How can I make up for my racist upbringing?

Question

I grew up right outside of fabulous Las Vegas in Boulder City in the great state of Nevada. I grew up in and Aryan Nations compound with about eleven other families. We were home schooled to the standards of the Aryan Nations doctrine and covenants. We were taught to fear the world terror of the Jew.

Every morning when we would rise at 5:30 am we would all gather around the United States flag and the flag of Ayran Nations to chant a song to the popular children's tune of "This Land Is Your Land." The words would go:

The Jew is the swine of the Earth,
The Jew is the swine of the Earth,
Why would we help him destroy the world

And then we would pledge allegiance to the United States flag and say a prayer for the protection of all White people in our country.

But how can I make up for my racist upbringing?

I found a web site where you can give money to help send Jews back to Israel. Is this something that I could do to help the Jews?

Answer 1

I don't think you have to make up for it, it wasn't your fault.
The fact that you have realised it was wrong and are sorry is enough, as long as you continue to realise racism is wrong - that is fine.

Answer 2

~~~ NC ,,, You are not responsible for the actions of your parents or your childhood Role Models. Once you have had The Realization (awareness) that your education was bogus AND more importantly, that in Your Heart you harbor none of The Hate Philosophy you were taught,,, then consider THIS your Victory. If you also feel compelled, in your Heart, that you feel you must "Rally Against" the hate you were taught,,, or "Rally For" those your parents deemed evil,,, or maybe both. This is a decision you must make within yourself. If you do nothing more with your Entire Life than simply "Live The Golden Rule" and not become an Activist of any kind you will have Won. You have already broken from the bonds of the darkside, whatever path you decide to take on your own Freewill should then be one of Positivity,,,, based on love and not from an unrealistic Sense of Guilt, otherwise this would be "Doing the right thing for the Wrong Reason". I sincerely hopes this helps,,, ~~ Namaste`

Answer 3

I would say from your question you still struggle with those beliefs and what is right and wrong. Are Jewish people swine? I guess my advice is to find a Jewish person and dialogue with them. Maybe attend a synagogue service and see that we (I am Jewish) are not swine and not out to take over anything. Learn and educate yourself not only about Judaism but also all cultures and look for the positive in them all. There are bad examples of blacks, Asians, Jews, whites etc but don't focus on those. Look at the glory of black, Asian, Jewish, white etc culture and at the same time look at the problems the Nazi movement causes and the Nazi's caused.
Education and learning you can do yourself but reach out (you don't have to tell anyone why you are interested in learning) and get to know other races and religions and you will find it remarkable all the advances that people of every race and religion have contributed to the world and hate is non-productive.
As for giving to a Jewish cause, I am not one to turn down money for Israel but maybe your money would be better spent by giving to organizations that combat Neo-Nazi culture and try to educate against it. If there isn't one (I have no idea if there is or not), maybe you could start one.
Whatever you do, good luck to you in your efforts.
I also agree with the others in that I am not sure this was a real question but wanted to proceed like it was and thought the discussion it sparked would be interesting anyway.
Peace!

Note: Everyone is slamming the "Send the Jews back to Israel" quote but it is a real thing. Many Jewish people around the world would like to settle in Israel but do not have the money to move there. Russian Jews are being helped by American Jews and American Jews are also sending their money to Israeli organizations to offset the cost of new immigrants into Israeli society. I don't think anyone is suggesting sending Jews to Israel that do not want to go there. Going back to Israel is a dream of many Jews (not all).

Answer 4

I personally feel that forgiving yourself and those in that group, is the first step. Let it go now, and just send those unhappy souls love and prayers. Hate is an awful thing, but look at you now, you have overcome so much. Giving money I feel, is not the answer. Giving love and helping others with kindness, understanding, compassion and love will do more for the world than giving money. But - that is only my personal opinion. If you feel you should be sending money to a particular group, do so, but understand that you are doing it out of guilt and NOW you have nothing to feel guilty about. You have already "helped" the Jewish people by putting all that behind you and changing. Good for you you should release it all now, and go on with your life trying to be the best person you can be. THAT is what the world needs now, starting with each individual. Best wishes I really think you must be a very strong and interesting person to make such a big change in your life.

Answer 5

It is unfortunate that when people become self centered (including Jewish folks) they can become racist and oblivious to the realization that many nations share this World together and breathe in and out the air that has been "processed" by others in the past including even animals.

In my view being given a racist upbringing takes away from the peace and pleasure of tolerance, and you have perhaps already paid more than your share in seeing "others" succeed, as all nations and races and people want to succeed in doing what they do best.

It is a great blessing that you have come out of the brain washing. That tells me so much about your intellectual ability to sieve out the hate.

