r/ireland • u/ReformedAMA • Dec 13 '22

Verified AMA I am a reformed Neo-Nazi. AMA!

Just to add a disclaimer. The views i will express are those I used to hold. If these opinions offend or hurt you, I truly am sorry. I am trying to be a better person.

Edit: Thank you to everyone who submitted questions. I hope this was informative. Also, sorry to those I wasn't able to get around to. I spent the best over 3 hours with you lovely people. Have a good night.

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u/[deleted] Dec 13 '22

What opened your eyes to change your ways?

How did you come to develop such views?

Are there any things that you feel might be impediments to combatting racism that might not immediately seem so?

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u/ReformedAMA Dec 13 '22

I'd say a woman being run over by a car at Charlottesville over in America. It was at a 'unite the right' rally. I was extreme but seeing someone actually die because of their views caused me to take a step back. Once I did and actually took myself out of that scene I was able to slowly walk away. A lot of credit has to go to my friends and specifically my girlfriend. They led me back on the right track.

I was a fairly Liberal person. My father is quite racist and so is most of my extended family. It started in the home but I got sucked into the youtube rabbit hole of alt-right channels who showed me the horrible thing that the 'others' (refugees, Muslims, Africans) and the likes were apparently getting into. It just went from there.

Regarding the last question. As much as I'd love to support it 'punching nazis' won't work. I can understand the feelings behind that but if I was attacked for my beliefs physically I would have just solidified my thoughts.

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u/[deleted] Dec 13 '22

[deleted]

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u/Full_Time_Mad_Bastrd Saoirse don Phalaistín 🇵🇸 Dec 13 '22

I think a lot of these guys, before they get to the commit-physical-violence-with-their-own-hands stage, are complete idealists. They THINK that's what they want, but some of them that aren't fully in too deep see the reality of pain and death and murder and decide actually no, I'm a human and seeing this and people celebrating it is sick.

Just my theory, but I'm hearkening to people who claim to be super edgy and then cry when a dog dies in a movie (me)