racism, and it’s mostly discussing white privilege and male privilege, which is a social and cultural construct and therefore not something that anyone is necessarily responsible for, even if it is still a reality. How is that so hurtful?

    • Jordan Etherington

      The supremacist will always find a slant where he is both the victim and the master of any situation. Any evidence – be it trivial or shattering – that portrays his group as anything but justified in any and all things will be rejected summarily at all times.

      The supremacist will never be the aggressor. Never be responsible for his own actions. Never be held accountable when something bad has been done. In all times, *his actions will be an inevitability of the times and the nature of the world*: with any criticism being unfair and *evil* when laid on the supremacist.

      You literally can’t discuss reality with these people. It will always be twisted to its most grotesque form as to justify their “feeling” being victims unfairly set upon.

  2. It’s really great to know that people can make it out of these groups, it seems challenging for anyone steeped in the rhetoric to get out, a great movie similar to this is “American History X”

    • Because it’s explicitly talking about racists: but since “they can’t possibly be racists”, the negative commenters grasp at straws and say the video is _actually_ talking about whites in general.

      How else could they, those “totally non-racist” whites, feel so personally targeted?

  3. So glad to hear a story about someone who left the group who didn’t go the other extreme and full Antifa. Glad this guy has a good head on his shoulders and doesn’t feel the need to engage in violence no matter which extreme he belongs to

    • Bobby Do not enable right wing domestic terrorists by claiming that there is a moral equivalence between fascists and anti fascists. Thank you.

    • Sorry but I’m not going to let Neo Nazis continue to bomb neighborhoods, shoot up schools and run over protesters just because you think we somehow won World War 2 with hugs.

    • Dave Johnson – you make it sound like those things are happening every day and not the infrequent events that they actually are. Whites are statistically the victims of crimes perpetrated by blacks, when you look at the numbers it’s truly staggering. But, you know, we have to keep white privilege myth going… shaking my head.

    • >says it’s not a big deal that Nazis kill people
      >refers to the populace as the “whites and blacks”

      HMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

  4. The “white guilt” crowd seem insane to me. How can you listen to this man’s story and conclude the overarching theme is anti white?

    • eazyrat
      As I said, he should’ve worded it better. However, the impression I gleaned wasn’t of a person who _wants_ others to feel guilty.

    • You aren’t your ancestors, that’s the point, don’t be them, don’t ignore the injustice, don’t look at people who just want to be treated fairly and turn a blind eye or ask well what about me? You may not be them or make the same choices as them but they left this burden on your lap, you don’t have to actively go out there in support but don’t turn a blind eye or pretend it doesn’t exist either, don’t pretend to be the only victim when we are all hurting, we are all victims of our ancestors.

    • @Kevin So easy to sit down and make comments on YouTube about how to be a good person. You help out enough to fill your moral meter then continue with your own life with you value more than others. If you want to preach about being a better than your ancestors, rise up yourself and do the things you want to see done in the world instead of just talking about it. Stop waiting for other people to save the world. Otherwise, shut up like the rest of us not doing anything. No one wants to be lectured by someone whose life revolves around making their personal situation better (read: the majority of the world).

    • You sound like you’re agreeing, but then say “they left this burden on your lap?” Which burden are you talking about and why is it relevant to me?

  5. I’d like to thank TED for posting talks like this despite the comments, dislikes, and small backlash that they get.
    I’d also like to thank the racists for making themselves obvious. Society becomes a lot better when {the twats mark themselves out for avoidance.} (Edit) everyone can show compassion and empathy towards those who need it most.

    • Liam Pilot – I’m really sorry, Liam, but I think you’ve mistaken me for someone who cares what you or anyone else thinks. Newsflash: I don’t. But thanks for spending time writing a message to me.

    • “Liam Pilot – Diversity is only practised in majority-white countries. Not in Israel or Saudi Arabia or Pakistan etc. And for a reason”

      How long have you spent in *ALL* of those countries?

    • And I notice that Jesus was mentioned nowhere. People don’t need fabricated gods to live good lives and find purpose and uplift their community.

    • Love Kiosk That comment doesn’t make any damn sense as a response to a comment regarding an american organization counting american white supremacists.

      I don’t know what brand of fascist you are and it’s irrelevant to the comment.

    • It would be impossible for them to count anything but avowed white supremacists. It’s impossible to know what someone believes unless they flat out state it so while your premise is correct the conclusion that there are many more white supremacists out there cannot be quantified and therefore cannot be part of a factual conversation. There are white supremacists who are not vocal in their beliefs I agree but again how many cannot be reasonably be debated which is why they were not included in the statistic. There will never be fully accurate numbers on what people believe so the only reasonable thing to do is take people at their word and only count people who are vocal about it. And if white supremacy was so rampant then why would a white supremacist be afraid to voice their opinions? That alone shows i it is a fringe ideology not tolerated by the vast majority.

