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In this one hour special, VH1 attempts
to penetrate the surface of the complex
world of skinhead hatecore music. The producers
do a good job of compiling a vast panorama
of elements, presented in cinema verite,
in which they create honest human portraits
of people that are hard to understand but
easy to demonize.
While it succeeds on this level, the show
fails to support its central thesis, i.e.,
the alarmist message that hatecore is experiencing
rapid hypertrophy. Rather than paint a specter
of domestic threat, Inside Hate Rock inadvertently
creates a sort of skinhead Spinal Tap. Full
of grimacing faces and feigned panache,
the supporting cast think of themselves
as fearful, but instead come off looking
like an assortment of unhappy guys who got
the shortest straws.
But not all of the skinheads look like they
are trying to intimidate anyone. The best
example is Sean from hatecore band Max Resist.
Humble and sincere, he appears to be the
closest thing that the movement has as a
leader, but seems to lack the ego and the
ambition to see himself in that role. Josh
from the Carolina Sons comes across like
a simple southern boy, a lot more like Breckenridge
Elkins than an ideological warrior.
The editors do not tell the story of Novacosm
chronologically, instead interspersing archive
footage of George Burdi’s RAHOWA days with
current clips. As a result, the imagery
gets muddled, and the viewer may be left
wondering where the line between Burdi’s
past and his present is drawn. Perhaps the
editors did this to underscore a point articulated
by an ADL spokesman and an Insurgence Records
boss, who both express their dissatisfaction
with Burdi’s alleged reluctance to recant
his past using strong enough rhetoric.
VH1 tries to present hatecore as a burgeoning
phenomenon, but fails to feature a band
compelling enough to make the threat seem
even vaguely tangible. Surely a music genre
selling apparent truckloads of CDs would
produce one bona fide underground success,
or even one song with an infectious melody,
both of which have been mysteriously absent
since the early days of Skrewdriver.
Resistance Records heads William Pierce
and Erich Gliebe are both eager to play
up the angle of hatecore’s explosive increase
in popularity, knowing well that youth are
impressionable and are easily swayed by
the notion of popularity. But they are walking
the razor’s edge, as the U.S. Government
will have no problem getting public support
for an attack on “musical terrorism”, even
if it means trampling over the First Amendment.
Resistance is banking on profits from mass
media exposure exceeding the cost of any
legal problems it creates. For a company
experiencing rapid growth, that is an unnecessary
gamble, but for a moribund operation that
is failing to meet expectations, it is an
act of desperation. My guess is the latter.
Although it serves as a good introduction
to the history of the hatecore scene, Inside
Hate Rock evokes fear instead of producing
compassion. Failing to believe that love
is the greatest weapon against hate, VH1
is antagonistic instead of empathetic; reactionary
instead of inspirational. Which begs the
question, if you hate the haters, are you
any different?
Here is some feedback from the show:
Click
here to send us your thoughts.
I just wanted to comment that I had watched
the hate specials on MTV years ago, and
saw Mr. Burdi. I hate to offer up stereotypes,
and we all deal with them, but I was shocked
that someone so intelligent and articulate
could hate so much. It was refreshing to
see that Mr. Burdi has come to terms with
his hate and I apologize for my stereotype
of only stupid people as racists. I was
raised in New Orleans and know first-hand,
all types hate. The saddest thing for me
about hate is that is cuts you off from
art. Congrats and good-luck ... I enjoyed
the Novacosm music!
I just wanted to say thank-you for showing
people they can get out of it. It’s good
to see you got your life together and I
wish you the best of luck in the future
To me, it appears George Burdi is lost,
and always was lost. Not satisfied with
the American White Nationalist movement,
he decided to go and jump in the new age
movement. Maybe he will find his way someday.
Perhaps he too has become a victim of the
mental cancer that is infecting the world
today. It will pass eventually, possibly
for an even worse disease. The saddest part
of the special was all of the communists
who probably thought they were upstanding
members of society.
To you I salute! Thank you for awakening
to a greater consciousness that exists outside
of fear, in my life I have seen fear give
me sleepless nights; I wish to continue
no further into this abyss. I wish only
to continue further into the realm of calmness.
Fear is the father of anger; hate is the
bastard son of anger. Hate takes away from
the essence of man. Thank you again.
My name is Traci. I am 19 years old and
live in Chicago, IL. I saw the special on
VH1 about you guys and I just wanted to
say that I am very happy to hear that George
turned his life around. After seeing that
special I felt very angry toward people
who hate different people just because of
their skin color. I am a white female myself
and I believe it gives good white people
like myself a bad name. I just wanted to
write you to say that and hopefully you
can turn other people away from that kind
of stuff. God Bless.
I spent almost ten years of my life in
the hate scene. I ruined the best years
of my life, lost my high school friends
and my brother who is still in the movement
and in jail. But I have been free for five
years and I am happily married to a wonderful
man. I heard your story on VH1 last night
and could not believe my ears. You were
a role model to me and my favorite singer
when I was in the movement. I am proud you
have changed your life. Once again you are
my role model. Thank you George.
I just learned about your transformation
on VH-1 and I’m very, very inspired and
very happy to hear about what you have done.
I think you are going to end up saving a
lot of lives and changing lives as well.
I’m very happy for you, I was very impressed
to hear you went the way of meditation and
Eastern philosophy, as I went that route
in 1999 with my own life (only I wasn’t
a skinhead, but there was room for improvement.)
Anyway, I wish you well.
Keep up the good work! And please keep
putting out great and inspirational music!
You are the most unique band, and you were
put together by God for a special purpose!
I saw you on VH1. I’m from the old school:
uniform choice, underdog, sheer terror,
you get the idea … all my life I have struggled
with the same issues you did. To me it feels
like I have an anvil chained to my feet
and I’ve been tossed overboard … drowning.
It’s hard not to hate, it consumes me at
times but I’ve gotten better with it ...
I just wish some of the kids out there being
brainwashed by the bullshit see it like
I do ... I enjoyed the VH1 show ... Thank
you, - treading water on the East Coast.
I’m a 30 year-old from Illinois, and I
was one of the original “flock” with Resistance
in terms of a “fan.” I saw the VH-1 special
on hate rock last night, and I must say
that I’m incredibly surprised (pleasantly,
mind you) and happy that you’re okay and
doing well. For over 15 years of my life,
I carried the baggage of racism and hate
from exactly the same areas that others
do: I grew up surrounded by blacks at a
young age and saw nothing but the negative
in people. It took me a long time to break
free, of which I am still fighting, and
it’s very difficult, as I’m sure you are
aware. To see that you, a man I once admired
for his stance on white power, has completely
shunned “the life” as I have gives me more
hope than ever that I can beat it completely
one day. “American History X” really opened
my mind quite a bit as well. How Edward
Norton was denied the Oscar befuddles the
mind, but oh well! • I know you’re busy
and such; hell, we all are. I just wanted
to commend you for taking the single bravest
step and leaving it behind. I applaud you,
brother! I fight the feelings every day,
and they are not as hateful or consuming
as the once were, so I consider that a triumph.
I’m looking forward to hearing your new
band. As a writer and musician myself, I
know the lyrics will be inspiring. You are
not a traitor, George you are a man that
is the ultimate in loyalty, and that is
to one’s own true self!
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