I am a Muslim, and although I never got any teachings of hate at home, but in the country I grew up the slant ironically used to be against the Jewish folks and I did grow up with misunderstandings, which were rectified when I came to the United States and was able to meet some "real" Jewish folks, not the "propaganda" ones that one is taught to hate. I did also notice that you got some hateful statements in the name of disagreeing with them. I hope you are not being sneaky here and are sincere, which is what one should presume in any case, unless it is proven otherwise.

Ironically many today accept the hate of the Muslims as okay, thanks to 911, which was just as apalling to many Muslims as any other decent human being.

Why send the Jews back to Israel, unless they want to go back themselves. May be you still have some desire to have them part from your land?

In my view the ideal World will be the one in which you enjoy the variety, the company of many cultures and nations and also celebrate the uniqueness of your own race, culture and people.

Utlimately if you love the Lord Most High, you see all creatures of His, great and small in love and kindness, let alone the best creature of them all, the human being, in all his glorious variety, versatility and vigor. If you love Rembrandt, you love all his paintings small or large, known and unknown.

In my view people who lack in confidence in themselves and their own abilities and the abilities of their group blame others. Most of them are usually less educated, from insecure homes and who try to find excuses for why they are not performing as well as others, when they are given the same opportunities as anyone else.

I hope I am making sense.

Answer 6

You don't have to make up for your upbringing... You had no control over the environment your were born into. As long as you realize what was wrong with your "hate" towards the Jews, or any other race for that matter, you will be fine. You don't need to give money... Although charity, of any kind is always great... If you feel that giving charity towards the Jewish organization will help you find closure, then sure. It's absolutely a good idea. But if you think that you need to do something to "Make UP" for your upbringing, then you don't.

Answer 7

Yes, you can send money to help the Jews, but don't stop there.

A song goes, "Let there be peace on Earth/And let it begin with me." Michael Jackson once sang, "I'm looking at the man in the mirror." Start with yourself. Actually, you've already started: you realize that your upbringing was wrong. Congratulations.

Pray to God about his, and talk to him openly as if you were talking to your good friend. Ask his forgiveness for any racist things you believed, and ask him to dig any racist attitudes within you. Be patient with yourself; this might take months or years. Another song says, "You've got to be carefully taught."

Start learning about what's good in other cultures. Read books by and about Jews, African-Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics, et al. Read about the Holocaust and slavery. Watch "Roots" and "Schindler's List". Heck, see "Fiddler on the Roof"!

Visit an Afr-Am church a few times, and visit a synagogue too, and a mosque. Take classes that will bring you into encounters with different kinds of people. You might even search for a church with multiracial membership, that fosters breaking down the walls of racism. Become a pen-pan or e-mail pal to someone of a different race or religion. Will I do? If so, PM me.

Peace, good luck, and God bless you much!

Answer 8

Why do you feel guilt for the stupidity and ignorance of your parents?

Make up for your racist upbringing by recognising it for what it was and by not being a racist. Make sure your children have a balanced upbringing.

If you have performed racist acts then you need to decide how you can make up for them, either to society in general, or to the specific people you committed the acts against.

Why just the Jews? What about the blacks, hispanics, Catholics and others that are the target of these hate-mongers?

If you want to help fund Jewish immigration into Israel, then go ahead. But do not do it because you feel guilty about how your parents raised you. That is their fault, not yours.

Congratulations on moving beyond the lies you were taught.

Answer 9

You could donate money, that would be nice. But the most important thing would be to keep from thinking that way and keeping your children from thinking that way. Another possibility would be to make a connection with a local Jewish group, giving a speech about the crap-tastic Aryan nation and how Jews can reach out to them, or something like that. As long as you can admit your upbringing was bad and not treat Jews like your folks wanted you to, you're doing great!

Answer 10

How sad for you to have been subjected to such an upbringing. I wonder how you got out? To be taught hate day in and day out is horrible. I think if you feel you need to do something, you should join a Christian group that fights racism of all nationalities. You don't just have to do something for the Jew, but for all people. Help teach the 'heartaches' of racism. Help people to see that all people are special, no matter their nationality or color of skin. I hope you have surrounded yourself with good, loving people. The world is already a dangerous place, we need to support each other and stop the hate.

Answer 11

Wow thats so sad that people raise their children to hate other people. God didn't create us for us to hate one another. But you had no other choice but to live the way you did, as a child we do as we are told and so forth. But you are no longer a child. You are an adult, and now you can change you should already just have it in your heart that you want to treat everyone equal, and if you can't you need to search out a high power, and that is God alone. I pray you understand that the Lord doesn't want anyone to hate anyone else, because then all you do is make an idol out what you hate, and an idol out of the ones you love, Only God should be the one to judge, only God should be glorified. I grew up in a racist home, but i knew as a child it was wrong, it always felt wrong, and well you think i'm doing what my dad did when i was a kid? No way, those he hated i love most, God Bless you