resource kit draft 6.qxd 12/17/02 4:14 PM Page 1 Turn it Down Resource Kit A companion to Soundtracks to the White Revolution, published by The Center for New Community in coop- eration with The Northwest Coalition for Human Dignity source kit draft 6.qxd 12/17/02 4:14 PM Page 2 Table of Contents Introduction . .7 Chapter 1. Youth Culture: Turning It Down in Your Scene . .11 10 Things You can do to Turn It Down . .30 How to Have an Anti-Racism Table at a Show . .34 How to Hold Your Own Rock Against Bigotry Show . .36 Chapter 2. A Guide for Students, Teachers and School Administrators . .41 10 Things Teachers and Administrators can do to Turn It Down . .48 How to Form a Student Anti-Bigotry Group . .53 Chapter 3. Our House: Tips for Parents . .57 Responding when Hate Comes Home . .59 Chapter 4. With A Little Help From Our Friends: Turning It Down in the Record Industry . .65 5 Things the Record Industry can do to Turn It Down . .75 The Question of Artistic Freedom and Free Speech . .77 Appendices . .80 Appendix A: White Power Band Lists . .80 Appendix B: White Power Symbols . .89 Appendix C: Lexicon of Hate . .92 Appendix D: Turn It Down Campaign Endorsement Form . .98 Cover photo: fans at the 2001 Plea for Peace Tour Copyright©2002 by Center for New Community. All right reserved, ISBN: ø-9677øø4-1-8 2 source kit draft 6.qxd 12/17/02 4:14 PM Page 4 The Turn It Down campaign developed in the summer of 1999, shortly before the murderous rampage of former white power If the Kids are United skinhead Benjamin Smith, who also had been a member of the neo-Nazi group the World Church of the Creator. Since then, the – Sham 69 campaign has grown tremendously, thanks to the support of hundreds of bands, record labels, and distributors, as well as for once in my life I’ve got something to say tens of thousands of people who have united against hate I wanna say it now for now is today groups that target youth. a love has been given so why not enjoy The Turn It Down Resource Kit is intended to be a companion so let’s all grab and let’s all enjoy piece to Soundtracks to the White Revolution: White Supremacist Assaults on Youth Music Subcultures. After publish- if the kids are united ing Soundtracks to the White Revolution, we realized there was then we’ll never be divided a need for tools to effectively and creatively challenge the if the kids are united growth of white power music. In the Resource Kit you’ll find the stories of people who have done just that, as well as a variety then we’ll never be divided of DIY (Do It Yourself) guides to stopping the hate and violence just take a look around you associated with white power music. what do you see Special thanks go to all those who contributed to this Resource kids with feelings like you and me Kit: Justin Massa from the Center for New Community; Eric Ward understand him, he'll understand you and Kate Boyd from the Northwest Coalition for Human Dignity; Doug Calvin at the Youth Leadership Support Network; Tad for you are him, and he is you Thomas and the Positive Youth Foundation; and all the members I don’t want to be rejected of the International Searchlight Network. I don’t want to be denied Ahuge shout out goes to Angie Reed Garner, who took an then its not my misfortune extremely rough manuscript and turned into the easy-to-read, polished gem that you have before you. Additional props in the that I’ve opened up your eyes editing process go out to Bill Berkowitz and Katrina Purcell. freedom is given speak how you feel And most importantly, we never could have done this without I have no freedom how do you feel the inspiration and support from all the young people, teachers, they can lie to my face but not to my heart parents, musicians, bands, and others in the recording industry who have courageously chosen to turn down the sounds of if we all stand together it will just be the start hate. if the kids are united then we’ll never be divided Devin Burghart if the kids are united Center for New Community 4 then we’ll never be divided 5 source kit draft 6.qxd 12/17/02 4:14 PM Page 6 Introduction Introduction It is important to deal with any issue relating to white power. It being such a youth targeted thing, and music being such a powerful force; it’s a bad combination. Music is a great way to get a point across, make something seem cool and disguise something as something it’s not. Manipulation and distortion are always at the bottom of the WP [white power] way. If they gave out too much truth, they wouldn’t be able to pull in as many as they do. So, what to do? Educate. Make peo- ple see that these people will use any means they can to achieve their aim and that the aim is most likely, everything that they believe in. I think that as time goes on, young people are getting harder and harder to fool. –Henry Rollins Rollins, formerly the singer with the seminal punk band Black Flag, is now a writer, spoken word artist, and singer for the Rollins Band. 6 7 source kit draft 6.qxd 12/17/02 4:14 PM Page 8 Introduction “White power music” evokes an image with the ideological ammunition to com- on youth culture need to become active: The fourth chapter focuses on steps the of shorn-headed shouting men sporting mit hate crimes. Since the mid-1980s young people, their parents, teachers, music industry – labels, distributors, swastikas, combat boots, and tattoos. when white power skinheads appeared bands, music industry people, and com- booking agents, and record stores can Skinheads. And while there’s some truth in the U.S., they have committed over 50 munity organizations. This handbook is take to shut down the peddlers of hate. to this stereotype, it’s not the whole murders. They are responsible for thou- intended to equip youth, parents, teach- In this chapter we also discuss the issue story by far. On the one hand, most sands of assaults, and countless acts of ers, civic leaders, and the record indus- of free speech, and how activists can skinheads aren’t racist, but rather apoliti- vandalism, mayhem and terror. In the try with tools that can be used to chal- work for change within the music industry. cal or even radically anti-racist. On the music scenes they inhabit, and in broad- lenge the threat of white power music. The appendices provide additional other, the white power message has er communities, they create a climate of Challenging the neo-Nazi presence in all resources that will help you turn it infected a variety of music subcultures, constant intimidation and violence. musical subcultures interrupts suprema- down: lists of white power bands, sym- ranging from heavy metal to folk. White cists’ recruiting efforts. What follows are Fortunately, a number of young people bols, and language. power music is an international industry some practical strategies for battling are concerned about the spread of white What is Turn It Down? with multi-million dollar sales per year. hate music. power music. They act to protect their The products are showing up on the The Turn It Down Resource Kit is music scenes as vital places where they The first chapter is a DIY (do it yourself) shelves of our local record stores with part of a larger project. Turn It Down: A celebrate, energize, find community and guide for young people looking for ways such frequency as to seem normal. The Campaign Against White Power Music appreciate artistic expressions... hate-free. to turn down white power music in their bands play venues near us, often was launched by the Center for New Acting through their schools, places of music scenes. It draws upon the experi- booked into clubs where the manage- Community, a Chicago-based organiza- worship and communities, these young ences of many musicians and fans now ment doesn’t realize the music’s core tion committed to building democratic activists are working to make sure that active in fighting racism. element of hatred. communities for justice and racial equal- organized bigotry doesn’t find a home in The second chapter deals with combat- ity. The Turn It Down Campaign This all means that white power music is their homes away from home. In this ing white power music in schools. It is responds to white power music in two now the number one recruitment and resource kit, we’ve taken a look at the specifically designed to help students, ways. First, it provides tools for educat- fundraising tool for organized white problems they’ve had, and more impor- teachers, and school administrators. ing the public. Second, the Campaign supremacist groups. Targeted subcultures tantly, we’ve mapped out their solutions. Chapter three starts with the in-depth seeks to provide accurate and straight- include hardcore, metal, darkwave, ambi- How to Use This Book story of parents whose child was recruit- forward information about the threat of ent, experimental, and folk. Under the If we are going to limit white power ed into the white power music scene white power music, its history, and its cover of “artistic freedom”, white power music’s reach and influence, we must and what they were able to do to help links to organized bigotry.