A “Former” Perspective: A Qualitative Thematic Exploration of the Disengagement Process from Violent Right Wing Extremism By Daniel Clayton Gallant B.A. (First Nations Studies), UNBC, 2011 M.S.W., UNBC, 2014 THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTERS IN SOCIAL WORK UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA MARCH 2014 © DANIEL CLAYTON GALLANT UMI Number: 1525700 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Di!ss0?t&iori P iiblist’Mlg UMI 1525700 Published by ProQuest LLC 2014. Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. 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Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 2 Table of Contents Acknowledgements.................................................................................................................. 5 Abstract......................................................................................................................................6 Preface........................................................................................................................................7 CHAPTER 1................................................................................................................................. 9 (Photo: Gallant, 2014)..............................................................................................................9 Would You Believe Me (Poem)......................................................................................................... 10 Introduction........................................................................................................................................12 M irrored Child (S tory)................................................................................................................ 12 Mirrored Child (Poem)............................................................................................................... 15 Personal History................................................................................................................................. 18 (Photo: Andrews, 2006)........................................................................................................ 18 Home Hollow-Costed (P oem )....................................................................................................20 Introduction to Healing Education................................................................................................. 21 Northern Violent Extrem ist/Terrorist Action............................................................................... 22 Research Question: Disengagement............................................................................................... 28 Definitions and Glossary................................................................................................................... 29 Glossary of Abbreviated Term s................................................................................................. 29 Definitions..................................................................................................................................... 29 First Nations Context...................................................................................................................31 Who Am I (Poem)........................................................................................................................34 Ethno-Centric-Mono-Culture (ECMC)........................................................................................35 Counter-VETA & Cultic S tudies................................................................................................. 37 Extremism...................................................................................................................................37 Right Wing...................................................................................................................................38 (Photo: Ferber, 2004)............................................................................................................ 39 F orm ers......................................................................................................................................... 40 First Nations Studies................................................................................................................... 43 De-colonization...........................................................................................................................43 Tricksters.................................................................................................................................... 45 (Photo: Botha, 2013)............................................................................................................. 45 Boundaries o f Stu d y.......................................................................................................................... 47 Race as Boundary.........................................................................................................................47 Narrative.............................................................................................................................................52 Bring Personal Story-Lessons to Political P rax is.................................................................. 52 Steady State (Poem)................................................................................................................... 55 Personal Values...........................................................................................................................55 3 Rs..............................................................................................................................................56 Humanistic Praxis (Poem)......................................................................................................... 57 Systems (Poem)..........................................................................................................................60 Theoretical Framework.................................................................................................................... 61 Personal Social W ork Practice Model...................................................................................... 61 Informing Social W ork P ractice................................................................................................61 Education: The Solution............................................................................................................. 64 Disengagement, Activism & R esearch..................................................................................... 65 P roblem ......................................................................................................................................... 69 About Hate Crime Legislation.................................................................................................... 72 W here Does Social W ork Fit In ? ............................................................................................... 72 A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant Chapter 2 Methodology............................................................................. 3 75 Preparing Research........................................................................................................................... 75 Moving into M ethodology.......................................................................................................... 75 Research D ata...............................................................................................................................77 Relationships w ith FVRWE........................................................................................................78 Ethical C onsiderations................................................................................................................82 Personal Safety........................................................................................................................... 83 Counter-Terrorism.....................................................................................................................83 Research Methodology..................................................................................................................... 87 Methodological Edgew alker...................................................................................................... 89 Decolonization and M ethodology............................................................................................ 91 P ro c ed u res/D ata/In stru m en tatio n .........................................................................................94 Discovering Data........................................................................................................................95 Engaging Thematic Approach.................................................................................................... 95 Reporting Findings.....................................................................................................................96 Figurel.l................................................................................................................................97 Socio-Cultural Rituals.................................................................................................................98 Contextualizing Literature Review as Data...............................................................................98 (Photo: Gallant, 2014)......................................................................................................... 103 Reflecting on Theoretical Scope.............................................................................................. 104 Cultural Values......................................................................................................................... 105 Socio-Cultural Artifacts........................................................................................................... 106 Analysis.................................................................................................................................... 107 Data Analysis............................................................................................................................ 107 Interpretive Analysis................................................................................................................108 Analysis Conclusion................................................................................................................. 109 Social W ork Im plications.........................................................................................................110 Methodology Conclusion................................................................................................................112 (Photo: Gallant, 2014)......................................................................................................... 114 Chapter 3 Literature Review.............................................................................................. 115 Race...................................................................................................................................................115 W hat’s w ith this ‘Indian Business', "Anyways"................................................................... 115 Racist Canada............................................................................................................................. 119 Racialization -> Racism ............................................................................................................120 Looking for Solutions............................................................................................................... 125 Social W ork Contexts o f ‘Race’ ............................................................................................... 126 Structural Social W ork and ‘Race’.......................................................................................... 127 ‘Race’ and H ealth.......................................................................................................................129 'Race' and Colonization............................................................................................................ 130 Emphasizing Colonial Contexts.............................................................................................. 133 Healing/D ecolonization...........................................................................................................137 (Photo: Gallant, 2014)......................................................................................................... 137 Cindy B. (P oem ).........................................................................................................................138 The Result: Witnesses.............................................................................................................. 138 Finding Resolve........................................................................................................................ 142 Structural Social Work Challenges to Decolonization.............................................................143 Structural Social Work School................................................................................................. 144 Inherent Challenges................................................................................................................. 148 Canadian Indigenous Human Rights........................................................................................151 Considering Oppressive Power................................................................................................152 Table 1.1. Indian Status Table............................................................................................. 154 A Letter To M atthew (P oem )..................................................................................................158 A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 4 CFCSA.......................................................................................................................................... 160 Moving Tow ards Praxis: Employing a Decolonization Perspective................................ 164 Examples of Praxis....................................................................................................................166 We Owe It..........................................................................................................................................169 Chapter 4 ............................................................................................................................... 173 (Photo: Gallant, 2014)......................................................................................................... 173 Overview........................................................................................................................................... 174 Sum m ary..................................................................................................................................... 176 Rethinking Disengagem ent......................................................................................................180 Issues of Credibility...................................................................................................................182 A utoethnography and Autobiographic N arratives............................................................. 183 Disengagem ent Research......................................................................................................... 186 Disengagem ent & Social Services........................................................................................... 187 Themes o f Disengagement.............................................................................................................189 Figure 1.2.................................................................................................................................. 190 Figure 1.3..................................................................................................................................191 Figure 1.4..................................................................................................................................192 C ontradictions........................................................................................................................... 193 Searching for Help....................................................................................................................195 Creating Resources...................................................................................................................196 Unlikely N etw orks/Individuals..............................................................................................200 E piphany/R ealization.............................................................................................................. 203 Exhaustion from Violence....................................................................................................... 204 Faith/H ope................................................................................................................................. 206 Asking for Help.......................................................................................................................... 207 M eaning/P urpose..................................................................................................................... 209 Political Activism and Intelligence S haring......................................................................... 210 Education.................................................................................................................................... 212 Kids...............................................................................................................................................214 Recommendations...........................................................................................................................215 R esearcher’s Insights................................................................................................................ 215 N orthern Responses to VRWETA........................................................................................... 217 Calling FVRWE to Research and Scholarship.............................................................................218 Experiencing Revolution..........................................................................................................219 Recom mendations relating to them es of disengagem ent.................................................220 Conclusion........................................................................................................................................ 222 (Photo: Gallant, 2014)......................................................................................................... 222 Spirit o f the Knife Returns (Story)................................................................................................224 (Photo: Gallant, 2014)......................................................................................................... 237 References................................................................................ A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There does exist a long thread o f acknowledgements o f those who have supported me throughout my healing path. I will not do justice to the many thanks to so many communities. I will, however, mention a few who have taken prominent roles within my support system while facing many challenges during my graduate studies in the School o f Social Work at the University of Northern British Columbia. I would like to acknowledge Public Safety Canada, Can-West Global Communications, Overwaitea, NBCGSS, and UNBC who helped support this research. Foremost, I want to acknowledge Dr. Ross Hoffman for his unwavering support throughout this process, which goes far beyond this thesis. Without the First Nations Studies program at UNBC I would not have had the opportunity to fulfill the important role o f a Teacher’s Assistant. In nearly every semester of my graduate studies, FNST offered me the support that most students typically receive from their respective programs. FNST has shown me that there can be family within and amongst the academy, without this program I would have quit graduate studies part way through; thank you, Dr. Hoffman for being there. I also thank my cousin Dr. Joshua Ben David Nichols, who had opened his home and family to me in support of my academic aspirations and offering strategical advisement in navigating the difficult process I was faced with. I must acknowledge the First Nations’ Centre staff at UNBC for providing me with a place to go, and to be surrounded by fun and supportive people. I also want to acknowledge the Weaving Words Aboriginal Storytelling Festival at UNBC hosted by the First Nation’s Centre for providing me with opportunities to find a writing mentor and establish relationships with writing communities beyond Prince George. My writing mentor, Garry Gottffiedson, has been there for me in a rare way, which honors my work. I acknowledge the lessons and teachings from my kohkum, Virginia Lalonde, when I was young; and her daughters, my aunties. I would like to thank my brothers Gary Moostoos and former Chief Jerry Goodswimmer for their ongoing friendship, spiritual guidance, and academic encouragement. I thank Dr. Rob Budde for sticking with my thesis committee through an arduous process; Dr. Fyre-Jean Graveline for coming in at the end o f the process and offering her thoughtful and meaningful in-depth feedback. I must also acknowledge Dr. Indrani Margolin for presenting me with the challenge to enter graduate studies at UNBC, as she indicated the School o f Social Work definitely needed to be challenged. Dr. Margolin understood what it meant to recover from historic systemic atrocity. Whereas, my supervisor, Dr. Si Transken, understood what it meant to wrestle with personal demons that stem from historic abuse; her encouragement in the beginning of this thesis process was relieving. I would also like to thank Marie Gallant for her ongoing support throughout my graduate studies. Leaving the most important acknowledgement for last, I acknowledge and thank my children and my younger brother Damien Verheyden for always making me laugh and smile. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 6 ABSTRACT In today’s society the rise of extremist/terrorist violence is an increasing threat. As a researcher, and a former violent right wing extremist, with experiential knowledge of the realistic threats posed by violent right wing extremists in Northern BC, Western Canada, and abroad; this study contributes insights into developing effective counter-extremist messaging. This autoethnographic study aligns the researcher’s personal, professional, and academic experience into a theoretical interpretive analysis that explores and identifies thematic categories within the disengagement process, found within the published stories of four separate violent right wing extremists. These identified themes reflect that there are a number of common experiences amongst the dataset, former violent white supremacists. This study also details aspects of the author’s disengagement process, which includes post-secondary education as healing, First Nations cultural influence, and the concept of decolonization. This study is a seminal induction for the concept of decolonization into counter-extremist studies. hiy-hiy A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 7 PREFACE My personal story of social change may offer others a resource that can challenge schismatic violent ideology o f the far right wing in Canada, and abroad. Violent right wing extremist/terrorist action exists around the world, and includes northern British Columbia. It is my mission to educate others about the reality o f threats that violence from the domestic extreme right do exist; while simultaneously contributing possible solutions through conversation, and resources, in order to decrease violent far right wing ideological messaging. I have transformed my personal sufferance, and the harm I have done unto others, into meaningful/purposeful work in order to help others; this is the motivation for this study. My method o f delivery includes an indigenous informed process o f storytelling and education as healing that challenges systemic and social roots aligned with the fundamentals o f schismatic and violent right wing doctrine. I hope that my journey, and the stories of these other three former violent right wing extremists, can promote counter-violent messages. By building a thematic bridge between individual former right wing extremists, I hope to contribute to the development o f a longstanding inclusive collective of “formers.” For this study I ask the question: “What themes of disengagement exist in the autobiographic stories o f former-violent-right-wing-extremists?” My selected research methodology, autoethnography, is embedded with layers o f data, interpretive analysis, and findings throughout the entire document while simultaneously creating structure for the formalities of academic writing. I am explicit in my self-identification as a cultural edgewalker; someone who does not wholly identify with any culture but walks with and through several. My thesis does challenge many aspects o f the hegemonic and schismatic nature of Canadian society, and academic institutions therein. I do not pit myself as an enemy o f anyone; rather, I am a friend and a member of the dominant class who believes that more inclusive ways of being are possible, and I hope this document is received as such. The boundaries of this study are limited implicitly by my own personal experience, and explicitly around the concept of ‘race.’ My theoretical analysis lens is derived from my organic experience, and not an intentional therapeutic process i.e. exit and deradicalization programs; there were essentially no known resources available to former right wing extremists in North America when I disengaged. Borrowing from scholars such as Viktor Frankl, Paulo Freire, Albert Memmi, Robert J. Lifton, Margaret Singer, Howard Adams, Deraid Wing Sue, Eduardo Duran, Robert Mullaly, Marie Battiste, Cindy Blackstock, and others had enabled me to find personal and social reconciliation. The actualization of transformation in my life was made possible by reconciling both theory and practice, which included my post-secondary education as healing and many cultural teachings from Canadian First Nations communities. I offer this thesis as a potential mechanism to unravel some aspects of white supremacist doctrine, and as a challenge to my fellow citizens of the dominant colonial collective and social consciousness o f Canadian society. I own my socio­ political location and do what I can to offer my story as experiential knowledge to others, especially to those from my similar social locations. I do this the best I can within this thesis document, my daily life, my media presence, and my public engagement. I am determined to teach others that my experience with racism is not extreme within Canadian society; rather, my experience is quite ‘normal’ in many regards. The resources I plan to offer in the future begin with this document. I also call out to my peers, other former violent right wing extremists, to continue pushing themselves toward a more inclusive way of being that decreases our role within the racist, hegemonic, and schismatic society we live in. We can be leaders and educators. As former overt oppressors we can teach others about the depths of right wing ideology and dogma. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 8 My story alone can offer a comprehensive example o f disengagement and a shift in paradigm; however, I wanted to offer something further that bridges me with others. The current former extremists within the Against Violent Extremist network established by Google Ideas are in process of developing an emerging culture o f “formers,” whether knowingly or not. I want to contribute to this emerging culture of former violent extremists/terrorists by challenging our collective in seminal works in order to present opportunity for our collectivity to unite under the most inclusive and humanistic way possible. Engaging theory with practice, I hope that my story o f personal and social transformation can continue to contribute to the momentum o f progressive decolonial measures that will benefit all people. Entering into an undeveloped area of study can be challenging, and as an inside(r)-researcher, I hope to contribute some unique perspectives that articulate my own disengagement process, while challenging others to consider the value o f moving beyond a mere change of behavior. My experience with disengagement includes theory, scientific research, and paradigmic shifts. Thus, I am studying themes o f disengagement through the theoretical lens of praxis, bridging practice and theory, in hopes to contribute to scholarship often written by researchers who are outsiders. My theoretical lens and interpretive analysis is based upon, and within, a lived experience of disengagement from violent right wing extremism. My process is organic and will include theories that are critical, yet offer solutions, to exclusive and schismatic designs o f our colonial North American culture(s). In the final chapter, I look at themes of disengagement from violent right wing extremism. I identify similarities between the experiences of m yself and three other former white supremacists in North America. I establish that there is a fairly long list of shared themes in each o f our disengagement processes. I do, however, generalize these themes into categorical lists in order to simplify my findings while not over simplifying. I believe it is necessary to further develop a more comprehensive categorical analysis o f these identified themes, which would most likely result in nuances that this study did not focus on. For example the identified primary theme of contradiction happens in several ways: incongruence between racist theory and daily life practice; racist stereotypes/myths and real people; stated familial values and actual racist group dynamics. These few examples will provide insights into why individuals leave violent right wing networks, while contributing a shared list o f thematic and categorical experiences. I believe these insights can contribute to developing further counter-extremist resources. Recommendations identified as the result of this study are threaded throughout the document in order to exemplify the complexity of the nature o f right wing worldview. Moreover, recommendations include the development o f resources for future former right wing extremists and scholarship that includes decolonization as practice in order to decrease perpetuation of schismatic right wing practices, while considering that perhaps violent right wing ideology and doctrine is seemingly a by-product of our colonial legacy. My story exemplifies that theory and practice can be bridged in order to create safer communities and meaningful stories to share with one another in a way that focuses on building genuine and authentic relationships upon principles such as congruence between values, words, and behavior; and integrity rooted within transparency of sharing honest assessments o f our individual and collective social locations. “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant CHAPTER 1 (Photo: Gallant, 2014) A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 10 Would You Believe Me (Poem) would you believe my disclosure would you doubt me would you discredit me if I told you I victoriously wore my victim’s blood If I told you I washed the blood off my hands would you believe I am a man I am defined by my actions I stand before you as I am I walk my path with integrity I do falter I do stray I sometimes waiver I am a man made from my experiences I am not constrained to my personal history would you believe I have a B | | up family I witnessed the brutal rape of my mother I have a mother who is mentally ill I suffered maternal molestation I was fed pharmaceutical drugs as a child to keep me calm I was beaten by an angry man at ten years old I pulled knives to survive in grade four I was thirteen with guns out I have beaten and stabbed I have shot someone I tasted the blood of past assault victims would you believe fists, steel toed boots, pepper spray, blackjacks, billy clubs, skateboards, hockey sticks, baseball bats, propane bottles, chains, shovels, pitch forks, wrenches, hammers, axes, lumber, stools, beer bottles, glass mugs, whiskey bottles, frying pans, rocks and vehicles...1 am sure there are more A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant would you believe I left home at twelve I set up a chop shop at thirteen I stole cars with another guy I was hospitalized for suicidal attempts at fourteen I spent years in juvy I listened to child molestation on a reserve I was not allowed to do anything about it I used to peddle drugs as a kid in the skids of east Van I hitchhiked at least 50,000 kms by twenty would you believe I had contracted a blood disease I am a rare case of defeating the virus I even dumped the anti-bodies I am reincarnated I am told I am Cree without genealogical lineage I have Cree family to prove it would you believe my mother is drug addicted, my father too, he died before my birth, she married my father’s boss, my father’s drug dealer, he killed my father would you believe I was a racist skinhead I spoke some Cree too I committed numerous hate crimes I induced brain damage I possibly killed people I worked for organized crime in a bar I was a drug addict I was an alcoholic I had sex in alleys, squats and other dirty places A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 12 would you believe I was a father at fifteen I was a father in my twenties I have three who call me “dad” I am clean and sober I have been for more than a decade now I have a university degree I worked as an addictions counselor I instructed at university I managed group homes I made successfiil human rights complaint I am a writer I am a poet would you believe my disclosure would you doubt me would you discredit me if I told you I victoriously wore my victim’s blood if I told you I washed the blood off my hands Introduction “Self-discovery in a cultural sense is intimately related to understanding others” ~ (p. 34, Chang, 2008) Life for me began when I was able to connect with someone in a meaningful way. The following story relays that experience, of when I first connected to family and society. Mirrored Child (Story) My life of hate began as a boy, from incidents of child abuse to life on the streets. The Down Town East Side of Vancouver was a breeding ground for violence and hate when I was younger. Hate that I carried for years to follow. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 13 Leaving street-life while employed by organized crime led to a darker path. In the mid­ nineties, I moved away from Vancouver after nearly becoming the first person charged in BC with a violent hate crime. I retreated to northeastern BC, the beautiful Peace River district, when I was in my early twenties. I carried a network of hate and violence everywhere. Bridging hate networks from the south to the east, and to the north. I had introduced many youth to extremist networks and contributed to fueling their hearts with hate. This included a northern BC man who lived in Prince George and now has been recently released from prison after multiple convictions for explosives. All in the name of hate. There were three major events in my life which transpired and initiated my process of liberation, and freedom from a life of hate. First, there was the 9/11 tragedy. I was convinced that a race war was about to erupt. I believed that the twin towers were the world’s most powerful financial institution operated and controlled by ‘Zionists’. I began to prepare for the race war, as I watched the towers crumble. I ensured that all the weapons I had cached in the hills were ready for war. I gathered enough provisions and weaponry for a small army. Informing my associates to prepare for war. As the information came out that 9/11 was not at the hand of white supremacists, others and I were disappointed. However, the extremists who were responsible for this act of terrorism operate on the same fundamentals. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 14 I began to question the ‘movements’ dedication to a race war. I spoke to several extremist organization leaders in my network of hate. Most people in the network seemed to be avoiding the opportunity for war. This was my first epiphany that led to my exit. The ‘movement’ was a fallacy. It was shortly after this that my second epiphany came to fruition. Presented with childhood flashbacks of repressed memories, the term crisis became very apparent. I have never gone through something so torturous as I had experienced after those memories revealed horrific scenes from my childhood. In hindsight those memories were a metaphysical breath offered to my inner being. Awakening my spirit, which had been drowned in hate, a breath that led to a path of redemption. The third epiphany was the birth of my last child, my son. All of my previous children were girls. I loved each and every one of them the best way that I could. Unable to reach inside of myself to a depth that permitted true love and humanistic connection, the girls were fatherless. I was detached with anger, hate and rage. The day my son was bom August 11, 2002, a profound realization came. The creation of a world filled with pain and violence for my children’s future. This boy, the savior son, was bom into my reality. I wanted to protect him from the pain ahead. He was not going to endure a childhood of abuse. His tiny body was a reflection of my own being. He was my mirrored child, representative of my re-birth. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 15 If I did not change my hateful ways and my addiction to drugs, alcohol, and violence then this boy would surely be led down a similar path. I did not want to be responsible for destroying a little boy, my son, as had been done to me. I did not want to live in an abusive world any longer, and the only thing left to do was prevent the cycle from consuming him. I hated life and all of the pain endured. There were dreams of a good life for my children. But the path to achieve these dreams was not apparent, as the doctrine of the ‘movement’ once promised. Mirrored Child (Poem) (for Kieron Gallant) familiar sadness spiraled inward sneaking smiles index logical wit freckled essence of ancestors splattered chiseled features of a lively boy demeanor displayed through daily interaction ancient respect offers delicate soft requests fervor anticipates emotional swells erupt advice sought from fathers, grandfathers and men you are soft surrounded by women dimpled giggles with protective eyes small toned Celtic warrior reminisces pent energy needed direction your natures images reflected you stand mirrored in my eyes A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 16 After seeing myself reflected in my son’s tiny body, my last ultra-violent incident occurred. I beat an aboriginal man with a hatchet. For the first time I experienced guilt in a way that I had never felt before. There was no alternative but to turn myself in. Once again I knew this life of hate could not continue. For the next several years a process of change led to my pathway of liberation. But before freedom there were feelings of brokenness, being shattered, and hopelessness. I had finally quit drugs and alcohol. Then after a few months of self-harm and fighting with others, while sober, a decision was made to seek help. I attended a men’s residential addiction treatment center. After a couple of months I was prepared to leave the treatment program. A counselor made a suggestion to me, for my continued path of hope and recovery, from a life of hate. He informed me that he saw my intelligence, but there was a problem. I was filled with hate and right-wing extremist doctrine. He suggested that my best route to recovery was through attending a social work program. He indicated that social work would challenge my belief structure in a logical manner. I followed his suggestions, as there were no other viable options for healing. I then began college with a grade seven education. This initiated my life after hate. I am a university graduate with a degree in First Nations Studies (Indigenous Studies), while currently working on a Master’s degree in Social Work, hence this thesis. I am a A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant y] successful anti-racist activist. My work includes having initiated several interventions, which includes exposing a white supremacist bombing, preventing hate group recruitment, and facilitating presentations to youth, professionals, post-secondary institutions, law enforcement and public events that educate people about racism, hate groups, and the realistic threat of right wing extremism in western Canada. I have recently submitted a manuscript of poetry that outlines aspects of my journey. Writing saved my life. Ever since the age of fourteen years poetry has been my lifeline. My first manuscript is offered to honor those who have helped me on my healing path which has included academics, professionals, community members, the red road, twelve step groups, and my fellow global citizens. My first publication was in partnership with my writing mentor, an aboriginal poet named Garry Gottfriedson. In my professional life I have worked as an addictions counselor, group home manager, researcher, and child advocate. I have many more roles in the community that are fulfilled on this travelled path of social justice. I do this work to respect all human life in a network of hope, diversity and compassion. I consider myself, and my path, a miracle to have the opportunity to live life-after-hate. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant Personal History (Photo: Andrews, 2006) A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant jg As a ‘white’ Canadian native, I was bom into an inherent position of social privilege. However, I was marginalized by Canadian social workers, law enforcement, schools, employers, and government due to my identifiable social class as an impoverished youth, who was perceived by many to be counter-cultural. I was a homeless child who had suffered domestic child abuse. I had been subjected to demeaning attitudes of professionals and practitioners who seemed to scrutinize and have expectations of me that surpassed my ability and/or willingness due to my personal experience of chronic trauma. Since I did not grow up in ‘normal’ contexts of Canadian mainstream society, I often had professionals think that ‘something’ was wrong with me. This is the result of those professionals’ biases, which are bound by personality and interpretation; they overlooked or just did not investigate why I was actually acting out. Nonetheless, I was bom ‘white’ and being bom into the Ethno-Centric-Mono-Culture (ECMC) inherently offers me socio-political privilege (Sue, 2003; Bishop, 2002). I experienced child abuse, sexual abuse, witnessing sexual violence, and neglect, which has lead me to believe that these social facts are indeed ‘normal’ in Canadian society. Just as my experience within Canadian culture tells me that racism is also ‘normal’ in Canada. When we look at the experience of both indigenous and nonindigenous peoples we see that our dominant society is both racist and abusive towards both indigenous and non-indigenous peoples, especially children. This, in my opinion, is atrocity. Child sexual abuse was commonplace in residential schools. Most of the homeless children I was on the streets with were sexual abuse victims. Many of my First Nations friends I had as a youth were also sexually abused. Most kids I had ever became friends A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 20 with were either physically and/or sexually abused as well, at least those who confided in me. Just as my perception and experience with, child abuse tells me it is ‘normal,’ I also claim that my learned racist beliefs that became a focalized extremist political paradigm was derived from the normative perspective of the Canadian ECMC. Home Hollow-Costed (Poem) home hollow-cost-ed dark grey clouds loom childhood-genocidal trenches mudded screams bottom of stairs deep basements clay entombed hate-breeds-loss child-hood-for-gets death looms depreciation of humanity wails let me go released through demise childhood forgotten until unplanned reminiscence reminded survivors exist genocide fades into halls and rooms housed hollow-cost-ed children cry red blood stoned dried hearts eaten, gone, no more child weeps, at bottom of hollow-cost-ed stares A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 21 Introduction to Healing Education As I reached adulthood I was engaged in organized crime, gang activity, criminality, and right wing extremism. These experiences brought me to a place in life that was dark. As a result of these experiences, later in life I sought some relief from my stress through attempting to access community resources. In most instances this was a futile attempt. I was turned away by several counselors and agencies, which had even declined services to me. One of the services I successfully accessed was a residential addictions treatment center in the lower mainland area, at age twenty-six. It was there that a counselor suggested that I seek post-secondary education in order to challenge my conspiratory-racist-belief structure. He assured me that in seeking a post-secondary education, I would find healing in an engaging and humanistic process that would foster nurturing and support for my own benefit. When I discovered there were no other alternative healing models and/or resources available to me that would substitute the recommended direction offered to me by my counselor, I was left with only one option. That is when I decided to attend post­ secondary education. I was encouraged by this counselor to seek an educational path in social work. Even though I only had a grade seven elementary school education I was accepted into a social service work diploma program. It was this experience that affected the beginning of profound change in my life. The theories and critical thinking approaches were not offered in social work classes, but were offered in criminology, psychology, and sociology courses. These classes were a part of the social service worker program I was enrolled in. Through post-secondary education I discovered a myriad of social science A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 22 theories and practices that contributed to my personal liberation process from a racist extreme right wing paradigm. The fact that I attended school merely for the intent and purpose of higher learning and/or higher consciousness enabled me to engage with concepts, theories, and information in a meaningful way that did challenge my belief structures. Ten years later, I completed my undergraduate degree in First Nations Studies and now this graduate social work thesis. I have reached a point where I can now say that I have achieved a form and degree of liberation praxis. Not that long ago these were merely concepts that I was learning about, which have now become an organic manifestation of praxis. I have disengaged from extremist action, which included connections with two separate domestic terrorists. One of whom I recruited into the white supremacist movement. Northern Violent Extremist/Terrorist Action I had close relations with two separate convicted bombers in northern BC and Alberta: ‘eco-terrorist’ Wiebo Ludwig and Peter Anthony Houston. Both men manufactured and planted bombs in northern BC and Alberta on several occasions (Trumpener, 2009; PG Citizen, 2010; PG FreePress, 2011; Nikoforuk, 2002). Both of these individuals had their reasons for the bombings they were convicted for; although the crown was not completely forthcoming about the motivation, even considering my testimony as a witness for one trial (Andrew, 2006). For whatever reason, the crown deemed it appropriate to give Peter a ‘slap on the wrist’ and not address the ViolentRight-Wing-Extremist (VRWE) motivation. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 23 Although Peter and Wiebo had differing political motivations from one another, they both shared similar ideological/political worldviews that aligned with right wing views of the ECMC, and my past political views as an openly VRWE and neo-Nazi skinhead. One of the northern BC bombers, Peter Houston, was motivated by his racial hatred, as he and I had conversation about his first bombing, which he was charged and convicted for (Archer, 2004; Andrews, 2006; Trumpener, 2009). I spent a lot of time working on recruiting the young man, Peter, into the VRWE network I was linked to. I supplied him with literature, music and networks/connections (Archer, 2004; Andrews, 2006). Peter has been convicted twice while living in Prince George for explosive manufacturing and possession of explosives (Trumpener, 2009; Prince George Citizen, 2010; PG Free Press, 2011). I have been very public about my role and involvement with Peter Houston (Archer, 2004; Andrews, 2006; Gallant, 2010). I had first met him at the Northern Lights College in Dawson Creek where I was taking a trucking course in 1997. After about a year of us talking, he was attending College of New Caledonia in Prince George, BC. I supplied Peter with literature and music from the white supremacist doctrine while he lived in the dormitories at the College of New Caledonia. He concocted the idea to blow up Indian Band Halls all over northern BC (Archer, 2004; Andrews, 2006; Gallant, 2010). He told me that he planned to carry this out. After listening to many of my ‘soap-boxed’ speeches about engaging in a racial holy war (rahowa) Peter Houston was excited to make his explosive mark in the name of A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 24 the white supremacist cause (Archer, 2004; Andrews, 2006; Gallant, 2010). When Peter had told me, during the height of my involvement in the white-supremacist-movement, that he had planted a bomb I became paranoid and believed that he was an RCMP or CSIS informant. I believed that he was attempting to get information out of me about the bombings perpetrated by Wiebo Ludwig, the prominent northern BC ‘eco-terrorist’ (Archer, 2004; Andrews, 2006; Gallant, 2010). I was paranoid at that time of my life due to the cloudiness of my thinking onset by childhood trauma, substance abuse, and the half-baked conspiracy theories I was indoctrinated with from white supremacist literature/music. When Peter had told me that he had planted a bomb in northern BC, I became increasingly paranoid. I told him not to contact me again. I pushed the young man out of my social circle, and the bombing went unsolved for nearly a decade, until I came forward years after my leaving the white supremacist movement (Archer, 2004; Andrews, 2006). Luckily no one had been injured in the failed bombing (Trumpener, 2009). Years later after my personal transformation, my life-after-hate, I called the RCMP and informed them of the past bombing (Andrews, 2006; Archer, 2004; Gallant, 2010). My decision to come forward was the result of the lessons I received in several Cree language courses at the University of Alberta, and from my experiences after the third Lakota sweat lodge I attended just outside of Edmonton, Alberta. I spoke to media about these incidents at the request of several media sources who had learned about the situation (Andrews, 2006; Archer, 2004). Moreover, in 2010 Peter had since been convicted for a second explosives incident in a residential area in Prince George (Prince George Citizen, 2010; PG Free Press, 2011). A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 25 I had many discussions with Wiebo Ludwig, and his sons, about why it was important to take a stance against the corporate oil and gas industry. Wiebo and his family experienced capitalistic marginalization/oppression from the incessant greed of a nation addicted to fossil fuels. The Ludwig’s home was being poisoned by oil and gas companies through flare stacks, which even reportedly resulted in the death of livestock and one of Wiebo’s grandchildren, Abel-Ryan-Ludwig, who was still-born (Nikoforuk, 2002). I was familiar with the aspects of what the Ludwig’s had experienced, as my family was similarly exposed to a toxic waste dump on my parents’ property in Northern BC (Nichols et. A1 1998; Rose, 1993a; Rose, 1993b). Although these two northern bombers had very different motivations, both individuals were actually ideologically linked to the racist doctrine I distributed and preached. Both men were openly conservatively Christian. I had many conversations with both of these convicted bombers. I had several conversations about a ‘Jewish’, ‘ZionistOccupied-Govemment (ZOG) conspiracy,’ that was allegedly attempting to gain control of the ‘white-race’ with both of them. We had many discussions about Christianity and the rhetoric of Christian Identity dogma. Christian Identity is explained as a racialized interpretation of Christian doctrine that perpetuates racism and anti-Semitism (Meeink, F. & Roy, J. M. 2009; Leyden, 2008; Daniels, 1997; Daniels, 2009; Simi & Futrell, 2010; SPLC, 2013). In my experience, both of these convicted bombers had similar right wing political motives while both were still different in their understanding of the right wing contexts; however, both individuals employed VRWE viewpoints birthed from a dogmatic doctrine of racist Christianity. Both believed they were engaging in a war that A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 26 was prompted by racial/ethnic influence meant to ‘oppress whites’ that was initiated by ZOG against the ‘white race’. Both, like me, adopted the half-baked conspiracy theories ofZOG. The motivating factor for coming forth about my connections to Peter Houston was due to the direct lessons, realizations, and epiphanies I was gifted through Cree and Lakota ceremony/language teachings. I have followed directionalities from Cree culture, ceremony, and people that have synthesized aspects of decolonization in their lives. They are my role models and colleagues. It is my educational path that has led me to where I am today. If it were not for my social work education I would not be where I am today. Therefore, I owe the social work profession everything I can offer, much like I owe Cree culture and academia for providing me with opportunities for change and transformation. The Cree culture has been steadfast throughout my entire life. My kohkum and aunties would see me around; no matter how violent I was, they let me know that they loved me. The lessons they taught me and the respect they received even from the most violent men I had ever met stuck with me. The role of women in Cree culture was ingrained in me throughout my childhood years. I grew up going to kohkum’s house, and the love I received was freely given. She attempted to reach out to me while I was entrenched in white supremacy and ultra-violence. I ignored her the best I could. The memory of smells of tanned hides, dry meat, and burning braids of sweet grass smudge always reminded me of the things she taught me when I was a boy: not to hurt people. When anger enters your home you smudge. I was taught by her to honor my spirit and to be watchful that those with mean spirits may contaminate me. I ignored this and became one of the most violent people I A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 27 have ever known. Kohkum and my aunties, her daughters, never rejected nor condemned me. They offered me what I now understand to be inherent cultural value found in Cree, language, and ceremony. A full circle. The influence of praxis of empathy, compassion and love from the Moberly Lake community, which was primarily conducted through the Elder and Matriarch kohkum (Grandmother), Virginia Lalonde, and my aunties (Virginia’s daughters) who have shown me nothing but love and acceptance no matter what. Also my Cree brothers Gary Moostoos and former Chief Jerry Goodswimmer who have offered me cultural advisement, teachings, and love. I was a part of Cree healing circles that were facilitated by Enoch Elder Leonard Cardinal, Prince George Metis Elder Earl Henderson, and consistent prayer facilitation and my healing relationship with Dr. Ross Hoffman the chair of the First Nations Studies program at UNBC. Dr. Hoffman has a deep understanding and experience similar to mine in many regards, and has been fundamental in my maintenance and ongoing practice of Cree Culture. I could continue on a list of my Cree family, friends, and support circles but effectively this point has been made. Mention of Richard Van Kamp and Cree Elder Louise Halfe must not go without mention in ongoing Cree and First Nations lessons. Both of these indigenous wriers have provided me with supportive words and editorial direction; Louise went further and did manuscript edits for me. Lastly, former Small-boys Camp teacher, educator, and poet my Secwepemc brother Garry Gottfriedson who have given me the ability to do this work and to persevere while facing adversity. Garry also taught me how to sharpen my creative words like a blade to educate my peers, fellows, and nechi. All of these people have taught me A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 28 about true healing medicine, and relationships. I hope to offer social work some further considerations, especially those working with First Nations. Research Question: Disengagement I have disengaged from violent-right-wing-extremist/terrorist-action (VRWETA). When I reflect on my personal story I see lessons that could potentially be offered to other Former-Right-Wing-Extremist(s) (FRWE), and to most Canadians, or the ECMC. This study revolves around and interacts with this research question: What themes of “disengagement” exist in the autobiographic stories of former-violentright-wing-extremists? This study is informed and anchored in my own personal experience but includes the experiences of three other FVRWE. The research question will be explored through my own personal experiential lens of post-secondary information and scholarly work as it pertains to my own disengagement, involvement, and learning from First Nations cultural teachings and through story as writing as one of my healing tools. My own story of disengagement includes post-secondary school, including my graduate studies, and my involvement in First Nations cultural communities. As indicated by Dr. John Horgan (2009) few studies have been done on desistance/disengagement from political extremism, I am providing this element of research into scholarship on disengagement from VRWETA, especially from a personal trajectory and experience. Three key concepts found within my study are: a) my personal experience/story with disengagement as a lens of analysis A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 29 b) my cultural edge-walking in Canadian society that includes First Nations cultural groups, the dominant Canadian society, the academy, violent right wing extremism, and social work c) establishing a seminal thematic identification of themes found in disengagement from violent right wing extremism. Definitions and Glossary Glossary o f Abbreviated Terms ECMC: Ethno-Centric-Mono-Culture NA: North America FVE: Former Violent Extremist FRWE: Former Right Wing Extremist FVRWE: Former Violent Right Wing Extremist RWE: Right Wing Extremism VE: Violent Extremism VRWE: Violent Right Wing Extremism VETA: Violent Extremist/Terrorist Action VRWETA: Violent Right Wing Extremist/Terrorist Action Definitions This thesis will use the terms right-wing-extremists (RWE) and violent-rightwing-extremist (VRWE) interchangeably while putting emphasis on a particular term to specify the possible differentiation between the two terms. Not all RWE engage in violent-right-wing-extremist/terrorist-action (VRWETA); however, all adhere to an epistemological and/or ontological structure/function that employ the categorical A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 30 designation as being extremist/supremacist. We know that white supremacists form both gangs and political organizations (Bjorgo, 1997; Simi, Smith, & Reeser, 2008; Blazak, 2001 & 2009; Simi, 2006). Whether or not violence is used, both terms reflect extremist thought, while the latter specifically refers to the use of violence. In addition the term violent-extremist (VE) will be used to refer to the larger generalized population of extremists, not specifying doctrine or ideology. According to Berlet (Ferber, 2004) scholars and researchers usually differentiate VRWE from the mainstream right wing politics in North America (NA). It is necessary to differentiate these contexts in order to demonstrate the differences amongst the right wing continuum (2004). For this study I will differentiate terms from the right wing extremist dynamic. I will also be separating the definitions of the VRWE and the right wing EthnoCentric-Mono-Culture (ECMC). However, my emphasis is that there exists a commonality, and both the extreme right and the ECMC share the maintenance of hegemonic schismatic design (Freire, 1991; Bishop, 2002; Sue, 2003; Mullaly, 2007; Mullaly, 2010). Often the terms terrorist and VE will be used, seemingly, interchangeably; however, these terms are differentiated in definition. For this study I will refer to violentextremist/terrorist-action (VETA) to include both VE and terrorists together in order to not have to contextualize the nuances of these dimensions of public safety threats for the sake of this document. VE is a person who uses violence beyond the normative cultural context of the dominant socio-political culture; while understanding that the dominant cultural group could be an oppressive force in some applications, but not for the sake of this research. Canada is legislated as a multi-cultural nation. Thus, VRWETA will not A “Former’s” Perspective Daniei Gallant ^1 include social policies such as the Indian Act, and the Child Family Community Service Act (CFCSA, 1996), that could be determined as extremist in contrast to Canadian contemporary multi-cultural policies. For this study the scope of contexts relating to VRWETA action is confined to NA. This assists to eliminate the potential consideration of misconstruing that First Nations who act as stewards of the land, and who have legal oppositions to industrialization of resources in their respective territories, to be identified as engaging VETA. Moreover, the terms VE and terrorist are differentiated by the implied definition of contemporary context of a ‘terrorist’ in discursive discourse and popular culture stereotypes. Terrorist will be utilized to categorize those VE who include military and para-military action, e.g. explosives and bombs. First Nations Context The terms colonizer and oppressor will be used interchangeably throughout this text. This is due to the theoretical framework I am applying to this study. This engages with Sue’s (2003) concept of ECMC as defined in the following pages. The use of oppressor/oppressed will be derived from Freire’s (1990) work. Albert Memmi’s (1965) work will contribute the defined terms colonizer/colonized. These terms are used in a timeless nature, since the historic colonial platform that established Canadian society still continues to perpetrate systemic colonial agendas against indigenous peoples (Adams, 1989; A.H.F., 2008; Cardinal, 1969; Harris, 2006; Indian Act, 2012; Lawrence & Dua, 2011). Systemic racism, apartheid, still exists in Canada. This is exemplified by the point that the supreme court of Canada has approved the complaints against the government on behalf of First Nations advocacy groups pertaining to child protection/welfare A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 32 (FNCFCSC, 2013a) and comments by Hon. Murray Sinclair (CTV, 2012). Establishing that Canadian society is inherently colonialist and racist will be further substantiated throughout the literature review. References to healing through decolonization and liberation are just as applicable to the oppressed/colonized populations, as liberation and healing are applicable to the colonizers/oppressors. All FVRWE are from the dominant class of NA society, which includes myself and others who are situated and rooted within the ECMC. The idea of integrating healing through decolonization, and opposing oppressive government actions and policies is not a new phenomenon. Since Europeans have colonized indigenous lands in NA there has been a consistent resistance to the superiority complex of the European colonizers from indigenous leaders (Lawrence & Dua, 2011). To contextualize these colonial dimensions of Canadian society we must first address terminology. When referring to Canadian indigenous peoples there are several terms that will be utilized. Indians will be defined as those who hold Indian citizenship as prescribed through the Indian Act (2012). The term Indian is different than the term indian: indian is used in context of indigenous communities, [ijndian country is often a term of self identification typically used by those classified as Indian citizens. Those who identify as indian may simultaneously be identified as Indian through apartheid, racist policy; the capitalization of the word Indian comes from Indian Act (2012). The un-capitalized form of the word comes from indian country and indian literature, which is sometimes used by indigenous writers and amongst those in Canadian indian country. This context could be argued from several points as being an extension of colonization or internalized A “Former's” Perspective Daniel Gallant 33 colonization, but for purposes of this thesis I will be using the language from the territory that I am a part of. Aboriginal, First Nations, indigenous, and first people(s) will be used in context to avoid repetition, and to maintain the cultural and referential context to particular academic discourses, legalistic jargon, and (self) identification, while avoiding utilizing colonial assigned references that tend to pan-indigenize, like Indian or Native American. Terms used in American discourse such as Native American, American Indians, and Ameri-Indians will be avoided where possible. I do refer to myself as a native Canadian, which simply means I was bom in Canada and does not indicate that I am of biological aboriginal descent. However, I am Cree-Saulteau, this is substantiated by Cree and Saulteau communities who identify me as family. My kohkum told me that the consideration of DNA and ‘blood-lines’ are the ‘white-mans’ way and not the indian way. The indian way is to love and maintain relationships with those we identify as family, even when we are far from home. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 34 Who Am I (Poem) Cree descent nehiyawewin through meaningful cultural influence of teachings offered by relations biological ties only socially constructed constricted emphasis irish-scots dominate english fractions while gaelics reinforced biological determinism allied Wales’ veins niya ohci my location, Canadian mosaic’d melts molten rocks potted slow cooked identities mine, meaningful Cree accepted everywhere indian country amisk-waci-waskahagan beaver-hill-house cipay-sipiy, ghost-river dances on spirit-river lakes foot, twinned sisters land remembers Further avoidance of pan-indigenization will be achieved through references to particular cultural groups and or nations. For instance, Cree and Saulteau are a specific reference to the cultural/language group of the Cree and/or Saulteau people, some of the cultural groups that I identify with. These cultural connections have been central in my disengagement process from VRWETA. Moreover, Lakota and Secwepemc cultures have also been instrumental and pivotal in my disengagement, education, and healing as well. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 35 Since I had left home at the age of twelve, Cree has been the most influential culture in my life, other than the dominating and abusive ECMC and VRWETA culture. Later in life, post-disengagement, Cree culture was there to breathe life into my being. Moreover, Cree individuals have had a large influence on the indigenous healing movement in Canada (Hoffman, 2006; Hoffman, 2010). I maintain unique perspective built upon my experience based within indigenous cultural influence, violent ideology of the ECMC, and VRWE. I believe my story can offer some valuable transformative lessons to most people in the ECMC of NA. Ethno-Centric-Mono-Culture (ECMC) When considering concepts relating to racism, social policy, and structural perspectives of racialization, and Canadian apartheid policies; Deraid Wing Sue (2003) offers a framework and lens that includes an in-depth critical analysis and solution focused process to move away from maintaining archaic social values and structures. Several First Nations scholars from Canada and the United States will compliment Sue’s insights presented throughout this thesis. Deraid Wing Sue’s (2003) book, Overcoming Our Racism, provides a platform to understand how NA society is inherently racist. Privilege exists for specific racialized groups, namely white male privilege, which sits at the apex of socio-political privilege in NA. These privileges are physical, social, economic and political. These privileges come at the cost of injustice served onto other identifiable groups. One group is privileged and the ‘othered’ group(s) are marginalized, if not overtly and blatantly oppressed/colonized. When a society is separated into racial groups the marginalized group faces racial A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 35 discrimination. This includes loss of rights and privileges, or the outright refusal/denial of rights and privilege (2003). In Canada there are arguable dynamics in context to contemporary society like the concept of multiculturalism (Sue, 2003). Sue indicates that since continuous immigration is a social fact in NA, this can arguably change the socio-political context of white supremacist social structures that do exist. Sue argues that a more in-depth look would show that white supremacy does still exist. However, in order to maintain a simplistic argument that won’t turn most common people off, Sue confers that NA culture is not in simple terms white supremacist, as most people understand the term. The influx of visible minorities/immigrants adapts and adopts current laws and social norms voluntarily when they become citizens of NA. This creates a platform that Sue refers to as a mono-culture. The immigrant populations are absorbed into the dominant society by choice, and become a force of the mono-culture. Sue indicates that the mono-culture itself has racial socio-political privileges that surrender to the white male privilege apex. There are still glass ceilings that exist for racialized and genderized groups within the mono-culture, along with other forms of schism. Sue also boldly states that after immigrating to NA immigrants are absorbed into the ECMC (Sue, 2003). According to Sue (2003) First Nations peoples are the most racialized, marginalized and oppressed racial group in NA. Sue states, “unless you are the indigenous peoples of this land, you benefit from the past injustices of those who took the land from the early inhabitants” (p. 141, 2003). These injustices can be attributed to a “.. .noteworthy and powerful example of White Supremacy was the manifest destiny A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 37 argument in the 1840s: all land owned by Native Americans was decreed by God to belong to White people” (p. 141, 2003). Counter-VETA & Cultic Studies Extremism Extremism is defined as any action(s) and advocacy that goes beyond the social norm (Bisset, 2000). Extremism is further defined, for this study, by traditional-westemcolonial oppressive dimensions such as: patriarchy, racism, sexism and other schismatic attributes that are oppressive in nature. These attributes are politically positioned within a hegemonic culture and socio-political infra-structure (Bishop, 2002; Mullaly, 2010; Sue, 2003). These dimensional attributes are seen throughout right wing doctrine (Simi & Futrell, 2010; Daniels, 1997 & 2009), but are also found within the social fabric of NA; even in spite of the policy differences between Canada and the USA (Sue, 2003; Mullaly, 2010; Bishop, 2002). This contextual definition of extremism is included within the general use of extremism because it contravenes the nature of NA policies on human rights, social justice, and undermines the philosophy of the mosaic of multi-cultural principle, as seen in Canadian society. For this research, extremism will be defined as a paradigm that intends to undermine, and contrasts with, the multi-cultural and human rights policies that serve as a central and primary direction for the social mandate of Canadian life/society. Homeland Security (2009) indicates that right wing extremism is on the rise; this is partially attributed to socio-economic difficulties (Ryan & Leeson, 2011; Homeland Security, 2009). A Homeland Security’s (2009) intelligence report states that violent right wing extremists are targeting government facilities, law enforcement officers, A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 3g infrastructure sectors, and banks. These acts include a major increase in bombings. The rise of homegrown VRWETA bombings are increasing, in fact, most bombings in the USA are perpetrated by VRWE. In addition, VRWE skinheads are learning warfare tactics within the American army; war vets from recent combats in the Middle East regions are joining ranks with VRWE groups and networks (Homeland Security, 2009; Leyden, 2008). In Canada we can see that the military has had a wealth of troubles with the presence of neo-Nazis in the military, so severely that the airborne regiment was disbanded (Kinsella, 2001). Thus, it could be perceived that within military contexts there is reason to be concerned. Right Wing I will be defining right wing as a relatively contextualized generalization of an ideological position rooted in racism, white supremacy, patriarchy and anti-Semitism that is found within Right-Wing-Extremist (RWE) doctrine, within the colonial history of the Americas. Moreover, the definition of right wing will be utilized in context of Sue’s (2003) conceptualization of ECMC; this term can be seen as a more subtle and acculturated interpretation of the right wing agenda, than that of RWE doctrine. Right wing can be found in the socio-political dynamics, and historic policies, of NA society. Thus, right wing can be used to describe the general context of NA social consciousness, which synthesizes and/or reflects the directionality of RWE doctrine. Right wing will be utilized to describe the schismatically oppressive dimensions of NA society/culture when contextualized with paradigmic alignments or oppressive/colonial dimensions. When right wing is used on its own throughout this text, I refer to the more subtle contexts of the ECMC. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 39 As Berlet & Lyons (as cited Ferber, 2004) show in the following figure we see that the right wing is broke up into three categorical sections: Conservative right, dissident right, and extreme right. My use of right wing is attached to the conservative right; RWE is reference to the dissident right; VRWE is anchored to the extreme right category, which is also bridged to add three categories presented by Berlet & Lyons (2000). This picture below reflects the fact that there is a continuum of right wing in NA, but also indicates that there are ideological differences and nuances amongst the right wing (Berlet & Lyons, 2000; Ferber, 2004). According to Smith (1994) right wing extremism refers to a constellation and network of groups that express sentiments that are anti-government and counter-cultural to humanistic and inclusionary social policies. Politicians uacnons LagisMon ComwrvaUv* Right MofflHnifllid MM W A.B n1 riny ntpm cn sn -— rounoMKjfl FadataM aOONljr Mavaisafils ■" Patricia &Armad/ mam I Racist SSkintisadi PoaaaComriami CMatfan Wao% C do Inctifeito Amartean InaMuls F lf, 1.1 Adapted from Right-Wing Populism in America (Berlet and l*m s. 2000) (Photo: Ferber, 2004) A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 40 Formers The definition offormer needs to be in constant interaction with the following concepts in order to understand and engage with how formers should be described in relation to their disengagement from extremist action. If formers are going to be accessible as consultants for media, government, law enforcement, social services, and take roles as public figures there needs to be an exploration to further establish a standardized prescription of the term former and to the degree that each individual’s disengagement has manifested/actualized/transcended. This is necessary in my opinion due to the inception of Against Violent Extremism (AVE, 2013), and its affiliates who intend to bring Former-Violent-Extremists (FVE) into dialogues pertaining to counter­ terrorism, public safety, and education. For the scope of this research I define the term former as a person who has established long-standing disengagement from RWE in a credible and meaningful manner, which can include a combination of these following concepts: o Disengagement from RWE can mean many things (Bjorgo & Horgan, 2009; Dechesne, 2011; Horgan & Braddock, 2010). Essentially disengagement is defined and quantified by the omitance of extremist behavior. I will be using the term disengagement to articulate the point that the FVRWE in this study have stopped VRWETA. According to Bjorgo and Horgan (2009), the bottom line is that behavioral disengagement is far more important than radical cognitive transformations in order to create a climate of cessation of extremism that results in further public safety/health. In accordance with my proposition, A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 4 ^ the formers identified in this study could be prescribed with other definitions relative to the disengagement process following analysis of FVRWE autobiographies, such as de-radicalization. The following definitions are established frameworks relevant to the disengagement process. These terms may synthesize and add a more appropriate understanding of the depth of change these individual FVRWE go through. It is necessary to define the difference between the two terms in order to contextualize the differentiation between disengagement and de-radicalization. Bjorgo and Horgan (2009) indicate that disengagement is a part of the identified phases of VETA. Disengagement can, but does not always, lead to de-radicalization. o De-radicalization-. As indicated by Dechesne (2011) disengagement is very different than de-radicalization. De-radicalization is more aligned to the internal shift of paradigm that can transpire after or during the disengagement process. The cognitive change from extremist thought is referred to as de-radicalization. Whereas, disengagement speaks to stopping VETA (2011). o Exit: De-radicalization and disengagement can be aligned with the concept of exit. Exiting is a term that exists within cultic-studies. Margaret Singer (2003) discusses exiting as the process of disengaging from cultic groups/dynamics. Exiting is further prescribed as the process experienced through Singer’s framework that offers counseling insights in a clinical regard, which aligns with deprogramming. The