Erasing Hate
Erasing Hate is a 2011 American TV documentary chronicling the efforts of reformed racist skinhead Bryon Widner to remove his numerous racist facial tattoos. The documentary was written, produced, and directed by Bill Brummel[1], and first aired on June 6th, 2011 on the MSNBC channel.[1]
Synopsis
Bryon Widner became a skinhead at the age of 14, and spent 16 years involved with racist skinhead organizations in the American midwest.[2] Described as a "pit bull"[3] of the racist skinheads, Widner helped to co-found a skinhead group in Indiana[4] that soon had a reputation for excessive violence even within the racist skinhead community.[2] This organization soon became one of the fastest-growing racist skinhead organizations in the US.[2]
In 2005, Widner married Julie Larsen. Larsen had three children from a previous marriage, and she and Widner had a son of their own in 2006. The responsibilities of fatherhood gave Widner the desire to reform and leave the skinhead movement, a desire shared by Larsen. Widner left his organization and endured years of death threats and harassment while attempting to turn his life around.
Widner's efforts to rejoin wider society were significantly hampered by his extensive facial tattoos, many of which were violent (e.g. a bloody straight razor) or racist (e.g. various white power symbols) in nature. Larsen feared that Widner would undertake drastic action, such as immersing his face in acid, in his efforts to remove the tattoos. Seeking another solution, Larsen eventually contacted an anti-hate-group activist, who put her in contact with the Southern Poverty Law Center.[3]
After "several weeks of conversation,"[3] SPLC representatives agreed to help Widner in his quest to remove his facial tattoos. A plastic surgeon was found who was willing to perform the procedure, and an anonymous donor provided the $35,000 required to cover the costs of the procedures.[3]
The complete removal of Widner's facial tattoos took two years and over a dozen individual procedures, all of which were excrutiatingly painful. This two year process is extensively documented, and forms the core of the documentary.
Widner now lives in an unknown location, and is trying to reintegrate into society as a productive, non-violent adult.
References
- ^ a b "Skinhead's Story of Redemption, With Help from SPLC, to be Told in MSNBC Documentary". Retrieved 2011-11-1.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ a b c "Burnout: Vinlanders Social Club on the decline". Retrieved 2011-11-1.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ a b c d "Reformed skinhead endures agony to remove tattoos". Retrieved 2011-11-1.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "Vinlanders profiles". Retrieved 2011-11-1.
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