Arno Michaelis - My Life After Hate

...what the world needs to know abouthate. But what's even better, is that there is life after hate! Ihighly recommend this book!

Frank Meeink, activist, actor,speaker, and author ofAutobiography of a RecoveringSkinhead.

My Life After Hate is for anyone whothinks that change is impossible or too difficult. Arno Michaelshonest look into his past as a white power skinhead and his longjourney out of hatred is proof that change is possible in theunlikeliest places. This book is for anyone who underestimatestheir own power to transform their life or feels they lack thecourage to reach out to others they once feared.

Lisa Kaiser, Journalist,Shepherd Express

Society discusses hate and diversityin sterilized language; this book tells the story first hand. Beprepared to be riveted, intrigued and shocked. An astonishing ridethrough a dark world of violence and the process ofrehabilitation.

Amber Miller, M.B.A.,Wisconsin Womens Business Initiative

It's not so uncommon for those whohave gone astray in ways that harm others to eventually get onto amore humane path. What's extraordinary about Arno Michaels is hisdedication to the larger enterprise of fighting bigotry and thedestructive violence that often grows from it. My Life After Hateis an illuminating window into the origins of this repentant man'smission.

Will Fellows, Author ofGay Bar, Co-Creator of the Shall Not BeRecognized project

My Life AfterHate

by Arno Michaels

Published by Arno Michaels atSmashwords

Copyright 2010 Arno Michaels

Smashwords Edition, LicenseNotes

This ebook is licensed foryour personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold orgiven away to other people. If you would like to share this bookwith another person, please purchase an additional copy for eachrecipient. If youre reading this book and did not purchase it, orit was not purchased for your use only, then please return toSmashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respectingthe hard work of this author.

La Prensa de LAH

544 E Odgen Ave Suite 700-260 Milwaukee, WI 53202

LCCN: 2010916629

ISBN: 978-0-9831290-2-8

Cover Design: Arno Michaels

Cover Art: Bashir Malik

Editor: Tanya Cromartie

Life After Hate is a monthlyonline magazine found at lifeafterhate.org that promotes peace andcompassion through open and honest dialogue.

Leveraging our magazine as a foundationfor intergenerational outreach, such as nonviolence theatre,creative writing, and holistic fitness, Life After Hatedemonstrates that all human beings have an innate need to both giveand receive compassion. This core truth serves as the root of peaceas it is common to every world religion and transcending ofethnicity, nationality, sexuality, and any other sort of differencethat seems to sort human beings.

People involved with Life After Hate inall aspects,from writer to reader to teacher to studentdeveloptheir ability to take personal responsibility for the effects oftheir actions on each other, their communities, and theEarth.

Brought into being as an apology to theworld on behalf of former white power skinheads, Life After Hatewas conceptualized in October of 2009 with our first issuepublished on the 2010 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, and hassince blossomed to become a collective peace engine fueled by basichuman goodness.

My Life After Hate is thisbook.

All proceeds from the sales of MyLife After Hate go towards expanding the audience of Life AfterHate, delivering content, and peace education programs.

forewords

1. dolor

2 why

3. how

4. leadpipe

5. AnnArbor

6. MartyrsDay

7. hall firerazor

8. epiphany

9. raver

10.Charlie Ds English101

11.Obama

12.djvu

13.war, peace andBHG

epilogue: me andRob

Appendix A: RiverwestInterview

Appendix B: a comparative viewof Skinhead Confessions and Autobiography of a RecoveringSkinhead

crazy love and respect outto

about theauthor

Asked to contribute a foreword to ArnoMichaels' My Life After Hate, my first thought was to singhis praises. To tell the world what a wonderful person he hasbecome. Thankfully, it dawned on me instead to share what I havegained from Life After Hate (LAH). Naturally, the reader of thisbook will have an appreciation of Arnos story of transformationand his discovery of basic human goodness. However, the true powerand purpose of his story lives within Life After Hate, themagazine, for it is a vehicle of compassion in action.

For over a decade I have worked toturn the tide of violence, oppression, and ethnic exclusion inMilwaukee, Wisconsin. Through my organization, The Summer of PeaceInitiative, I have worked to the point of exhaustion to empower andtrain teens and young adults as community advocates and agents ofpeace. It wasnt until I stumbled upon lifeafterhate.org that Irealized my passion was lost and my strategy shaky andweak.

We had been fighting for peace. Whathypocrisy. What contradiction. I commented on one of Arno'sarticles in the first issue of LAH, never expecting a response. Ihad become used to people not responding to me and my internetinquiries. Arno responded. We talked on the phone for a long time.I listened. I doubted. I hated. I stereotyped. Yet, I felt a deepcuriosity about the mission of his organization, so I set up ameeting with him.

I was nervous about meeting anex-white supremacist. As a black woman, I experienced apprehensionand fear as a matter of course. Never mind the fact that I had beenteaching diversity and tolerance to my students. Before our meetingI researched him. I googled him. I studied the magazine. Iobsessively stared at his photos, searching his face forinformation. What information? I did not know. I told my daughter Ihad a meeting with a former racist. She responded with concern anddoubt. Mom, what if he isnt really reformed and he is justsetting you up to hurt you or something. That thought crossed mymind also. But the content and tone of the magazine dismissed thethought, as I had come to feel the genuine apology coursing throughits pages.

Life After Hate has spent the lastyear working with my organization. Through LAHs Community Outreachprogramming, The Summer of Peace Initiative has become stronger anddeeper in pursuit of our goal. Life After Hate has enabled me tore-ignite the fire which burned so fiercely when I founded Summerof Peace Initiative ten years ago. My students have come to loveArno Michaels and his mission, as he loves them. It warms my heartto see our black and brown youth high fivin with Arno as he walksthrough the door. They listen to his words and understand the goalsof Life After Hate, the magazine, and the curriculum. Theyexperienced peace in themselves through LAHs yoga workshops. Theygained teamwork and communication skills through LAHs RockClimbing workshops. Initially, as a director of my own program, Iwas jealous to see how engaged my students were with Arno. Overtime I learned to appreciate the gifts LAH has blessed my programwith. Most of all, I embrace whole-heartedly the gift ofcontributing to LAH and its mission.

After attending LAHs workshops a fewtimes, my daughter said something so sweet. She asked, Is Arnogoing to be at the next leadership meeting? I replied with a tingeof jealousy, Why? Because I like being friends with somebody whoused to hate me!

The following is an affirmation Icreated for myself. It was wholly inspired by my journey withlifeafterhate.org, its contributors, staff, and readers.