process of exit can include A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 42 deprogramming (Singer, 2003). Often within academic discourse and research exit is joined into the discussions about VETA. o Deprogramming: Robert J. Lifton (1989) and Margaret Singer (2003) discuss the concept of deprogramming. Deprogramming can transpire in formal and informal clinical environments. It engages with the cognitive entanglement of the psyche’s experience of being covertly indoctrinated by cults, and/or cultic groups/dynamics (Singer, 2003 & Lifton, 1989). Deprogramming has been an important aspect of the exit/disengagement process for many former cult members (Singer, 2003). My personal experience with deprogramming exists largely within criminology, sociology, First Nations Studies, and social work education, in conjunction with cultic studies. Deprogramming can be done voluntarily or through forced confinement, as seen in the 1980s. Families responded to the up rise of the ‘Moonies’ cult by kidnapping their family members and taking them away from the cult. Then deprogramming methods were used on the people wooed by the cult. According to Singer, RWE groups can be prescribed as cult(s) (2003). Political cults do exist as long as they meet the criteria established by Lifton’s (1989), Scheins’s (Lifton, 1989; Singer, 2003), and Singer’s (2003) frameworks, which are used to identify a group as a cult, or cultic. The above list will pertain to all the FVRWE in this study, including myself. These terms disengagement, de-radicalization, deprogramming, and exit can be used to analyze A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 43 particular cases to determine where a particular FVRWE may be situated. However, this study will not be utilizing these terms for the purpose of prescribing or diagnosing status of disengagement. I feel it is important to identify that there are several directions that this particular research can be taken. Moreover, I encourage research to be done that measures FVRWE, and other FVE, locations on the continuum of healing from VRWE. First Nations Studies It is my hope that these following definitions can be brought into dialogues pertaining to counter-terrorist/extremist disengagement. Perhaps, even included within the options of disengagement/exit processes from VRWE doctrine. The theoretical contexts could be developed to not only benefit FVRWE, but could contribute to the body of knowledge that will challenge the ECMC of NA society. Thus, these insights can also benefit general NA society, more particularly inform the professional social work culture of yet another dynamic of oppressive history within social work; this will be elaborated on within the literature review. The roots of this schismatic design are deeply entrenched within the Canadian collective social consciousness. De-colonization The context of decolonization will be introduced into counter-extremist/terrorist discourse through this study. The literature on decolonization has contributed to challenging my worldview and has invited me to un-leam the inherent racism of the ECMC that I was taught. In my experience scholarship on aspects of decolonization offered a substantial insight that challenged my right wing worldview. In conjunction with the other theoretical dimensions of my applied lens, which is presented in latter sections, assisted and supported my ability to unravel the inherently racist teachings I A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 44 learned from dominant society. Due to the potential threat that counter­ extremism/terrorism poses against ethnic groups that maybe targeted by government and law enforcement, which includes First Nations communities, I believe it is important to bring decolonization into scholarship on counter-violent-extremism/terrorism. My location as a FVRWE and researcher enables me to initiate bridge building between First Nations Studies through my experiential learning of un-leaming racism from the ECMC. Decolonization can be an accessible resource for FVRWE seeking deradicalization, or further de-radicalization. This is substantiated through my own experience as a FVRWE. I have discovered through my personal healing, disengagement, de-radicalization, and decolonization journey that there are accessible forms of disengagement from VETA that one can seek out. The definition of decolonization is a process that NA indigenous and non-indigenous peoples can participate in that will critically consider the potential role of First Nations people within the dominant oppressive culture, ECMC, which maintains privilege at the cost of injustices and continuous impositions upon First Nations peoples, culture, and land (Sue, 2003). Although education about decolonization is only the beginning of the decolonization process, it can be a valuable critical tool for RWE seeking to substantiate and further engage in deeper disengagement processes. Decolonization can be used on the conceptual platform of ECMC as a challenge to right wing colonial oppressive roles in society. This concept was introduced to me through First Nations Studies, by scholars like Marie Battiste (2000), Eduardo Duran (2006), and Willie Ermine (2007). Sue (2003), Viktor Frankl (1946), Paulo Freire (1971), A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 45 and Albert Memmi (1965) will also be brought into the theoretical context utilized in my personal transformation as it relates to my disengagement process. These scholars discuss theory and story, which synthesizes teachings and values I have maintained through relationships with many people who have attained degrees of decolonization. Some of these people will be mentioned within AEG context and narratives throughout this work. These people have taught me to allow my own personal transformations to evolve into accessible teachings for others. Decolonization came to me through lessons I learned from the coyote/raven. Tricksters (Photo: Botha, 2013) A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 45 We are informed by Fyre-Jean Graveline (2004) and Joanne Archibald (2008) that coyote/trickster are defined as a cultural representation, often seen in animal form as coyote and in other contexts identified as the raven. Sometimes the trickster takes shapeshifting forms. Essentially all of these dynamics locate the coyote/raven/trickster in a position to offer lessons to people, and to all dimensional aspects of natural life, through playing tricks, creating confusion, and offering transformational opportunities for people/spirits to learn from. Sometimes these are lessons involving the physical world, while other times they can be metaphysical lessons as well (Graveline, 2004; Archibald, 2008). Within the contextual meta-physical lesson(s) we can consider that through the method of traditional First Nations her-sXory (Mother-Earth), which inherently offer teachings of discovering positive lessons in/from bad situations; the role of the coyote/raven can be seen through an indigenous lens when looking at FVRWE. The transformational state of the human condition is represented in the coyote/raven. I will exemplify this through my published/unpublished autobiographic narrative excerpts I include in this thesis. The coyote/raven actually has been walking with me throughout my whole life, literally and figuratively. Coyote/raven will visit throughout this thesis in a manner that will signify narratives lessons that have been pivotal to my socio-cultural locations, as further explained within the methodology section. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 47 Boundaries o f Study Race as Boundary This study intends to situate the researcher in cultural context(s). As indicated to me by a well-known scholar, namely Pete Simi who studies VRWE groups and individuals, I was encouraged to state that this study stays within boundaries of NA. I applied this boundary to this study because comparing European VRWE and NA-VRWE can be problematic due to a lack of studies and scholarship on the cultural differences/similarities between Europe and NA VRWE groups/networks. Moreover, this study focuses on the concept of race, while keeping in mind there are many other schismatic dimensions and intersections from the extreme right, and ECMC. I will be including contexts relating to social work practice in Canada, both historically and contemporarily. Social work contexts exist in relation to the disengagement process from VRWE through my organic experience, which will be explained in more detail with the methodology and literature review sections. I will build upon a structural social work lens to encourage practice that includes less oppressive action against indigenous peoples. I will also be looking to multi-disciplinary sources for my theoretical framework and literature review; both of these thesis sections are rooted in my personal healing journey throughout my post-secondary education. Throughout the context of education as healing, and social work, the main cultural connection that I am examining is two-fold. First, is my cultural connection to dominant Canadian society as presented in this study can be viewed and is declared to be an oppressive colonial agent of First Nations peoples. Secondly, the new cultural emergence of Former Violent Right wing Extremists) (FVRWE) in North America (NA), who are A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 48 stepping into public forums as promoters of healing, compassion, and anti-violent ways of being. My disengagement is directly linked to First Nations cultural influence and post-secondary education that does include a BA in First Nations Studies. The fact that First Nations culture has influenced my social transformation and education leads me to include the indigenous contexts of aboriginality, and influence therein, results in what some would consider a focalized context. The focus on First Nations contexts does not negate, nor does it explore, the depths of challenges that other identifiable groups deal with as a result of violent right wing extremism. My connections to First Nations’ culture(s) are tethered by personal experience and social network ties. Autoethnography (AEG) and its subjective contingent of my lived experience is central to this work. As a former violent-right-wing-extremist (FVRWE) my disengagement and social transformation has been encouraged, influenced, and challenged by First Nations community members. The individuals that have played a part in my change are mentioned throughout this work and emphasized in the methodology chapter. Moreover, my social change has resulted in backlash and resistance from institutions and individuals who feel I have personally attacked them and their professional roles i.e. social workers. That is not the intent. However, as indicated by scholars within dominant society, ECMC, may be resistant to progressive ideas and scholarly work if it challenges the privilege of those within the schismatic structure and function ofNA society (Bishop, 2002; Sue, 2003; William-White, 2011; Freire, 1990; Perry, 2001; Perry, 2010). Given that I am from the ‘north’ and have historic ties to First Nations groups within the north and abroad, this research does envelope many layers that would A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 49 seemingly challenge the dominant colonial culture of society and professional institutions. That is not always an easy job. As Sue (2003) indicates that those in the ECMC who are entrenched in identity and belief that they are not oppressive will experience cognitive dissonance when presented with the type of information I am offering; other scholars speak about this resistance from citizens within the dominant culture as well (Bishop, 2002; William-White, 2011; Freire,1990; Perry, 2001; Perry, 2008; Perry, 2010; York, 1999). Although I am culturally tied to social work, the academy, Canadian ECMC, and First Nations cultural groups, I am also linked to the emerging culture of Former-ViolentRight-Wing-Extremists (FVRWE). The emerging culture of FVRWE is the primary cultural tie that I identify with and situated within for this study (Chang, 2008; Chang, 2013). However, to state explicitly, I do not wholly belong nor identify in totality with any cultural group. I am culturally tied to First Nations cultural groups and simultaneously to the dominant colonial Canadian ECMC. The interwoven nature of my cultural identity is referred to as a cultural edgewalker (Chang, 2008). Law, academics, and general contexts of Social Work define Canadian culture for this study. I am considered an edge-walker due to my inter/multi-cultural networks. I do not wholly identify with any particular cultural group but do identify wholly as a Canadian Citizen; I was bom into the ECMC. I intend to situate myself in this study as the cultural anchor that ties me to each of these separate cultural contexts. I believe that there is a reciprocal learning opportunity between First Nations peoples, the colonialsettler population with the ECMC, education, social work, and FVRWE. I also believe that my study will provide options for pedagogical considerations and resistance to the A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 50 schismatic design of Canadian society. I believe that the collective experience of disengagement from VRWE provides society with an opportunity to understand that social change is very real and possible on an individual and collective level. Through my lived experience and the stories of other FVRWEI hope to offer a resource of consideration to government, researchers, social workers, mainstream society, and other FVRWE to consider that even though we as a collective/individual(s) have made amazing social advancements we can still actualize further anti-oppressive actions. We can critically assess our socio-political position even though as FVRWE we have made monumental changes. There is no reason to stop with the work that we embody. We can and should remain teachers and learners at the same time. We, as FVRWE, offer valuable insights into the human condition in relation to healing and transformation. This is what we, FVRWE, need to share collectively with our society, the ECMC, in order to contribute to furthering progressive and transformative ways of being in a schismatic society. The scope of contexts relating to the oppressively schismatic colonial design of NA society specifically focuses on the socially constructed conceptualization of race as a mechanism of differentiation, de-personalization, and de-humanization. All too often racism is one of the most noticeable and prominent forms of identifiable oppression that is wielded to differentiate, marginalize, colonize, and oppress ‘other’ ‘racial’ groups. I acknowledge that many other forms of oppression exist. The focus of this thesis will specifically maintain boundaries around the schismatic use of race, racialization, and racism. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 51 It may appear that I focus on the impacts of racial hatred towards First Nations and not violence committed against other identifiable minority groups and oppressed peoples/groups. I explicitly state that my personal hate crimes included abuse towards many groups and did not target specifically First Nations peoples; rather I abused many people (Global, 2013). As I am well informed on the depths of anti-Semitism and racial prejudice that does occur through many socio-political intersections in Canada and USA, I do not include a focus on these dynamics as there is a plethora of scholarly work on these dimensions of society. This study is intended to draw on my organic, and real, experience as it was recognized through discursive discourse and my own memory; this study is not assessing, analyzing, nor focusing on the dangers or damage caused by hate crimes, hate groups, or hate mongers. This study explicitly involves the disengagement process from VRWETA. I do give background on VRWETA within the northern BC region in order to articulate why this research is necessary within northern and remote locations. Again, this study is specifically intended to articulate aspects of my personal disengagement from VRWETA, which does include northern contexts of actions of hate primarily against First Nations peoples in the north as this dimension of my past hate crimes is explicitly tied to my disengagement process. In my findings section the theme unlikely networks of oppressed and marginalized peoples act as catalysts in each and every story of the FVRWE in this study. In my own case it was primarily First Nations people/communities that were unlikely networks that served as a catalyst for change in my life. Due to the fact that First Nations peoples were the primary catalyst agent for my transformation, this is the context that is focused on, as it is central to my experiential A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 52 learning. AEG methodology allows me to draw on my lived experience for the purpose of this study. It is not my intention to minimize, nor disregard the impacts of hate in any region against any identifiable group. It is not my intention to imply that First Nations are more abused by VRWETA than any other group. It is my intention to articulate that First Nations peoples have experienced horrendous atrocities, which benefit the ECMC at the cost of injustices served upon indigenous peoples. The profound impact that First Nations groups/people have had on my disengagement process results in my focus on First Nations contexts in order to exemplify how VRWE are not necessarily monsters, but rather are products of their socio-political environments within North American contexts. Two out of the four FVRWE in this study do identify themes of epiphany/realization of First Nations issues and dynamics of ECMC as an ongoing social justice issue (Michaels, 2010; Gallant, 2012a; Gallant, 2012b; Gallant, 2012d; Gallant, 2012f; Gallant, 2013d). Narrative Bring Personal Story-Lessons to Political Praxis Considering my experience as a marginalized street youth, acknowledgement must be given to the time that I spent on Indian reserve(s) as a child. Since my birth I have spent time at the Saulteau Nation (2013) and West Moberly Nation (2013), which includes Cree-Saulteau-Dene cultural/language groups, in northeastern BC. I was considered, and still am considered, as family by many people in these territories. To me they are more than family, they are my community. The acceptance, compassion, empathy, love, and out right respect I have received brings me to a speechlessness and in surmountable degree of gratitude, and love, for my Cree-Saulteau-Dene family; nechi. I A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 53 have abused several people from this territory with my past racial hatred; yet, I am offered a home and relational tie and grounding to a place, people, and language. My Cree family had culturally adopted me before my birth. A cultural adoption means that a cultural group that is not confined or restricted by the dominant colonial imposed biological exclusivity found in the Indian Act considers me family. My Cree family taught me what love and family means, and feels like. They are my family and they let me know that often. In my young adult life when engaged with the white supremacist movement, I did violate the trust and dynamics of these sacred relationships. I was even violent and harmed many of these community and family members. I had stabbed, beaten, unlawfully confined, and attempted to kill indigenous peoples from northern BC, I did the same in other regions of Western Canada as well. I have engaged with healing directions that I have received from Elders, like my kohkum and my aunties in Chetwynd, BC. These were lessons of healing and forgiveness for me. I now offer my praxis of liberation and disengagement to society in the direction of relationship building, bridging between oppressed/colonized and oppressors/colonizers. I was invited to eat dinner to eat with men and women from the community; several of the men that were there had been in battle with me in the past. We had exchanged stab wounds, Molotov cocktails, kidnapping, torture, assaults, and assassination attempt(s) on my life. The elders in the community called me to a dinner. I was concerned for my safety, but trusted the process, and the matriarch system. This matriarchal community listens and do what the grandmothers say. One thing I know about indian country is that men typically respect, listen, and heavily consider what a A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 54 matriarch says. This was a teaching offered to me by men in the community many years ago. I was told, “as men we listen to kohkum and the other women”. The result was reparation with my Cree-Saulteau family. We ate, laughed, and went boating together. I have taken my lessons from ceremony, Cree language/culture, academics, and worked these lessons into my personal and professional life. In this situation I came to understand that those I battled with in the past were still very much like me. I was welcomed home. Even the man who stabbed me welcomed me home. This nechi had tried to kill me on two occasions. These attempts were in response to my violent attacks against indigenous people motivated by racism, and then justified/excused by other dysfunctional reasoning. He was retaliating against my racial hatred, which in hindsight was a bold and justified action. I was abused in the past. Then I became a violent abuser. Once I became old enough to harness power through violence I responded to people’s attempts to control me with violence. This later translated into an obsessive-compulsive need to control my social environments through fear, intimidation, and violence. Those behaviors shaped my identity. Now I live free from these oppressive colonial shackles of the ECMC in a manner that has allowed me to disengage from VRWETA and other violent behavior. I have a lot more personal development to achieve. I have a lot to learn and so does the dominant culture. I willingly walk a path of liberation and my life work includes creating conversations with the dominant society relating to these lessons. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 55 Steady State (Poem) Systems theory. Law. History. Philosophy. Race relations. Principled living. Anti­ oppression. Education. Liberation discourse. Gender studies. Structural functionalism. Criminology. Sociology. Religion. Power dynamics. 3 Rs. Rebel. Resist. Revolt. Steady state of the legal normative. Defined status quo. Dictates. Imposes mono-cultural equilibrium. Inflicted condemnation. Towards ‘others’. Those oppositional/antithetical. ‘Others’. Being defined. Identified. Antithetical. Counter-culture. Reflects dichotomous imposition. Normalized collective consciousness. Meta-proximations. Socio-politicalinfra-structures. Dictation. Oppressive pedagogical banking systems. Indicative two. Paternalistic structures. Legal confines-shackled-enslaved. Human’s state. Nature. Criminalized. Counter-cultural element. Derived demonic. Demonism oppositional. Antithetical. AntiChrist. Anarchistic. Demon devolved. Personal Values Personal values that I maintain and emphasize are congruence, integrity, and transparency. The context of congruence is that my values, my words, and my behaviors/actions line up as much as possible. This results in the establishment of integrity through my way of being. Thus, transparency is imperative throughout this process and calls for honesty and direct communication of my intent and motive for my actions. This transparency serves as a bearing for others, as well for my own socio­ political bearing. Living in this way establishes a foundation for self-assessment that keeps me in check. My behavior, emotional responses, and physiological responses to people, places, and things had to be consciously inventoried on a consistent basis in order to establish and maintain a conscious identity reform. In this process of actualizing these three concepts the results equate to transcendence of meta-physical contexts. I had to rely on myself to establish a safe world for my children and the safety of the general public. I A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 56 continued to establish personal and social esteem in relation to public safety, by engaging in praxis of these following three concepts. 3 Rs Education can be offered in a manner that is transformative, dialogical, humanistic, creative, and fosters personal praxis. The practice of these concepts has been integrated with a more philosophical incorporation of the dynamics of rebellion, resistance, and revolution. Albert Camus (1991) defines these three terms in a manner that is congruent to an integral path of my transparency. Camus defines rebellion as an act that resists a situation or thing that one intuitively, or consciously, understands to be some sort of threat to morality, and thus engages in a behavior that pushes away ‘status quo’ normative impositions from the larger social context. Resistance is standing against and refusing to partake in processes that are counter-intuitive, and/or counter-active, to one’s way of being. Revolution is described as a process of a complete cycle of transformation or overturning of power. Incorporated in these definitions is a potential for existential praxis that synthesizes the concept of social justice (Camus, 1991). In my experience and perspective the three R's universally align congruence, transparency, and integrity. I believe that society could progressively benefit by including these concepts throughout the global community, which is largely influenced by colonialism and capitalism. Moreover, specific cultural groups, like professional social work, could benefit from application of these concepts as guiding principles when paralleled with the overarching concept of social justice. