ENDEAVOR Ep. 9: [UNCUT] Arno Michaelis on Fatherhood, Vulnerability, and Shaping the Future

Clarion Podcasts

Episode 9 of Endeavor Against Extremism is particularly special for two reasons. First, we speak with former extremist Arno Michaelis on how becoming a father pulled him out of extremism. The preventing/countering violent extremism sector often enough looks at the role of gender in extremism, but only through the lens of motherhood. When it discusses masculinity, the focus is on how toxic masculinity concepts pull men in, but rarely is the a conversation on how authentic masculinity pulls men out of the ideology and into their power as men. We discuss that with Arno, but somewhere in there something quite incredible happens: a realization that the other is speaking a language that often isn't understood ...the language of compassion, kindness, love and vulnerability. I threw away any other question I had lined up and decided to move this conversation into a figurative open field. About Arno Michaelis: In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Arno Michaelis was a leader of a worldwide racist skinhead organization, a reverend of a self-declared Racial Holy War, and lead singer of the hate-metal band Centurion, which sold 20,000 CDs by the mid-nineties and is still popular with racists today. Single parenthood, love for his daughter, and the forgiveness shown by people he once hated all helped to turn Arno's life around, bringing him to embrace diversity and practice gratitude for all life. After spending over a decade as a successful information technology consultant and entrepreneur, Arno is now a speaker, author of My Life After Hate, co-author of The Gift of Our Wounds, and very fortunate to be able to share his ongoing process of character development as an educator working with Serve 2 Unite. Founded as an ongoing peaceful response to the August 5th 2012 Sikh Temple shooting in Oak Creek, WI, S2U engages students creatively with a global network of peacemakers and mentors in partnership with Against Violent Extremism, The Forgiveness Project, Search For Common Ground, and Parents for Peace. Visit: www.parents4peace.org www.lifeafterhate.org