Former white-supremacist skinhead reforms

http://news.yahoo.com/reformed-skinhead-endures-agony-remove-tattoos-162205881.html

What do you think about this?

Personally, after reading this article, I admire the man. For what he is doing now, not what he did.

Honestly, I admire more the donor that decided to offer him the money to help him fix his own mistakes.

That was generous.

But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.

I think if you're going without health insurance to afford Marlboros and an Xbox, you're kind of an irresponsible douche.

And better than thy stroke; why swellest thou then?

I am not entirely sure how much health insurance costs in the US, but I am pretty sure that it's quite a lot more than some smokes and an old console.

That's not to say that, if one is in economic difficulties, one shouldn't try to avoid unnecessary expenses; but quitting smoking is notoriously difficult*

, and for all we know he bought the Xbox second-hand as a present for his son.

edited 31st Oct '11 10:08:26 AM by Carciofus

But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.

And health insurance wouldn't cover voluntary tattoo removal anyway (It would be classified as a voluntary, optional, and cosmetic procedure— about 90% of health insurance policies don't cover any of those, let alone something that's all three.), so it's kind of a non-issue whether he had health insurance.

It also sounds like the X-Box, at least, came well after the surgeries, not before.

edited 31st Oct '11 10:57:21 AM by Madrugada

...if you don’t love you’re dead, and if you do, they’ll kill you for it.

Did he hurt or kill anyone?

If not, good for him, go do something productive and make some of those people you spewed disgusting hate over happier.

USAF713 on his phone or iPod.

Dear God in heaven, this was one of the most things I've read.

That man has the kind of balls I could only hope for, and so do the people who stood by him.

Hope for the United States and hope for us all.

It was an honor

He had hurt people in the past, been to jail for it and all.

I believe in redemption. Not in the religious way, though for some it helps. I believe that people are able to mend their ways, and stories like this show how people can come back from very extreme reaches.

the statement above is false

...define "hurt."

I am now known as Flyboy.

This is a really cool story. There's no way anyone would willingly go through that much pain if they weren't sincere about changing. A part of the article did confuse me, though. When the article says that people dumped manure on their property and all, did it mean other skinheads who saw them as race traitors or other people who shunned them because they were skinheads?

Apparently other skinheads who saw them as traitors.

...if you don’t love you’re dead, and if you do, they’ll kill you for it.

The story works either way, though.

Anyway, this is . What an inspiring story.

Except for 4/1/2011. That day lingers in my memory like...metaphor here...I should go.

Dang. This has got to be the most thing I have seen all day. Kudos to him.

Whoopdie-do, he graduated to being an actual human being. What the fuck does he want, a medal?

"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt." - Some guy with a snazzy hat.

I really don't understand this. Your post has left me confused. What makes you believe he wants anything at all?

Please.

I don't understand all the praise you guys are showering on him for deciding to stop being a bigoted cretin. I'm not gonna congratulate a grown man for taking a dump in a toilet.

edited 1st Nov '11 3:37:39 PM by KitsuneInferno

"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt." - Some guy with a snazzy hat.

Well, if he spent his whole life until then pooping on his bed, I'll congratulate him for finally getting potty-trained. Better late than never.

But as I said, my main admiration goes to the anonymous donor who paid for the tattoo removal: that was selfless and generous (and, I'd bet, quite a lot expensive).

edited 1st Nov '11 3:41:26 PM by Carciofus

But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.

Because that's one less bigot on the streets, who realized the errors of his ways and actually went to the "enemy" to ask for forgiveness and help in becoming an efficient citizen again?

Good for him. If you really think this is nothing, go find a thread where you can just keep saying Humans Are Bastards because some guy kicked a dog. I'm sure you're already there anyway.

edited 1st Nov '11 4:42:09 PM by HeavyDDR

I'm pretty sure the concept of Law having limits was a translation error. -Wanderlustwarrior

And all the people who go through life without ever feeling the urge to blame minorities for their problems or hang out with people who'll brag about beating the shit out of some black kid minding his own business get absolutely no accolades for doing so.

"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt." - Some guy with a snazzy hat.

Well... according to Christians and the Bible, it's more impressive when a sinner becomes a non-sinner than when a non-sinner just does what they normally do. Non-sinners are already rewarded in the afterlife, while repentant sinners are now receiving their reward, hence why it is cause for celebration. Prodigal son and such.

I'm not a Christian and don't believe in an afterlife, so I don't know what to tell you otherwise, however...

I am now known as Flyboy.

@Madrugada: I wasn't suggesting that health insurance would have covered the tattoo removal, just that the family is irresponsible.

And better than thy stroke; why swellest thou then?

And a mentally challenged kid shouldn't get praised for getting a high grade on a test, right? Because I mean, normal kids do that shit all the time and they don't get any more praise than anyone else.

I'm pretty sure the concept of Law having limits was a translation error. -Wanderlustwarrior

It's an appropiate metaphor, one thing is to accept you have fucked up, another very different thing is actually do something about it, regardless of the cost.

edited 1st Nov '11 5:06:55 PM by Dream_Huntress

I can't have you close, so I become a ghost and I watch you, I watch you.

Don't spring that double standard shit on me. A mentally retarded child cannot choose to pass a test. A normal person who apparently can buy an Xbox can damn well decide whether or not to be bigot.

"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt." - Some guy with a snazzy hat.

What does the financial security of being able to purchase a gaming console has anything to do with bigotry? Because this may rock your world, but poor Xboxless people can be bigots too.

edited 1st Nov '11 5:12:05 PM by Dream_Huntress

I can't have you close, so I become a ghost and I watch you, I watch you.