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 57 I describe this model as my organic liberation process. I have incorporated this into my personal, professional, and political life. I believe that the fact that this process has been proven to be effective in my personal life, it could also be developed and offered as a curriculum resource for social work students, practitioners, policy makers, FVRWE/FVE, and to the general population who may be interested in examining and minimizing their oppressive ECMC roles in NA society, and possibly other British colonies. My hope is to develop and embed these concepts into story form for my doctorate. This thesis is a stepping-stone in my future educational path. We can teach our children to create a world with safer spaces. Moving away from a society built upon epistemically violent underpinnings and superiority complexes and contributing to liberation processes is the intent of this study. Humanistic Praxis (Poem) what is a revolution? a circular transformation revolution is a full cycle a complete change typically in regards to some type of institution systemic damaging, colonial and oppressive institutions can exist in the mind internalization introspection reveals imperialist cognition dualistic collisions racialization separates institutionalization A “Former’s” Perspective racialization has been a tool of oppressors for centuries after century de-humanizing de-personalizing and 'othering'-groups racialization is only one vehicle driven through minds of children, families destroying communities oppression linguistic-assimilation prohibition of culture and education programs setup to take away volition while replacing it with mind control these are the tactics of the oppressor taking an attribute such as skin color and designating a social-racial-hierarchy is a trick of the alleged ‘elite’ making us humans unequal by differentiating us is a way to establish and maintain a power base within our society we have a society that favors some groups while demonizing marginalizing, colonizing and oppressing Daniel Gallant 58 A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant other groups we call this civilized privileged groups are privileged at the cost of injustices served to the 'othered' this is not right this is wrong to be anti-racist is a human position concerned with all people gender, class, so-called-dis-ability, race and ethnicity power-over tactics differentiating oppressive-intersectionalities separate us as people in order to pit us against one another a tactic of the mechanical system of oppression as seen in colonization of indigenous lands racialization and racism are tools meant to employ empowerment only for the privileged rebel, resist, revolutionize through compassion understand empathy through experiential relations between each other together diversified collectively cohesive adhering to mosaics encouraging and nurturing growth, development and most importantly A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant sharing with one another thorough transparency allows for honest integrity built on congruence of our values our words our actions solidarity and through creativity the human experience is what we make it transforming ourselves transcending our congruence values to words to action in-life-organic protest mechanical institutions a complete creative change a full cycle we live-embodied a revolution Systems (Poem) system of theory theory of systems systematic, systems, systemic sympathetic steady states steady states do not negate systematic impoverished, forgotten lost children steady states learning institutes, privilege economy focused rug rats get jobs go to school, push systems through steady states abuse, rape, crying, bruised children normalized threshold-household violence take it to systemic streets violent systems control necessity 60 Daniel Gallant A “Former’s” Perspective 61 Theoretical Framework The framework of this thesis is built upon my organic lived experience, which incorporates social cohesion, collectivity, and solidarity of social justice while acknowledging social issues through a structural lens. Personal Social Work Practice Model My personal perspectives impact my professional position on theory and social work practice models. Fook (as cited by Payne, 2005) indicates that putting names to things in order to explain and understand practice is useful. If I was to label this conceptual framework that has manifested through my lived experience of realization and liberation, I would describe it through a descriptive creative amalgamation as a: structural anti-colonial indigenized critique o f the ethno-centric-mono-culture through an organic anarchic semi-progressive-socialist approach, informed by transformative existential meaning/purpose on a pathway to liberation through my ontological vocation o f praxis situated within decolonization as socio-political psycho-educational healing journey that inherently challenges the profession o f social work and Canadian society. Informing Social Work Practice When one is grounded by existential meaning/purpose it becomes less of a burden to resist, or feel controlled by legislation and law as often seen in the social work profession. The role of social workers facilitated in acts of genocide, like the 60s Scoop, conflict and contradict with the values and declared by social work ethics (Barker, 1999; CTV, 2012; York, 1999). Oppressive laws have resulted in cultural assimilation, genocide, ethnocide systemic racism, and segregation of indigenous people, both historic A “Former's” Perspective Daniel Gallant 62 and contemporarily (Cardinal, 1969; Neu & Thierrien, 2003; A.H.F. 2008; Sue, 2003; Joffre, 2010; Harper, 2009). If a social worker finds meaning/purpose through vocation, this can create an existential crisis. Especially if it is compounded by cognitive dissonance as explained by Sue (2003) in context to racism/oppression/colonization; when one believes their role is not racist, and in spite of the factual and logical information coming in, rejects and spins into a state of denial (2003). Should a social work practitioner be in the profession to demonstrate and engage with actualizing their internal meaning/purpose, then that practitioner avoids existential vacuums and thus establishes existential liberation praxis through solidifying anti-oppressive theory/approaches through pragmatic practice. Recently a human rights complaint has been brought forward against the federal government for its treatment of aboriginal children that is connected to the social work profession (FNCFCSC, 2005). Principles of social justice could supersede over capitalist mandates, if social workers got together to contest continuation of colonization. This could assist in establishing a network of practitioners who put people, place, and principle over profits and guiding mandates and legislation that perpetuate putting profit before people and place (FNCFCSC, 2005). Taking the oppressive social work history and transforming it into a social justice meaning/purpose; much like how I as a FVRWE have done, could benefit society. Eduardo Duran (2006) offers a therapeutic practice model, which can be incorporated into many settings. Duran’s work compliments Frankl’s modality by offering extra insights of cognitive resolve to existential crisis through decolonization. Duran’s modality is contextually structural. Although this approach, referred to as A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 63 hybridism, is attributed as being a form of decolonization the operating concept of this work has a definitive structural application. Duran focuses on the individual’s internalization of systemic colonization and/or oppression against indigenous peoples in order to be effective in cognitive treatment processes. Duran includes aspects of psycho­ social educational components for treatment in context to finding resolution of impacts of the internalization of colonization/oppression for indigenous peoples. According to Duran, the non-indigenous practitioner must have a working knowledge and praxis of minimizing one’s own involvement within contemporary forms of capitalist colonization and/or oppression. Practitioners must be aware of their colonial oppressive roles within NA-ECMC. Duran indicates when a non-indigenous practitioner is aware, open, and transparent about their oppressive colonial presence they could prove to be a very important, and invaluable, asset to service users. This type of work can be facilitated in virtually any geographic and cultural context (2006). Incorporating a practice-based approach as an example of how transformative pedagogy can be drawn into social work practice could be exemplified through the work of Eduardo Duran (2006), Viktor Frankl (1946), and Paulo Freire (1970). Although none of these scholars are social workers they are individuals who have been trail blazing an in-depth understanding(s) of concepts relating to contexts of the ECMC, and contextual aspects of decolonization as healing. In these practitioners’ work there does exist a relationship between theory and practice that can be considered praxis. These are gaps that have been identified and referenced as approaches to structural social work as described by Robert Mullaly (2007 & 2010). The lives of these scholars have manifested an organic embodiment of the theoretical context of these particular frameworks and A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 54 approaches to healing. It is important to emphasize that scholarly work based upon human experience is necessary. This could be described, in my words, as a necessary collective experiential consciousness that has emerged through dialogical praxis of contemporary society. Moving beyond the mere utilization of therapeutic tools both of these practitioners, which actualize and transcend theoretical knowledge into tangible forms is surely what these seminal practitioners hoped for. Essentially their theoretical understanding(s) have contributed to their personal, professional/academic growth, development, and healing. Now their work has helped me. I echo these authors’ work and request that FVRWE, social work educators, practitioners, and ECMC consider these humanistic healing mechanisms for the benefit of our social collectivity, and social evolution that is built upon concepts such as human rights, multi-culturalism, and now decolonization. These contributions are both practical, and include the contextual concepts of liberation praxis. Freire’s work is more theoretical, but also includes praxis as he establishes in his book Pedagogy o f the Heart (2000). Education: The Solution “The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education” -Albert Einstein The institutionalization of racialization, which results in oppression, is indeed an example of Paulo Freire’s (1970) explanation of what a mechanical oppressor is, and does. Freire explains that contemporary educational systems are in fact oppressive. Since it is oppressive, it is mechanical. Freire explains that education is set up on what he calls an educational banking process. In this process the students’ job is to synthesize the A “Former's” Perspective Daniel Gallant 55 information received by the oppressive teacher/institution, then to ‘regurgitate’ the information back to the teacher in a particular imposed manner. It is not the students’ job to think outside of the context of the mandated information provided by the teacher who reports back to the institution (1970). As Paulo Freire (1970) offers his theory, he reminds us that education shapes culture. Encouraging a pedagogical shift to include a humanistic dialogical praxis would definitively shift the contemporary socio-political system(s). Thus, to see a true revolution within our educational systems, we must re-design and employ a pedagogical praxis of dialogical Cultural Revolution through the redesigning oppressive education systems (Freire, 1970). Moreover, Battiste (et al., 2000) confer that re-designing the culture of education through a form of decolonization, or indigenization, through the inclusion of pedagogical shifts would surely change society. Ermine’s (2007) explanation that creating ethical spaces for epistemological variances between colonial society and indigenous peoples, makes room for consideration of bridging these two seemingly colliding worldviews. Duran’s (2006) therapeutic model could then be applied in social context of moving from a divided psyche of the colonial mind and the indigenous mind and instead of trying to cancel out one or the other to synthesize both aspects of self into a hybridized harmonious synthesization. Disengagement, Activism & Research My personal experience with paradigm transformation includes a post-secondary education; hence, my enthusiasm with writing this thesis. I had entered college with a grade seven education. I was introduced to many poignant scholarly articles and books during my post-secondary-education that brought me to embody and actualize my path of A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant gg disengagement and liberation. It became clear to me over the last decade that there are no accessible supports, processes, resources, and/or information for those exiting ideologically violent Right Wing Extremist (RWE) groups. Due to challenges that I faced with locating counselors, therapists, and/or social work practitioners who could effectively work with me; locating a connection between VETA disengagement and social work practice seems to be a logical step for me. In my recovery process I have found counselors and other practitioners, who either self-reportedly or indirectly communicated that they lacked a professional skillset to work with me due to the intensity, degree, and frequency of my violent tendencies. Practitioners have reported to be apprehensive due to their own personal fear pertaining to clinically disclosed VRWETA that I had expressed in summaries of my traumatic history. Thus, I am motivated to establish and contribute to paving roads of recovery avenues for others. Informing both FRWE and practitioners of the themes drawn out of personal experiences, in this thesis, will potentially offer insights that may otherwise not be included within discussions about VRWETA in NA. I have personally worked with active VRWE and FVRWE, both in therapeutic dynamics and in more personal capacities as well. These combined experiences provide me with the ability to explore and articulate issues pertaining to VRWETA that may offer some insight for further development into the study of VETA disengagement, by policy makers and researchers. Bjorgo and Horgan (2009) have articulated the need for this direction, which brings current academic rational for my research topic. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 67 Bjorgo (in Bjorgo & Horgan, 2009) argues that the “main task.. .is to explore the experiences and circumstances which motivate individuals to quit, and what obstacles are there to leaving the group” (p. 12). Cronin (in Bjorgo & Horgan, 2009) indicates that understanding disengagement at the collective level by “using past experience to understand these processes of how terrorist organizations decline.. .policy-makers may, with an eye to the end, be better equipped to effectively manage current threats” (p. 12). Moreover, Bjorgo and Horgan state that “lessons learned from the various disengagement programmes described and assessed in the volume, addressing the potential and usefulness as well as the limitations and problems of promoting disengagement as part of a policy package against terrorism” (p. 13, 2009). Given my public work as an anti-racist/anti-violence activist in western Canada, scholars remind me that there are activist platforms that work and/or do not work in response to VRWE groups/individuals in NA contexts. Though an activist may have an intended motivating determination for their work, the outcomes do not always transpire as anticipated. For instance, Lisa Legault (2011) indicates that countering VRWE is necessary; however realizing actuary responses are necessary in order to create effective initiatives. Legault’s work indicates that aggressive anti-racism activism only creates an intensified level of strain on RWE engaged in VE. Aggressive campaigns against these groups result in unintended counter-intuitive outcomes. Typically aggressive anti-racist strategies latently result in perpetuating an increase of VRWETA action, which is not the intended purpose of the fore mentioned anti-racist strategies (2011). In light of these insights from Legault’s research, which seems to reach beyond the grassroots level of A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 58 activism, I hope to sharpen the intention of my public work to synthesize more productive measures of my anti-hate/violence work. In addition to Legault’s (2011) insights, Garland & Simi (2011) tell us that during an influx of VRWETA, anti-racist activists advocated vigorously against hate groups/crime. An aggressive civil litigation campaign was launched by the Southern Poverty Law Center in order to respond to VRWE groups. Their work focused on civilly suing these VRWE groups in order to bankrupt their organizations, in hopes to decrease VRWETA and propaganda. This resulted in strain, and a perceived victimization of VRWE. The result was that more subversive and underground VRWE and criminality emerged in seemingly less structured fashions. The unintended results of this anti-racist campaign strategy resulted in an emergence of reinforcing troublesome VRWETA. This resulted in the increase of VRWETA by individuals and smaller VRWE groups/cells (2011). These insights also provide an explanation as to why research is a formidable tool for offering resources to VRWE who may consider disengagement from extremist/terrorist lifestyles. According to Horgan (2009), research on disengagement from VETA seems to be a logical direction. Providing the voice of FVRWE may promote change to those involved in VRWETA, informing VRWE of how and where to go for help, if/when they want ‘out’. Having a relational and accessible network of support, resources, and services may employ the promotion of hope within the violent cultural dynamic of RWE. As Horgan (2008) explains, VETA cultures are dynamic in their structure/function. This is further reflected in Horgan’s identification that disengagement is a phase of VETA and not separate from (2008). A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 59 Bjorgo & Horgan (2009), and Simi & Futrell (2010), would confer that VRWE cultures are not static and are as dynamic as any other cultural element. Thus, providing me with hope that others may aspire to disengage and de-radicalize from VRWETA. Horgan (2009) explains that there is a need for researchers to explore through qualitative research what motivates FVE to disengage. Audrey Kurth Cronin (2009) agrees and explains that not only individual FVE experiences need to be explored, but also research of the collective FVETA. This could explain the recent formation of accessible social networks of FVE such as Against Violent Extremism (AVE), Life-after-hate (Lah), and Kindness Not Weakness (KNW). Perhaps this social network was established to provide opportunities for exploration on disengagement. Problem Situating the context of this study within NA will be achieved in several ways. VRWETA is a threat posed against the fundamentals of contemporary NA. My situating this study in NA stems from two separate reasons. Primarily FVRWE are participating in establishing a FVE culture globally. The latter reason is that the scope of the healing spectrum relating to the disengagement process from VRWETA is rooted in my personal lived experience. This includes a critical structural analysis of NA society as it relates to colonial contexts due to my experiential knowledge. Moreover, this study maintains the NA context due to the prevalence of media attention of FVRWE, and the push to have FVRWE included in discussions with research, federal governments, policy makers, and other political forums by groups like AVE social network. The AVE and one of its affiliated NGOs, Lah, exemplify how FVRWE are entering the public sector as a new cultural collective in NA. As a member and proponent of this emerging culture, I intend A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 70 to create a scholarly and public discourse pertaining to the role of FVRWE and the process of disengagement from the perspective of VRWE. We know that hate crimes are on the rise over the last decade (Dauvergne, Scrim, & Brennan, 2006). We also know that hate crimes, in America, are not typically committed by hate groups (Ryan & Leeson, 2011). We also know that hate crimes against indigenous people do happen but are not researched and go virtually unreported (Perry, 2008). We are informed that VETA poses a greater threat than criminalized hate crimes because of the extreme violence utilized within what we contemporarily define as VETA (Bjorgo & Horgan, 2009). Bombings, mass murders, and other forms of VETA create a larger impact of fear within communities than more common crimes. This creates a sense of urgency pertaining to VETA, as opposed to hate crimes (2009). This is not to claim that hate crimes do not create a sense of moral panic and fear, but since hate crimes are not necessarily connected to hate groups in the majority of incidents we cannot blame VRWE for these crimes. We know the violent tendencies of VRWETA exceed the intensity of a common criminal hate crime(s), which result in greater degrees of public fear (Bjorgo & Horgan, 2009). Frank Meeink (2009) and TJ Leyden (2008) emphasize the point that this is true in relation to VRWETA who are engaged in rahowa type doctrine (Leyden, 2008; Meeink, 2009). Rahowa was the ‘battle-cry’ of the organization I was a member of: world church of the creator (W.C.O.T.C). We do hear from FVRWE that there is a need to address VRWETA in NA as a serious threat to public safety due to the war mentality of VRWE (Meeink, 2009; Leyden, A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 2008). Policy makers continue to discount or not hear the opinions and experiences of FVRWE in regards to the realistic threat posed by the white supremacist movement. This war-minded culture will grow and dig deeper as it embeds into our socio-political infra­ structure^). Hate crimes are a fact in NA. The question is if they are not being committed solely by VRWE, then the question remains: who is committing these crimes? I propose that there is an answer that lies within my literature review and through my personal narratives of disengagement from VRWETA. The dominant NA society, ECMC (Sue, 2003) are the perpetrators of hate crimes, which is considered ‘normal’ behavior in Canada and USA, as reflected by the fact that hate crimes are not most commonly committed by extremists; rather hate crimes are committed typically by ‘normal’ people (Ferber, 2004; Perry, 2001; Perry, 2008; Ryan & Leeson, 2011). Although society indicates this is not acceptable behavior, it is still relatively normal given the oppressive nature of our society. This will be further explored within the context of my personal experience in the literature review section. Since hate crimes are rising in NA we as a society must tend to this seemingly growing trend (Ryan & Leeson, 2011; Dauvergne et. Al, 2006). We are being repeatedly told by scholars, active VRWE, and FVRWE, in recent years, that there is a war in NA that stems from inside our own borders (Mieenk, 2009; Leyden, 2008; Gallant, 2012a; Gallant, 2012b; Garland & Simi, 2011; Michaels, 2010; Simi Futrell, 2010; Daniels, 2009). I argue that our number one threat is not Islam, as Prime Minister Stephen Harper insists (CBC, 2011); rather it is our own ECMC. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 72 About Hate Crime Legislation Other FVRWE agree with this perspective; as formers we argue individually and collectively that the VRWE movement is not necessarily about race rather it is about hate (Meeinke, 2009; leyden, 2008; Michaels, 2010). I take this argument a step further, that hate is the product of a culture fraught with inherent hegemonic and schismatic precepts that encourage VRWEWETA, and is merely a product of our collective superiority complex, which craves power in many overt and subtle ways. These ideas are not mine alone. This will be elaborated on throughout this study, specifically in the literature review section. I believe VRWETA is not about race. It is rooted in power which is attained through differentiating groups through racialization then de-personalizing the ‘other’ and exerting power through acts of hate. Thus, I argue that hate is not an intention as seemingly indicated in hate crimes legislation. Rather I contend that in my experience hate is an action, not a motive. Where Does Social Work Fit In? The context of social work in relation to FVRWE disengagement in NA is two fold. First, I need to situate social work within the larger legislative context of Canadian and NA society, which will be a rudimentary but effective analysis based upon scholarly work. In addition my practicum placement at MCFD where I engaged with legislative research provided me with an opportunity to engage with the legal community on matters relating to the role of racist policy within child protection. Second, social work is inherently implicated as a colonial agent in this study through several scholarship and legal groundings. Some Social Workers do have a role in the delivery and practice A “Former's” Perspective Daniel Gallant 73 legislative links of ‘normal’ policy i.e. Child, Family & Community Services Act that are chained to Canadian apartheid, and the fact that government values fiscal considerations over the care of children (FNCFCSC, 2005). Professional Social Worker standards and legislated roles of non-indigenous practitioners are further contextualized by their socio­ cultural location within the ECMC. The professional roles of many Social Workers are within the colonial system that is most simply exemplified through the example of links in statutes such as the relationship between the CFCSA (1996) and the Indian Act (2012). Although I would argue that for the most part I have witnessed that compliance, complicity, and complacency are facts that bring structural challenges to the professional standardization of social work, but I believe there is still hope for change. I believe the experiences of social changes and transformational processes of FVRWE can serve as lessons for ECMC, and more specifically professional social work culture and individual practitioners who find themselves stuck in a precarious and paradoxical paid location (Flanagan, 2011; Mullaly, 2007; Mullaly, 2010). I believe that my personal experience with social work and VRWE employ me to build bridges between what appears to be separate cultural factions, social work and FVRWE, and ECMC. However, I argue that these cultural factions that I identify are not fragments, and all have a role, position, and function within the ECMC social organism. Even though FVRWE disengage, and even de-radicalize, does not equate nor negate their position and role within the ECMC. Indigenous peoples face a colonial imposition on a daily basis. I believe that the miraculous paradigm shifts that FVRWE in NA have been publicly disclosing, can provide evidence of how beautiful and transformative the human A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant condition can be. I believe there are lessons that FVRWE can offer to the ECMC, and even more specifically call to social work to increase professional frequencies of social justice actions. Thus, potentially resulting in more equitable practices and progressive praxis of social justice through education as healing, as found in the experiences of disengagement from VRWETA. 