    • That’s an absurd rationale in the face of a broken statement, where you used the statistic as hard evidence that the United States was limited to a certain fraction of racists.

      That it is a fringe ideology in the community means little to nothing in the face of the number of individuals actively and admittedly willing to act upon the belief. Islamic fundamentalism is a minority position in literally every single muslim community on the planet, thoroughly “debunked” and vilified even in the likes of deeply conservative nations like Saudi Arabia: but you know very damn well that the loud minority and the silent minority are large, motivated, and aggressive enough that it doesn’t matter all that much that 99% of the population finds it abhorrent when the odd terrorist attack happens every other week or so.

    • Lol disputed using statistics as evidence of fact then proceeded to write a paragraph of pure conjecture to illustrate your point. A point that I will add is completely false. In a 2016 study in the UK only 22% of Muslims polled said parts of Sharia law should not replace current law. Another 2016 poll found 1/4 of Muslims, in Britain mind you which one would think would be the most progressive, believed sharia law should be implemented in parts of the UK and 39% thought wives should always obey their husbands and 1/3 thought polygamy was acceptable. A 2014 study of Europe revealed 65% believed sharia law trumped the laws of the country in which they lived. Sharia prescribed punishments such as beheading, flogging and stoning continue to be practiced judicially in many Muslim majority countries. I have used studies in which Muslims freely gave their opinions and yet you showed no statistical support for your 99% claim instead said we all damn well know. No you don’t know again the best way to know what’s in a persons heart and mind is to listen to what they say. But keep at at it with your feels>facts liberal ideology.

    • The same reasoning you used to throw out my statistical argument was not applied to your position that you know the beliefs of 99% of Muslims! “Think about it for just a second: How would they POSSIBLY check every” Muslim to decide how they felt about terrorist activities? Also the 5,000-8,000 from the southern poverty law center, with much more data and resources than you, is not a single number but a range and is therefore an estimate based on many factors some including but not limited to avowed white supremacists. It was their best guess as to the number of white supremacists nation wide and to disburse that number you will need to cite evidence you can’t just say that because you feel there are more it has to be true. Apply your own rationale to your own arguments and don’t site your feelings as facts when you are so quick to discount the research of a well established organization. Facts don’t care about your feelings.

  6. Don’t do Hitler, Kids! It’s bad for you and the people around you!

    Sincerely, random German guy

    (P.S. yes, I’m aware racism and antisemitism are also growing again here and it is a problem)

    • Kostchtchle 1. Why do you care for our country? You never did. Everything is great for you as long as you can keep your soldiers in our country. So be quiet if a conversation about occupation comes up. You’re not better than us.
      2. Who destabilzed their countries just for stealing some oil? That’s right, your country.
      3. You need a big portion of compassion and Jesus.
      4. Have a nice day

    • Fabian R ..Especially. Because it was created by Zionism which is the extremist slavery ideology and has been front and center of War monger NWO… Just let the midnight special shine its lovin light on me…

    • Fabian R ..Yes the true anti Semites are the khazarian fraud jews parading as Semites who murder Semite Palestinians for their satanic anti Christ …

  7. I actually teared up. Great video.

    What bothers me the most about this subject is that extreme Right is easily identified and condemned. Extreme left is called activism and often praised.

    • Asking you a pertinent question is proof of nothing. I’m pointing out that there is no mainstream left wing, so an extreme one cannot exist.

    • That Guy – the crime statistics show more whites are victims of crimes perpetrated by blacks, including hate crimes. We’re never going to see that statistic honestly spoken about though, thanks to all the black apologists and slavery-card users.

    • Exactly. Hate is hate, and you don’t need to be right or left wing to see that. Some people around here don’t seem to understand that, though. Or, more likely, they’re trying to use claims of “But you think all right-wing people are racists!” as a smokescreen to hide that they’re for-real racists.

      I’m a through-and-through left-wing progressive, and I absolutely do not think that just being conservative makes you a bigot. It just means we disagree on certain policies. I think both left and right wing people have a duty to call out bigotry and racism when they see it.

  8. It bewilders me that people think this video is somehow racist against white people. That’s such bullshit. This video is about a man who realized his wrongs and left a group that was violating the freedom of other people.

    Quit being salty about non-whites gaining freedom in a country that enslaved and oppressed them for two centuries.

    • They don’t think it, for the most part. It’s just a deflection tactic. Less time is spent on putting them under the magnifying glass and the accused “anti-white” has to explain how he doesn’t hate white people.

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