74 A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 75 CHAPTER 2 METHODOLOGY “Searching for the connectivity between self and others is fundamental to autoethnographic interpretation” (p. 134, Chang, 2008) Preparing Research According to Bjorgo and Horgan (2009) the area of research that has been done around Former Violent Extremist(s) (FVE) is substantially undeveloped. It was not my intention to select this area of research for any reason except that my own personal liberation from VRWE has been an arduous and lonely process, and I wanted to connect with others; all while making it easier for other future formers to connect with FVRWE. Connecting my research to a collective who have similar backgrounds enables me to gain further insights that will inform me within professional, academic, and personal contexts. Simultaneously I will be able to provide informed insights into this research that others may not be able to. Perhaps I am exploring/discovering networks and resources that could be more readily available than ten years ago when I attempted to locate professional support and help in my VRWETA disengagement. Moving into Methodology The nature of this research is intended to be, and could be summarized as, offering compassion to the VE, FVE, future VE, survivors of VE, anti-violence activists, and for society in general. A compassion that employs four main principles that are nuanced understandings, conceptualized by M.D. Jerrod M. Post (Horgan, 2005), from John Horgan’s (2005) book The Psychology o f Terrorism: 1) to inhibit the potentiality of future VE joining hateful collectives 2) produce a dissension with VE groups A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 76 3) facilitate exit strategies from VE groups in order to nurture the phenomenon of FRWE 4) reduce legitimacy and support of groups, leaders, and figureheads (Horgan, 2005) My hope is that my research will bridge individual stories of FVRWE(s) and will contribute to counter violent extremist messaging. My wish is that my voice: i) offers personal experience that may result in a decrease of youth recruitment ii) provides counter extremist messages through lived experience of FVRWE iii) offers an insider’s perspective on shared themes of disengagement that could offer insights into developing strategies for exit, de-programming, disengagement, d-radicalization processes iv) contributes a collectivity of themes based on individual FVRWE experiences this study may offer a more substantiate voice; as opposed to offering several individual experiences Compassion is embedded within the construction of this thesis and through contributing to the existing body of knowledge on counter violent right wing extremism. By bridging individual FVRWE experiences with one another I hope to contribute the point that there are shared experiences, even though our individual stories may vary. I am placing myself in this research as a FVRWE and focusing my work only on published work of other FRWE. Including my own published writing in the analysis section is limited, due to myself having only a few published autobiographic writings at this time. My reason for A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 77 this is related to Bjorgo & Horgan’s (2009) discussion that academics’ point(s) can be drowned-out through the interpretive pool of the masses that may access the research. Since I want my research to be long withstanding and accessible to those interested in the topic at hand I include my own narratives. However, my own writing contributions will be limited within this thesis. This thesis is a stepping stone for my work on this topic. Horgan (2009) suggests that there is a lot of research written about individual VE, but not from the perspective and voice of the former VE. This research will provide an opportunity for me, as a FVRWE and researcher, to integrate the experiences of other FVRWE while ensuring that our stories are not insulated. To my knowledge this is the first time the stories of FVRWE will be presented and compared in any sort of fashion in an academic study; more specifically from an insider perspective. The publications used as a data set from the following identified FRWE(s) will be analyzed: TJ Leyden (2008) Frank Meeink (2009) Amo Michaels (2010) In addition, my own published writing will be analyzed and compared to these other FVRWE(s) stories. Then I will offer seminal categorical elements of themes. Research Data FRWE have been identified for this research; they are geographically located within North American (NA) borders, but are a part of the global social network, Against Violent Extremism (AVE). AVE facilitates a social network for FVE, survivors of extremist action, academic scholars, researchers, media sources and a variety of NGOs. One of the collective NGOs within the AVE network is Life-after-hate (Lah). LAH is made up of FVE, survivors of VE, and others who promote messages of basic human kindness (Lah, 2013). A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 7g Lah’s primary function is to offer publications while also providing a resource of speakers, media liaisons, and advocates of peace/compassion who speak in many public forums. In addition, Kindness Not Weakness (KNW) is another network established by several founders of LAH. KNW offers a more focused approach to public speaking and activism work that is made up of only FVE. Within the AVE, LAH, and KNW networks there are several prominent formers who are in the forefront who make appearances in many global media sources from CNN, Aljeezera, BBC, CBC, and OWN, along with many others. Several of these individuals have published biographies in a variety of literary forms. A few of these autobiographic publications are used as a data set for this research. There are several ethical considerations that include my placement as a FVRWE and researcher; along with other ethical justifications that will be presented in the ethics section. Relationships with FVRWE My relationships with several FVRWE are included within this study. I had been introduced to these FVRWE over the last decade. First was my contact with TJ Leyden. TJ was the first prominent voice to denounce the VRWE network as a FVRWE. TJ has been acknowledged to be a trail blazer of exiting the violent world that we shared. I had first contacted TJ in about 2005 when I was seeking information in order to disprove ‘the movements’ theories of a fictionalized ‘Zionist conspiracy.’ At that point I had already learned how and why race was a failed context of logic/reasoning. I emailed TJ after reading about him online. I read about how he changed his life and that he denounced the white supremacist movement. I emailed his social service initiative called StrHATE Talk (2013). A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 79 I wanted to find some sort of literature, or at least an explanation that would deconstruct and prove the RWE doctrine wrong. I wanted hard facts to say that there was no such thing as a ‘Zionist-conspiracy,’ which is allegedly claimed to have an intention to obliterate the ‘white race’. TJ Leyden referred me to a cultic studies expert who then put me in touch with an organization in Edmonton, Alberta, that worked with former cult members. That agency then invited me to a global cultic studies conference that was held in Edmonton, at the University of Alberta. Coincidentally the conference was being held shortly after I began searching for this help. My journey began. I now understand this journey to be the process of surpassing the mere behavioral change of disengagement. The role of post-secondary education in my life in conjunction with First Nations’ culture, language, and ceremony has enabled me to integrate a degree of decolonial praxis into my healing journey. I had not been in contact with TJ Leyden since I first contacted him nearly a decade ago, until recently. I was re-introduced to TJ through the social network AVE. After several online discussions with an executive at Google Ideas we had a lengthy phone conversation about my life and what I am researching. He informed me of the reasons why the AVE network was started. He stated that the white supremacist movement has always had an online presence since the beginning of the internet; this point is confirmed by Dr. Jessie Daniels (2009). Moreover, my introduction to the internet was through the white supremacist movement in 1996. Specifically I was introduced to Stormfront, which is a discussion board run by RWE Don Black (Daniels, 2009). I broadened my white supremacist involvement through online forums such as Stormfront (2013), and then later recruited youth in cyber spaces (Global, 2013). A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 80 The Google Ideas executive wanted to use the same tool that VRWE were using in order to counter-VETA. As a result there are many global collectives of FVE and FVRWE established since Google Ideas created this network. After our phone call the Google Ideas executive immediately put me in contact with Ross Frenett, who is the Director at AVE, and the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD, 2013), which works with policy makers on matters pertaining to counter-terrorism. After several phone discussions with Ross Frenett, I was put into contact with Amo Michaels. Amo founded an online journal of basic human kindness called Lifeafter-hate (Lah, 2013). I discovered Amo was the front man of a white supremacist hate rock band that I used to listen to and pump myself up with before I would get energized with hate and beat people on the streets. Amo’s (2010) music was a passionately hateful charged system that fueled masses of VRWE youth across the world. Amo’s band sang anthems from an organization that I belonged to, the World Church of the Creator (Gallant, 2012a). Amo’s band had record sales alone that exceeded over 20,000 copies in the 1990s (Michaels, 2010). Now after many years, Amo and I were introduced through AVE and Lah (Ave, 2013; Lah, 2013). I was excited to add Amo to my list of credible FVRWE for this study. Soon after, Lah invited me to be an author for their journal. Now, after building some relations with Lah, and Amo, online and through phone conversations, we plan to meet, and hope to work together to educate people. Amo has a very similar perspective about the role of education, within healing contexts, as I do. He has a grass roots understanding, which I respect a lot. It is my hope that Amo and I can build a bridge between our individual experiences in the future that works towards curriculum A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 81 development. Amo has turned his autobiography into an educator’s tool with the help of an American educator (Lah, 2013). I was also introduced to Frank Meeink through the AVE and Lah network. With limited contact we have discovered some parallel directions and themes between our stories. Through this study I hope to bridge further relations with these three FVRWE and others. I also want to include two other names from Lah and AVE. Angela King (2009) has inspired me with her graduate research. An declared feminist researcher, think-er, and do-er, Angela inspires me on a regular basis. I had hoped to include her work in my study. The only way I could fit her into my research without distracting from my topic at this point is by mentioning that her research does exist on the topic of gender, from a feminist perspective within the white supremacist movement (Angela King, 2009). The other name I want to mention is Tony MacAleer. Tony is a Canadian who was a leader of the VRWE network in Canada and has since become a bona fide FVRWE (CBC, 2012; AVE, 2013). Tony is the only one of these FVRWE that I had met in the past, during my time in the Canadian white supremacist movement. We had met one time in Vancouver, BC during the 1990s. Tony is also the only FVRWE I have met in person within AVE to date. I re-acquainted with him on April 4, 2013, in Vancouver, BC. Unfortunately Tony’s autobiography is not coming out in time for this study. I hope to include both Tony and Angela’s autobiographies in future studies, after they are published. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 82 Ethical Considerations In this study ethical considerations have been pre-determined prior to the initial stages of research. Considerations that helped me to select my research methodology, identify data set, and analysis method. These ethical considerations include the contexts from several ethical layers. The following practitioner standards, research ethics, and social justice contexts of the social work profession were considered for this study: Social Worker Act (2008); BC College of Social Work: Code of Ethics (2009); qualitative research ethics (Denzin, 2010); human rights (United Nations, 2011), and guiding institutional considerations for UNBC on human research (UNBC, 2006). Guiding theoretical considerations that relate to the theoretical framework in this study were considered as ethical guides in selection of methodology, data set, and research directionality. While needing to maintain my research direction I had to formulate this research in a meaningful way that interacts with my lived experience while not putting others, or myself, at risk. Given that the topic of hate and violence has many layers, and the potential for harm that could stem from working with hate groups and VRWE, I decided that utilizing literature, autobiographies of FVRWE, was the best qualitative source for data. Considerations of monetary concerns relating to my topic were paramount in formulating this study. As I have had limited funding during my studies, I had to keep my costs low. Given that FVRWE are spread across NA it would be expensive beyond my means to collect data. Thus, selecting published writings was the most logical step to consider for my thesis. The alternative option was to utilize technological tools such as online video communications, but I decided against this since autobiographies are so A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 83 accessible and that there could be an array of technical and security issues with video chat and tele-communication/conferencing technologies. Personal Safety The result of these ethical considerations have resulted in the selected methodological and analysis frameworks for this study. This research is proposed with ethical considerations of my personal safety, as a FVRWE, who is perceived as an enemy ‘racetraitor' by active VRWE (Stormfront, 2013). Keeping in mind there is no formal framework to prescribe who is a FVRWE, there is a potential that those claiming to be FVRWE may not have experienced de-radicalization. Thus, this would be a potential threat to my safety if I were to interview them. While maintaining the position that there is a need for this type of research to be conducted by a FVRWE, and a need for ethical considerations of personal safety, I conclude that utilizing published writings as data is the safest route. Counter-T errorism Considering the question posed by Bjorgo & Horgan (2009), as to what constitutes disengagement and how do we know that someone has actually disengaged becomes a relevant ethical concept to the direction of this research. Since my disengagement from the ‘movement’ I have received death threats, threats of physical harm, and threats targeting/directing acts of domestic terrorism against me, which have been made by convicted murderers and former military, one of whom was involved in the Somali incidents that led to the disbanding of the Canadian Airborne Regiment in the 1990s (Kinsella, 2001). A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 34 My past involvement in VRWE led me to associations with the likes of Tim Briscope who killed a man at an Aryan Nations compound (Seattle Times, 1993). Individuals like this pose an ethical consideration for my personal safety. Ryan Page and Brian Leland who I had recruited into the ‘movement’ were recently imprisoned for firearms and narcotics charges (Edmonton Sun, 2010). As well as local Prince George man, Peter Houston, whom has been twice convicted of manufacturing and possessing explosives, also poses potential threat. His first conviction was due to my coming forward with information about his first bombing, as I had recruited Peter into the white supremacist movement (Archer, 2004; Andrews, 2006, Gallant, 2010). Any of these individuals, and their networks, could have access to my research, and dislike it; however, in my experience my public presence seems to deter ongoing threats. These individuals and several others pose potential threats to my personal safety, as well as other FVRWE. These individuals are named for several purposes. I wanted the seriousness of these ethical considerations substantiated. I have taken several ethical precautions while engaging in anti-hate activism, professional practice, and research. My primary actions to secure my personal safety include my public visibility. Secondly, is my information sharing with authorities and anti-racist collectives and community intelligence. I employ a direction that undoubtedly has potential repercussions on my personal safety. However, these potential consequences are merely hypothetical happenings. My belief and experiences suggest that I have no immediate threats posed against me. I believe I am the most informed source and authority on ethical considerations for my personal safety I have a lot to lose and will not knowingly put myself in danger. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 85 Considering safety of others has been suggested to me by a social work faculty member has also come up during my thesis writing. There is no evidence presented to me or to anyone else I know that implicates the need for ethical consideration for the safety of those around me who have never been associated to VRWE groups or VRWETA. I do not see any indication of personal safety threat against myself, nor anyone else, as the result of my activism and/or research. However, I have considered this perspective of faculty. Knowing that the FRWE who are identified in this research have been tied to the same VE networks and organizations as those I have been involved with in the past. As well, to most people it may appear those who have threatened me in past would seem to pose an ongoingly would be a threat. However, I have faced these threats upfront and through proper channels in the past; although police have essentially refused to help, even when evidence was present. These concerns could be further countered but I lack the funds, resources, and supports that would establish a solid safety plan, which go far beyond the bounds of my research. Thus, in context to security for others, and myself, my decision to access public information as a data set is the safest and most considerate approach to this necessary research. I do frequently engage in public work and have established a reputation through my direct action against VRWETA that has resulted in the conviction of Prince George bomber, Peter Houston (Archer, 2004; Andrews, 2006; Trumpener, 2009; Gallant, 2010); I understand that there will always be a serious threat against my personal safety. However, as a researcher and practitioner I must consider this ethical dilemma and provide justification for my actions, which also requires me to minimize threats and A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 86 shield myself from these activities. I put social justice/change as priority before the possibility of potential threats against me. I would not put myself in harms way if I believed there was an imminent threat. Moreover, my theoretical framework engages with my philosophical and ethical dilemma. As FRWE Angela King pursued her own path of liberation she completed a graduate studies thesis. King (2009) articulates her location as a FRWE and as a researcher. She has a level of insight that may appear to be invisible to others. Due to her experiential knowledge from time spent in the ‘movement’ she can foresee personal issues that may arise; like the colloquial concept of ‘being too close to home’. “In taking on this project, I too had my own doubts about implementing a separation of sorts between my own beliefs and the blatant hatred I would find on the web sites of organized white supremacist groups. On top of that, I felt it would be a challenge to divorce myself from my own personal experiences with such groups. In light of those past experiences, one of the reasons I chose a study of this sort was that monitoring web sites seemed the safest route for an individual that knows all too well the inner workings of such groups, as well as their propensity for mayhem and violence” (King, 2009). King (2009) brought up several ethical considerations that included her own biases, internal responses to the research and data, and as well her current disdain for VRWE, which is influenced by her current feminist ideological position. King’s exploration and insight as a FRWE and researcher articulates a need to avoid direct interactions/interviews with active VE. Thus, Angela King decidedly utilized available A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 37 online data that employed her to maintain her research passion and maintain a position of conscious academic vigor while creatively engaging with scholarly work pertaining to, while incorporating, her experiential knowledge; without directly compromising her personal safety (2009). I similarly designed this study to follow some of Angela King’s trail blazing steps. King (2009) exemplifies and paves the way, in context to ethical considerations of research on VE by FVRWE, for my own academic research. Intuitively I understood that these were logical ethical considerations, as did my research adviser and academic/scholarly peers. King’s (2009) insight encouraged me and offered academic support to push me through with my passions, while maintaining creativity through research. Having selected a data set that may go beyond an institution specific ‘status quo’ of normative research practices, I have selected autobiographic publications, by and about, FVRWE in NA as a data set will enable this research to explore disengagement from VRWETA. Research Methodology “Qualitative research scholars have an obligation to change the world, to engage in ethical work that makes a positive change” ~ Norman Denzin The primary focal point of this study is the cultural dimensions of disengagement from VRWE within contemporary NA society. My thematic approach to analyzing stories will primarily be influenced by my theoretical scope and framework in which I will conduct this study. The orientation of analysis parallels feminism, indigenous studies, liberation discourse, cultic studies, psychology, and the over arching theme of transformative-humanistic-praxis and social justice. Drawing on the dynamics of A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 88 disengagement from VRWETA presents an opportunity for critical analysis of themes that pertain to social work and NA socio-political-cultural contexts of the ECMC. Most recently I have been introduced to Denzin’s (2010) work who proves to be deeply important in context to my overarching theoretical scope for this study, but pertaining more to the methodological aspects of my research. Denzin does tie into the contexts of social change through his own epiphany/realization of the ECMC. Denzin re­ counts his process of realization to the racist society in which he worked and lived. After many years of working under the pretense of idealistic features of liberation he opened up to a larger structural critical understanding of his own oppressive location in NA ECMC. Thus, his realizations have resulted in the questionability of how scholars who engage with liberation type discourse could be so blind to oppressive dynamics within their own socio-political environment. Denzin (2003) says that: “rituals of racial difference.. .is a ritual that presents history from one point of view, the view that it was the manifest destiny of whites to bring culture and civilization to the Native Americans. According to this view, the grateful Indians assimilated to white culture, and this can be seen by their economic and cultural presence” (p. 159, Denzin, 2003). Particularly focused on dynamics with the NA indigenous peoples, Denzin’s (2010) work reminds yet again of the importance of Sue’s (2003) concept, ECMC, and how deeply entrenched, knowingly/unknowingly, our society is in oppressive racist schismatic design. We are surrounded by our own oppressive behavior. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 89 Methodological Edgewalker Sociologist, C. Mills (as cited by Denzin, 2010) asks researchers to begin with their personal experience and then move to historic moments, which offer ourselves as universal anchors and as people who are universal in our lives. I will offer the literature review as both a proponent and expression of my personal disengagement, deradicalization, and decolonization process while simultaneously offering a formal literature review, as education was one of a few key elements in my personal healing. Chang’s (2008) definition of the edgewalker as a person who has “lived experiences with different cultural communities through which they develop solid crosscultural competence while maintaining a healthy understanding of self,” describes me very well. I am an edgewalker. As an edgewalker engaged in qualitative research, I must make my location explicit. Creswell (2007) states that “researchers bring their own worldviews, paradigms, or sets of beliefs to the research project, and these inform the conduct and writing of the qualitative study” (p. 15). Chang (2008) indicates that the location of the AEG researcher must be explicit. Denzin (2003) explains through his personal stories of how he had his eyes open to the racism that exists within the university institution he worked and left him with an ethical dilemma. Denzin had to navigate his role and location within an oppressive institution he once deemed as ‘safe’ (2010). Thus, he has had to be explicit with new found realizations in context to his position. Denzin (2010) goes on to boldly claim that as a qualitative researcher one must explicitly vocalize their position even if that challenges institutions and individuals in a position of authority or power. Academia has been a catalyst for my personal shift in paradigm, moving away from VRWE doctrine A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 90 to a higher-progressive-social-consciousness: Conscientization (Freire, 1990). Throughout my education liberationist educators and indigenous scholars have largely informed my work. This methodology will be applied through the ethical code of qualitative researchers by Denzin (2010) that I have summarized: 1. The guiding principles of this study are rooted in, along with human rights, integrity and a belief in the dignity and worthiness of all people while being presented in the most compassionate and empowering manner as possible by the researcher. 2. This scholarly research is intended to help people, professionals and the broader society. 3. The guiding principles of this study intend to inform the practice of the researcher and are interpreted through the lens of the researcher and not an overarching professional standard. Thus, I as the researcher am not placated by a professional or legislated body, while maintaining my commitment to professional standards. 4. This study can offer socio-political relevancy to those who believe in these guiding principles. 5. Encouraging people to get involved in public participation of social policy. 6. These purposes are implemented by adhering to the following ethical practices. I. Engaging with informed consent model to ensure that ethical considerations are not breeched. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant II. Strive to obtain training pertaining to relevant interviews. III. Strive for intellectual honesty. Respect the narrator’s point of 91 view within the qualitative data. IV. To not do harm. V. Tell as much truth as possible. VI. Strive to exhibit compassion and care throughout all elements of the study. VII. Strive to employ pedagogy of ethic, love, and hope. VIII. Incorporate the ethic of equity. IX. Strive to emulate social ethic of resistance (appendix II, Denzin, 2010 ). Decolonization and Methodology As indicated by Smith (2006) decolonization as an aspect of this methodology does not exist within attempting to include indigenous methodology, rather this study is positioned within the researchers social context. Decolonization is a process and a way of being that tends to employ research that questions imperialism within the socio-political contexts of the ‘western’ society. Moving to transform the production of knowledge to include new knowledge, and the transformation of old knowledge, into a workable and dynamic entity that moves towards benefiting all people. I include decolonization into this methodology to move toward promoting people and place before profit and divisiveness of imperialistic social hierarchies and hegemony. Smith informs us that most of the traditional academic “disciplines are grounded in cultural worldviews which are either antagonistic to other belief systems or have no methodology for dealing with other A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 92 knowledge systems” (p. 65, Smith, 2006). Thus, I include decolonization in my research as relevant to my position in the ECMC, having been heavily influenced by Cree culture and Native Studies. Chang (2008 & 2013) indicates that in AEG the cultural framework must be substantiated. I do this through my theoretical framework and my literature review. I do not speak for identifiable colonized-oppressed-marginalized-peoples, and/or visible minority groups. I speak only as a former right wing extremist who understands that no matter how much I change, I realize that my existence is an oppressive force against First Nations peoples. I will always be situated within the oppressive colonial body. I can reconcile this fact by participating in dialogue openly and humanistically while engaging the ECMC to enter in this dialogue. Maintaining consciousness of my privilege allows me to engage more empathetically and compassionately. I do not live in a constant state of guilt. I live in a fairly consistent state of awareness. I have guilt but do not live ‘in guilt’ and I am transparent about my old behavior and perspectives and openly offer my experience as opportunity for transformative conversations. I only wish to offer my disengagement, and other experience(s) with disengagement as a gift to the ECMC; kin to what my Cree-Saulteau family offered me. My selection of AEG comes through several rationalizations that have manifested in my organic experience. Chang (2008) indicates that story is an essential part of life. As an activist, writer, and educator I am compelled to engage with a methodology that utilizes my ability to tell a story that unfolds many aspects of my lived experience within Canada’s pluralistic cultural contexts. Chang indicates that there are three dynamics in which one can position one’s self in AEG. Out of three options, I select the one that leads A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 93 me furthest away from the potentiality of becoming overly self-indulged within this study, while maintaining the focus on my lived experience of disengagement from VRWETA. Chang indicates that the researcher is the anchor of the study in this option (2008). Chang clearly articulates that AEG can quickly be swept away by overindulgence (2013). I avoid this by including a contrast of myself and other FVRWE experience with disengagement from VRWETA. Moreover, Chang (2013) indicates that story telling can dominate the point of a study. Chang tells us that self-indulgent introspection is likely to produce self-exposing story (2013). I incorporate story narratives in a way that is tailored to meet Chang’s (p. 80-81,2008) standard of cultural artifacts and cultural location mapping. This will be further explained in the procedure section of this chapter. Smith (as cited by Chang, p. 66) included herself as the fifth person in a study she designed. Positioning oneself within a larger cultural context establishes that the study avoids self-indulgence. The potential is there for an AEG to become more like an autobiography. Thus, in this methodology the focus will be on my personal position within disengagement and accessing education as healing, and published writing of FVRWE (Chang, 2008). I will bring about my lived cultural experience that bridges Cree culture, Native Studies, social work, counter-terrorist studies, and the emerging cultural phenomenon of FVRWE across NA. Within my literature review I have focused on my experience within academics and healing to articulate and exemplify the important role that reflects that critical A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 94 paradigms of post-secondary education could prove to be useful disengagement, deradicalization, and decolonial devices for FVRWE. My incorporation of story does not override contexts of my own disengagement from FVRWE. The direction of this study is to not focus on my disengagement process. Rather it was intended to consider the potential role of social work, since my personal experience reflected that practitioners had very little to do with my disengagement beyond the role of a broker of resources, like counselors referring me to school for healing purposes. Considering social work in context to counter-terrorism makes sense to me since social work is guided by concepts of human rights and social justice (SW Act, 2008; BCCSW, 2009). Comparing disengagement themes of other FVRWE with my own seemed to be an effective way to maintain the AEG framework consistent with Chang’s (2008 & 2013) methods and procedures. I am the cultural anchor of this study. I will include others who are culturally situated in context to my location for this study. My socio-cultural position includes my education and healing path. Denzin (2003) indicates indigenous, and non-indigenous people and scholars will work to refine restorative justice models that heal wounds of globalization and develop new methodologies that better address our social and economic concerns that affect oppressed peoples. I believe that my creative, organic and unique use of AEG will fulfill Denzin’s (2003) qualitative direction. Procedures/Data/Instrumentation The selected autobiographies for this study will be looked at with an explorative scope seeking themes of disengagement from VRWE. While drawing upon my own lived experiences with disengagement from VRWETA, I will watch for both obvious and A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 95 subtle themes of disengagement in other FVRWE stories. Through identifying thematic trends of the disengagement process, this research aims to discover shared themes of experiences by FVRWE in NA in a uniquely informed fashion. Discovering Data These texts will be categorized through thematic attributes found in the text related to the disengagement process from VRWETA. The text of each book will be highlighted and notes made on pages inside each book. Simultaneously I documented by taking some notes and listing identified themes in an accompanying notebook while reading the identified dataset. This will compliment and elaborate points and themes discovered within the text. Then within my research notebook, I will create lists and categorical visual aids that help me organize discovered themes. I included my own memories and recollections of my personal disengagement from VRWETA and will reference media sources and poetic/story narratives, as references. Chang (2013) clearly indicates that fragments of memories strung together to explain cultural tenets with others in society, in this case FVRWE - ECMC - social work - First Nations people/community, do indeed serve as a substantiated form of data and analysis. Engaging Thematic Approach To conceptualize themes I wrote notes in point form then narrowed down potential themes. I then re-visited my notes and highlights to derive main themes from each of my research aids. Afterwards I made lists of disengagement from each data source. After this data analysis is complete I then narrowed down my findings into a prioritized summary. I prioritize these thematic findings based upon the context of my A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 96 theoretical framework and literature review that coincide with a solution focused approach that can result in tangible outcomes as a result of this study. I utilized the majority of Chang’s (p. 71-114,2008) writing exercises in order to formulate my data compilations and categorizations. These written practices are documented within the research notebook I maintained throughout the data collection process. I did this in order to offer and maintain some degree of guidance as this is my first research design for academic research and applied research. Utilizing Chang’s written guide(s) allows me to interact with visual adaptations and lists in order to add some texture to this study. I then took the compiled themes from each text, and counted the amount of pages that each category is found. This process is a way for me to measure the amount of times that particular themes come up throughout different sections of each story. It is not intended to be a scientific measurement of thematic attributes of disengagement within these stories. Rather it is merely a way for me to formulate a presentation of information of data analysis in a linear way. Thus, the themes of disengagement that I identify, which come up more often, will be included at the top of these lists I made, whereas less frequent themes are on the bottom of each list presented. This does not conclude that particular themes are more relevant, profound, nor important than other themes. In fact it is quite possible that a theme that is recurring is not any more profound than a theme that appears only once in a particular story. Nor does it diagnose that a single thematic event is, or is not, paramount to a FVRWE disengagement experience. This categorization process is merely a way for me to organize my data in a presentable and organized manner. Also it is possible that other research can be built upon my categorization(s). Reporting Findings A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 97 After these thematic attributes are identified, categorized, recorded, compiled, and then summarized I built upon Chang’s (2008) process to work towards a qualitative comparability of data analysis that will contrast each set of findings in order to discover similar thematic attributes pertaining to disengagement from VRWE. This will be achieved and presented in the format of relational circles known as Venn Diagrams (Chang, 2008). Chang’s (2008) suggestion of the Venn-Diagram (p. 101 - 102) shows a relational aspect that exists amongst the themes in the disengagement process from VRWETA in NA. A circle that represents my experience and a circle that represents the experience of other FVRWE(s) will represent our separateness in experiences of disengagement as individuals. The over lapping of circles will contain similar themes that we experience (Chang, 2008). Figure 1.1 Daniel Gallant Individual Former-VRWE A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant gg Socio-Cultural Rituals Chang (2008) suggests incorporating rituals and celebrations as cultural data. Rituals and celebrations can be defined as a variety of cultural practices and this can be prescribed differently within various cultural contexts (2008). My relationship with rituals is comparative to many people that I have met. My childhood experience and young adult life were mostly centered around addiction, criminality, violence, and VRWETA. My organic relationship with rituals is comparative to many. My experience in celebration and ritual can be interpreted throughout my post-secondary educational path of critical analysis and structural perspectives/lenses of how the personal is political; as described within my literature review (Bishop, 2002; Mullaly, 2010; Chang, 2008; Denzin, 2010). The cultural rituals that I do include are my experiences in postsecondary-education and relationship building. These relationships are largely centered around, and on, liberation from ECMC. Also my experiences in my daily life, teachings to my children, and expressions in my creative poetic voice relating to the lessons and teachings I have been presented with through Cree culture are interpreted and employed as my cultural rituals. Contextualizing Literature Review as Data Cultural mapping is utilized in order to access, identify, and categorize my location, socio-cultural relations, and worldview to the contexts o f data findings. As suggested by Chang (2008) cultural mapping is intended to be modified slightly in order to fit within any particular qualitative study that incorporates AEG. I listed major events in my life pertinent to this study. Thus, the literature review serves two main purposes: A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 99 a) To approximate, reflect, and represent the process of how cultural healing and education are bridged within my organic experience b) To offer a coherent guide for my theoretical scope, framework, and organic/personal cultural identity as a researcher As suggested by Chang (p. 74,2008), I identified chronological events relevant to this study that include these significant cultural discoveries that impacted and offered me the opportunity to re-create my personal and cultural identity. These events lead to my freedom and liberation in state of mind. These events helped free me from the right wing agenda/doctrine. It is the right wing ideology/worldview that shackled me to the trauma of my childhood and the contradiction that is inherent to some dynamics of Canadian society. As suggested by Chang (p. 80, 2008), in the literature review I will weave in some of my cultural mentors who are also my family/friends/community. I won’t name every one of my cultural mentors. I will name those who are most prominent within the context to these particular sections and story forms. These narratives are a textual form of my cultural mapping. This list, created prior to my data analysis, will guide the included narratives that are intended to embed cultural mapping, cultural artifacts, and cultural mentors into this thesis: 1) 2001: Location: Northern British Columbia a. I experienced a personal epiphany/realization in the form of a dissociative flashback of witnessing sexual violence against my mother (Gallant, 2012c; Mirrored Child, 2012b; Global, 2013) Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 100 b. The birth of my son (Gallant, 2012b) c. My last violent incident while in the white supremacist movement; my last hate crime (Andrews, 2006; Global, 2013) 2) 2002 - 2003: Location: Northern British Columbia a. Suggestion made to me by a counselor to seek education as healing (Clark, 2012) b. My entrance into a social work related program at Northern Lights College (Clarke, 2012; Andrews, 2006) 3) 2004: Alberta a. Edmonton: My exposure to Cree/Lakota culture, language, and ceremony: Chris Rosebrugh who introduced me to ceremony; and my close friends like Cree cultural teacher/healer Gary Moostoos; activist and scholar, former Chief of Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation Jerry Goodswimmer; my Dakota friend Graham Andrews (Gallant, 2012a; Archer, 2004; Andrews, 2006) i. My introduction to Howard Adams (1989) b. Exposure to American Family Foundation (AFF), which is now known as International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA) and Edmonton Society Against Mind Abuse (ESAMA); as explained in the methodology section when I first contacted TJ Leyden c. Introduction to scholarly literature that initiated my search for meaning/purpose in my personal suffering (Humanistic Praxis, 2012): i. Viktor Frankl (1946) A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 101 ii. Robert J. Lifton (1989) iii. Margaret Singer (2003) 4) 2002 - 2011: Alberta & Northern British Columbia a. Prince George: Completion of a Bachelor of Arts at University of Northern British Columbia, major in First Nations Studies. This time period was my introduction to: i. Paulo Freire (1970) ii. Deraid Wing Sue (2003) iii. Native Studies Discourse relating to indigenous perspectives on the colonial legacy that has perpetrated genocide, ethnocide, and assimilation; a legacy that continues today in 2013 iv. Metis Elder Earl Henderson and his support and friendship v. Dr. Ross Hoffman for his poignant and ongoing support, understanding, and reciprocal humility that allowed him as a teacher to leam from me as a student. This has proven to me that members of the ECMC can actualize and Transcend socio­ cultural spiritual pathways and bridges to the harmonious synthesization of dualistic worlds by engaging with transformative humanistic dialogical pedagogy resulting in cultural revolution b. Prince George: Entrance and completion of this masters thesis in social work (Norwell, 2012; Clarke, 2012) A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 102 i. Dr. Indrani Margolin who had challenged me to consider a graduate studies path in social work at UNBC and has proven to me that transformative education can result in cultural change by providing opportunities for students to become part of the structural solution without force. She has encouraged my creative voice ii. My thesis supervisor Dr. Si Transken who had encouraged my activism, creative expression, critical structural perspective, and offered me ambiguous guidance, which allowed me to create this thesis. Si has encouraged me to trust my organic process iii. Wendy Flanagan (MSW/RSW) who had granted me the opportunity of a lifetime, given context of my past, to research and explore government social policy as it relates to apartheid policies harbored by the ECMC, and for encouraging and relating personal/professional experience as structural social worker that resulted in giving me hope in, and for, the social work profession c. My introduction to structural social work i. Robert Mullaly (2007 & 2010) ii. Anne Bishop (2002) iii. Wendy Flanagan (2011) A “Former's” Perspective Daniel Gallant 103 d. Most importantly, having met indigenous writers who have become my support, family, and friends, along with one non-indigenous writer. All of those who have encouraged, supported, and assisted me in bringing my voice out to the public sector. I thank them for teaching me how to write and edit more effectively. I thank them for honoring my path with guidance and support in the ways that they could foster my voice, which I hope to carry to my fellows within the ECMC: i. Indigenous: 1. Garry Gottfriedson 2. Louise Halfe 3. Richard Van Camp ii. Non-indigenous: 1. Maggie Devries (Photo: Gallant, 2014) A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 104 Reflecting on Theoretical Scope In light of my selected methodology, I must describe the influences that lead me to understanding how important story is within the academic arena. I am modeling my experience of being influenced by literature that I am referring to as AEG. The scholars in my literature review include qualitative accounts of their personal lived experience in context to their scholarly work. Thus, in my definition these following scholars are predecessors to AEG methodology, and considered as such for the scope of this study. It is my hope to walk towards a similar direction as these great thinkers and do-ers: • The Jewish Psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl (1946) presents his theory and practice to healing, existential-analysis/logotherapy, which has been one of the most profound influences in my deradicalization. Frankl first tells the story of surviving one of the most horrific atrocities, then moves to explain through his own theory how he was able to keep his sanity and hope. • Howard Adams (1989) was a Metis scholar who taught me through his writing that even in the Canadian context there is a relevant concern of apartheid, ethno-cide, and genocide that includes his own lived experience as a Metis person. • Paulo Freire’s (1970) work is largely based in his own cultural context that employs a desire to assist the society he lives in to decrease oppression and sufferance. • Eduardo Duran’s (2006) experience as a NA indigenous psychologist and scholar has resulted in his in-depth understanding and explanation of how A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 1 Q5 de-colonization can offer practitioners and indigenous people(s) liberation from oppressive dimensions. These scholars synthesize a representation of my theoretical framework and qualitative approach to AEG research on disengagement from FVRWE in order to gain a deeper understanding of my personal experience, experience of my fellows, and lessons that can be derived and then offered to oppressive colonial agents from social work, educational institutions, ECMC, and FVRWE. Cultural Values Moving towards identifying my cultural values as suggested by Chang (p. 77 & p. 97, 2008) is imperative to the context of Denzin’s (2010) qualitative ethical considerations that guide this study: Multi-culturalism, anti-racism, structural critical analysis, decolonization that can be incorporated into the disengagement/deradicalization process from VRWE. These values are not set in stone, but serve to guide this study’s direction (Chang, 2008). These cultural values can be seen in context to the overarching principle of Social Justice (Denzin, 2010; SW Act, 2008). These values are at the root of my personal critical analysis of the society and institutions within Canadian ECMC. I believe that the above list of values are necessary and should be contextualized further within Canadian society in conjunction with decolonial contexts. Including these values could result in further collective socio-political transformations that walk towards our society to incorporate ongoing structural self-reflection on issues such as racism and other oppressive schismatic functions. Our society can be identified as a right wing nation that continues to grip onto archaic worldviews and perspectives (Denzin, 2010; Duran, A “Former's” Perspective Daniel Gallant 1Q 6 2006; Ferber, 2004; Freire, 1990; Perry, 2001; Perry, 2008; Sue, 2003). I believe that my experience of unraveling ingrained right wing agendas can offer one example of how we as a society can change. Socio-Cultural Artifacts Cultural artifacts are suggested to act as data for AEG (p. 81, Chang, 2008). I incorporate some personal story, poetry, and documentation of transformative relationships through media articles, and my personal writing. Also included in my cultural artifacts are the scholarly connections I have to theory, professors, and social policy through my literature review. I have often heard in my life that Canada has no culture, much like Chang (2008) states about America, which she has heard from many of her students. This is not the case. I was bom into an ECMC context in a society that is filled with hegemonic schismatic practices that are seemingly orchestrated through embedded, purposeful, deliberate, and apparent methods; as well as many subtle and covert processes as well. My cultural position in what Chang (2008) refers to as a monoculture is conjoined with Sue’s (2003) ECMC. This study speaks to those I wish I could avoid and change; I want to be able to change the schismatic design of society and these oppressive dimensions while also knowing that I cannot affect instant change and therefore wish I could avoid those people who are a reflection of how I once was i.e. racist (Chang, 2008). I intend to bring these insights and experiences of the transformation process of FVRWE in NA to the attention of social work and the ECMC in order to acknowledge the resiliency and adaptable nature of the human experience when we strive to discover existential meaning/purpose of sufferance that we endure and impose on others. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 107 Analysis Denzin & Lincoln (as cited by Chang, 2013, p. 125) suggest that analysis is never mechanical, nor terminal. Data and analysis is always emergent, dynamic, and unfinished (2013). My analysis is organic as it is rooted within my human experience. Chang (2013) explains that the difference between AEG and autobiography is that AEG makes sense of cultural locations and dynamics much like a quilt is made. Data can be choppy and seemingly inconsistent but can be threaded and pieced together to support my argument (p. 126, 2013). These insights about AEG are employed throughout and within the entirety of this thesis. To maintain research rigor/vigor I ensure my AEG analysis is disciplined by maintaining Chang’s (2008) guidelines for data and analysis. Maintaining the scholarly integrity of the AEG process of collecting and analyzing data by ensuring my findings are not based upon self reflections and impressions that could be bound solely on my personality and interpretation (2013). AEG should, and does in this study, shift from myself to others in order to maintain a reflective cultural analysis (Chang, 2008 & 2013). Data Analysis There does exist a question that has been posed to me about my research analysis process. I have been pointedly challenged as to why I did not utilize computer-assisted software in my qualitative analysis. My rationale for my personal gut feeling was not enough to justify my reason, so I had to do further research. I have found two main justifications that express why I have not utilized software as an analysis tool. As indicated by Chang (2013) the utilization of computer-assisted software for qualitative research, and analysis, is that these programs are quickly outdated and ever A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 108 evolving. Thus, I am selecting to utilize a more organic process that manifests through my writing. As story is inherently interpretive and analytical, the computer-assisted analysis was not used. However, in another study I may select to use a computer assisted qualitative data analysis. If I had access to more training, time, and funding I could possibly explore the option of including computer-assisted software for data analysis. Perhaps this will occur in my doctorate work (Chang, 2013). I conclude that my creative narrative contributions also serve as organic interpretive analysis (Chang, 2008). Interpretive Analysis Chang (2013) describes data analysis within AEG: “Within [AEG], there is no consensus as to whether a stage of data analysis and interpretation even exists. Some autoethnographers argue that the process of writing personal stories involves analysis and interpretation because researchers make choices about which stories to tell. Ellis’s...methodological novel on [AEG] includes a section on ‘analysis in story telling’. She argues that ‘there is nothing more theoretical or analytic than a good story,’ because, ‘when people tell their stories, they employ analytic techniques to interpret their world. Stories are themselves analytic.. .their goal is to evoke a situation the author has been in or studied’...Similarly Richardson.. .argues that writing is inquiry. We offer this.. .analysis and interpretation in the spirit of making explicit what is normally hidden in narratives, poems, short stories, and other AEG and qualitative publications-how to make meaning of your data in order to construct the written product.. .We acknowledge the overlap between A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 109 analysis and interpretation but prefer to separate them here for their purpose of illuminating each process” (p. 99, Chang, 2013) The use of AEG in case of this study provides a wealth of data. I would argue that even my selection of AEG as methodology in itself could be contrived as data. It is a part of my healing journey. As I have been heavily influenced by First Nations cultures I do follow suit with an ontological function of organic experiential expression of what the ECMC would refer to as creative storytelling. For me, I do not write ‘poetry’ or ‘stories’. Rather, my life experience has proven that if I do not write I cannot live sanely. Writing is a calling. I write in order to live. Without writing I could not be. My writing could be argued to be a sufficient analysis in and of itself (Chang, 2008). However, I went beyond this stage of analysis and developed my findings upon Chang’s (2008 & 2013) outline AEG procedure to include my socio-cultural location and relations in order to try to benefit society and the emerging culture of FVRWE. Essentially I have two forms of data analysis. First are my creative narratives, both poetry and autobiographic narratives. Secondly, I follow Chang’s (2008) directions for data analysis. I have kept a series of notes on the procedure of data analysis, my own writing and the analysis of autobiographies from other FVRWE. Analysis Conclusion Analyzing each piece of literature, the narrative experience of VRWE and why they have transformed from hate to peace could possibly provide an opportunity to draw out educational insights into prevention and intervention strategies; in which social work implications can be found. Moreover, weaving this analysis together through textual A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant HO content and/or discourse can offer a deeper and broader insight into how and why VRWE disengage from lives of hate, then move to employ a lifestyle as non-violent activists, educators, and inspiring writers. Considering education as experience, and experience as education, speaks to the oral traditions of many First Nations cultures, especially the Cree cultural teachings I have received. As western culture may focus on documentation and text as a higher regarded legalese and method for articulation of curriculum; other cultures do not necessarily hold the same hierarchical prioritization as Western systems. Oral traditions and stories exist in all cultures (Chang, 2008). This statement can simply be explained by the fact that we all have stories, and these stories are political in nature (Wagamese, 2012 ). Social Work Implications Social work implications will be explored, and included, during/after the analysis of FVRWE autobiographies. This will be done by attempting to pin point the role of social workers, and other social services, accessed in the disengagement/de-radicalization of the FVRWE in this study. I have been unable to locate academic social work literature on disengagement from VRWE. With insight and experiential knowledge, it is my hypothesis that there will be little to no direct connections within the data set literature pertaining to influence from social work directly in most of the cases examined. However, it is more likely to discover minor/limited connections between supportive social services and educational institutions relating to the recovery process of the FVRWE studied in this research. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant \W Accordingly Bjorgo and Horgan (2009) indicate that policy makers are formalizing conceptual and now practical initiatives in response to VETA. The AVE (2013) network has published, on its website, some questions as to how policy makers can bring practicality to frontline agencies and programs to assist active VE in disengagement processes. Online dialogues between the Director of AVE, Ross Frennet, and several FVE the discussion of how policy makers can develop policies relating to NGO and government policies can facilitate a role in creating resource pools for those disengaging with VETA. Within this dialogue FVE have identified a need for social services that support and foster disengagement from VE groups/action (AVE, 2012). Moreover, Horgan (2009) writes that policy makers have been supporting and developing initiatives to encourage VETA disengagement. Horgan calls for more qualitative research to be done in this undeveloped area (2009). De-radicalization programs have been created by NGOs and governments all over the world (Horgan, 2009; Bjorgo & Horgan, 2009). Within these contexts social work, especially structural social work, could bring a wealth of progressive social consciousness to institutional and systemic gaps, issues, and problems pertaining to the threat of VRWETA. Perhaps a structural social work influence could include consideration of establishing a non-profit practice/network in order to respond to VRWETA. We know that VRWETA has impacted the Canadian public body, but there seems to be a service gap in this context. Moreover, perhaps further considerations of institutional maintenance of archaic social policies could also be acknowledged through this research, especially in context to northern social work implications. Identifying that social work education/practice often contributes to reinforcing hegemonic, schismatic, and sometimes-racist socio-political environments A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant \\2 could create opportunity for dialogue to overcome this element of social work (Mullay, 2007; Mullaly, 2010; Bishop, 2000; Harris, 2011). The critique of Social Work within this work is necessary as it speaks to the degree and depth that systemic racism occurs in North American society. As the discipline of Social Work was part of my academic journey it is integral to my disengagement process. Methodology Conclusion Including others who have similar shared lived experience as myself, within the ECMC decreases likelihood of contaminating this AEG study with self-centric dimensions. The AVE network that umbrellas other networks such as Lah and other social networks for FVE, which have surfaced in recent years establishes that there is an emerging global culture of FVE. Thus, exploring cultural dimensions of disengagement in the formers’ culture may offer insights that could be useful lessons for society, social work, other FVRWE, and for my own benefit. The literature review in itself is considered an aspect of my relational data that brings me to a qualitative exploration of thematic categories of disengagement from VRWE. Through the AVE (2013), and other similar networks, we see that the emerging culture of FVRWE includes former cult members, former extremists, and former gang members. This collective social network has already developed cultural nuances. For instance NGOs, online dialogues, discourse, and narratives could be seen as the beginnings of new era of counter-VETA dialogues/measures. Further establishing a cohesive culture of FVRWE could prove to be an effective counter-VETA measure. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 113 I have identified autobiographies of three separate FVRWE: Amo Michaelis, Frank Meeink, TJ Leyden, and I have included some of my published autobiographic narratives as well. These authors are all FVRWE within NA. Positioning myself within the AVE, as an author for Lah, research affiliate of Terror, Security And Society (TSAS), graduate studies researcher, educator, activist, and a member of the emerging cultural phenomenon of FVRWE. I hope to contribute to counter-terrorist discourse, particularly to fill in some gaps identified by Horgan (2009) who calls for qualitative research on the disengagement process from VETA. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant (Photo: Gallant, 2014) A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 115 CHAPTER 3 LITERATURE REVIEW Race “Hitler praised the efficiency o f how the English colonists exterminated Native Americans and got the idea for concentration camps and the efficiency o f starvation by looking at U.S. history” ~ Deraid Wing Sue This literature review encapsulates poignant scholarly work that I came across throughout my disengagement process from VRWE while in post-secondary school and engagement with First Nations culture. Academic and indigenous cultural teachings bridged and manifested tangible resources that fostered my disengagement process. Both my historic ties to Cree-Saulteau culture, land, and language; and my healing through post secondary school influenced my experience with disengagement. Thus, this literature review is reflective and amalgamated with my theoretical lens for analysis of data within this study, which was informed throughout my post-secondary journey through Social Work and First Nations Studies primarily and supplemented by scholarly work I was introduced to throughout my healing connections within ‘cult’ recovery and First Nations healing communities. What’s with this ‘Indian Business’, “Anyways” The following story is an unpublished excerpt from my autobiography (Gallant, 2012d), which has been edited by Maggie De Vries (2012) and Louise Halfe (2013). Mom used to take me to the reserve to grandma Virginia’s house. Grandma always said to call her “kohkum.” We would go there and visit, eat, swim in the lake, and play with the other kids. I was told to call them “cousins”. After play, we would run inside to eat homemade moose soup. Sometimes moose nose, moose tongue, moose heart, or even what kohkum called the bible. The moose bible. I did not understand why it was called bible soup. Then one of kohkum’s sons, Rene, who always piped up to answer my A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant questions. It really annoyed me. He never did say much to me. He sat off to the side and stared at me inquisitively. As the soup was being served and I asked, “why it was called bible soup?” Rene said, “because it’s part of the digestive system. When you cut it properly it has a million pages. Like a giant book. Just like the bible. But the real reason, it’s a bible is cuz it is actually the shit bag. It’s full of shit. Just like the bible.” Everybody broke out into laughter. Except kohkum. She would just shake her head, “mahhh, you boysh. shtop dat. don’t t’say dose tings, eat!” Her house always smelt so sweet and peaceful. She burned long braids of grass as she spoke Cree, “dats deh in’ian way.” She would pray and repeatedly flick her wrists as she used an eagle feather to wave the smoke up and down, and all along the walls inside of the house. She would speak Cree the whole time. I would follow her. Fascinated and content. “breed da shmoke in gran’shun” I would wave the smoke over my chest and head. I inhaled the sweet grass smoke. She told stories of when she was young. How the smells of medicine always bring good feelings and gets rid of all the negative shit that the alcohol brings when her boys come home from a tear on the town. A “Former's” Perspective Daniel Gallant \\7 So many things she did and said were done the indian way. Hugging me, cooking for me, and showing me the moose hides she was tanning. She rarely tanned deer though. She said “it was too much work for such a small hide. It was not worth the effort”. Kohkum always smelt so good. She was always, always, smokin’ dry meat and hides in the day time throughout the summer. Mom always reminded me in our private conversations that her only sanctuary when she was a teenager was at kohkum’s house. So when people in my family would say bad things about indians, I did not understand. Kohkum’s house was the most peaceful and warm place I had ever been, with the exception of my mom’s sister, auntie Linda. Linda always had a lot of respect for kohkum. She talked highly of her. Never said a bad word about her family neither. Auntie Linda never told lies. She was a devout Christian. She lived the Christian way. I attended bible camps with her son, my cousin Josh. My aunt Linda would always say “you don’t have to go to church and sit with a buncha liars in order to be a good Christian.” People would always scapegoat auntie. They did that because she was so honest people felt threatened and intimidated by her. I looked up to her. She taught her boys to never lie. Me and her oldest boy, cousin Josh, were very close when we were young. He was my favorite cousin. He never lied. Never cursed. Never fought. He stayed close to his mom. All the adults would talk about him, and call him fat and lazy, just like his mom. I never understood why people were so mean. They even made comments about A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant H 8 auntie and my cousin being defective people because they wore glasses. That perspective reeks of biological determinism. Wearing glasses or having any other physical challenge, or barrier, does not equate to a human deficiency. My mom’s side of the family, which included my mom, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and my step-dad would sit around and talk about my auntie Linda’s family like they were different. I hated it. I would stay with auntie as often as I could. She let me run free. She even let me take my pants off and run around in my underwear if I wanted. We could never do that anywhere else. My cousin Josh had the strongest feet in the world. He would walk right over thorn bushes in his bare feet. He would also stand outside in the winter with his belly hanging, saying how much he loved the cold. His attitude about life was just like his father’s, always positive. That was my uncle Dave, man, he was the coolest guy. He had the world’s best laugh. He never scolded me. He was always kind. He would make me Jello anytime I wanted. “It’s god’s simple gifts we have to enjoy,” he would say. He was so right. To this day I love Jello. Every time I feel it hit my tongue I remember how it felt the last time I ate Jello with uncle Dave. His dark brown wrinkled Metis skin turned clammy and pale. He was shaking. He was so cold. Eventually the cancer took him away. After he died all the family would say he was such a good man. Because it was true. They would say he was the best indian they ever met. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant \\<^ I did not understand all this indian business. I literally could not see the difference between Indians and our family. Everybody called indians down and made fun of them. Well, maybe I saw a couple o f differences. ‘The indians’ lived out of town. Indians were nice to each other, especially to the kids. When I was young I had never seen an indian adult yell, or hit a child. I could not comprehend why people had such problems with indians. Our family would yell, belittle, hit and molest kids. It was so confusing. Our family hated indians. I did not waste much time thinking about it. It just was. I did not understand what all of this ‘indian’ business was about. I liked them. They liked me, a lot. They were the only people I had met who treated me like I belonged. Racist Canada I will borrow insights from Paulo Freire (1990) and Eduardo Duran (2006) in regards to the importance of transformative and dialogical humanistic pedagogy that would constitute cultural transformation through revolutionary harmonious synthesization of the dualistic challenges identified in the experiences of many Canadians (Freire, 1990; Duran, 2006). Many mainstream Canadians believe that ‘we’ are not racist due to the fact that ‘we’ have multi-culturalist policy. However, ‘we’ maintain apartheid policy: Indian Act (2012). This is seemingly contradictory. The personal-is-political, and the political-is-definitively-personal. Scholars like Sue, Blackstock, and a variety of aboriginal scholars and organizations/committees inform us that claims of concern that Canada is a hegemonic and racist nation are valid. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 120 I will focus on the Canadian context and only mention the American context in few regards, primarily through Sue’s (2003) work. Moreover, I personally prescribe to my own conceptualization and belief that right wing extremism is not an isolated closed group/thought phenomenon in NA. It is my personal and theoretical belief and experience that right wing extremism is a focalized political idea reflected and learned from the larger collective social consciousness of Canadian society. Thus, the cultural context of Canadian life in my experience has essentially proven to be racist through a variety of dynamics that I began to learn as a child; overt-oppression/racism and covert/subtleoppression/racism. We can see examples of how overt racism can result in atrocity throughout world history, and more locally within the Canadian context. For this section my focus is on indigenous peoples’ experience of racial oppression. I will not explore the dynamics that prove Canada has a history of oppressing other races through policy, such as seen with archaic racist policies placed against ‘Orientals’ (Ward, 1990). Racism is a dangerously oppressive social fact in North America, and around the world (Bishop, 2002; Memmi, 1965; Freire, 1990; Sue, 2003). Racialization -> Racism Now I am going to contextualize the concept of race, racialization, racial discrimination, and racism in order to reflect on the historic/contemporary forms of systematic racial segregation that Canada still employs through the Indian Act, much like Canada did with Orientals through white supremacist policies (Ward, 1986). Exploring these dynamics of racialization is two fold. First is my personal learning on matters relating to race, as my belief was rooted in biological deterministic elements relating to A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 121 race and socialization. Second I understand that the depths of racism within NA culture will allow for a ‘keen eye’ that can identify racialized and racist dynamics within the ECMC. Once identifying and naming these dynamics we can move to changing, transforming and healing from these archaic dimensions (Fook as cited by Payne, 2005). We as a society can then create safer spaces. This is not new information. However, I wish to contribute to discussion(s) that purport social change. Racialization is an oppressor’s tool. To effectively change an oppressive socio­ political environment there must be a shift in cultural values and dynamics. In order to achieve healing through a process, such as decolonization, it is implicit that factors such as racialization are ceased, or at least minimized. Racism is a result of racialization. Racialization is categorically different than racism. Racialization intends to create inequality, which then results in social class differences. Often racialization is used to create differentiation (Sue, 2003). This often establishes a divisive inequality and inequity. The differentiation between ‘races’ becomes an effective tool for colonizers/oppressors to maintain power bases (Mullaly, 2010; Sue, 2003; Kimmel, 2004; Memmi, 1965). As Sue (2003) and Bishop (2002) tell us the inequality manifested through racialized categorization benefits only the dominant class. The dominant class is the socially privileged class. The dominant class then have access to benefits that the oppressed class do not have. These benefits can be both political and/or social (Sue, 2003; Bishop, 2002). Mullaly (2010) explains that our capitalist structure inherently creates inequity and inequality. Racialization is merely a differentiation method that divides access to power. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 122 Capitalism can use race as a barrier rooted in differentiation, while the deeper context of power lays within economic class (2010). Thus, in a capitalist society ‘race’ is like a layer of oppression that intersects with other oppressive methods. This employs a distractive dynamic that is deeply rooted in schismatic design and collective institutional intent. If this is true, then we can be confident to say that even if we eliminated racism there would still be oppression. However, this should not deter us from broaching the fallacy o f ‘race’ by denouncing racist thought, values, and beliefs. We can effectively change our society as seen in the case of the civil rights movement and through the emergence of human rights. Of course these problems are not obliterated but rather have been drastically decreased through humanistic praxis. That praxis employs me as a FVRWE to challenge, articulate, initiate, and invite dialogue in context to the intersectionality of oppression and colonization to this study. According to Mullaly (as cited in Flanagan 2011) the essence of structural social ideology indicates that inequality: “1) is a natural, inherent (i.e structural) part of capitalism; 2) falls along such lines as class, gender, race, sexual orientation, age, ability, and geographical region; 3) excludes groups from opportunities, meaningful participation in society, and a satisfactory quality of life; and 4) is self-perpetuating (2011).” Paulo Freire (1970) says that liberation from oppression is only achieved by bringing humanistic interactions/dynamics to socio-political institutions. According to Freire the oppressed who employ humanistic interactions with all others are engaging in liberation by praxis. Humanistic engagement would include contributing to practices that will A “Former's” Perspective Daniel Gallant 123 decrease oppressive dynamics, such as categorical racialization (Freire, 1990; Memmi, 1965). Eliminating racialization would end institutional practices of racial discrimination. This would limit inequality and increase the chance for further equity within society. According to Kimmel (2004) both the individual, and the collective society, are influenced largely by their own culture. Prescribed racial categories have little or no weight to determining a person’s socialization in context to biology. Moreover, the only weight the concept of ‘race’ has in our society is based upon how much emphasis our society puts on the concept of ‘race’. Biological determinacies of socialization in context to ‘race’ are an archaic out-dated perspective and belief that needs to be discussed in open spaces in our society (Kimmel, 2010). According to the World Health Organization (2001) and Veenstra (2009) racism affects health. Racism is a social determinant of health. Thus, for a healthier society decreasing racism is essential. Moreover, economically eliminating racialization and racism could benefit the economic ‘burdens’ by saving money expended on poorer health of racialized/marginalized groups. Creating a healthier society through ending racialization through socio-political methods would benefit all of society, except those who do not want to let go of the power and privilege they hold during the emergence of more equitable socialization. Paulo Freire (1990) tells us that the most effective way to change a culture is through transforming pedagogical processes. Reshaping of the contemporary education system, and curriculum, is in order to provide students with the opportunity of experience A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 124 with non-oppressive dialogical learning. This is what Freire refers to as a “Cultural Revolution” (p. 140). One of the key elements of Cultural Revolution is to omit oppressive practices, such as racialization. The elimination of racialized categories would not negate appreciation, celebration, nor acknowledgement of diversity. Differences between ethnic and/or socio-cultural groups could be further respected by the elimination/cessation of racialization (1970). Acknowledging the need to eliminate oppressive practices is essential in progressive thinking (Freire, 2000). It is necessary to evict concepts such as racialization, which are categorical differentiations of mere physiological phenotypes such as skin color, hair color and eye color only intended to divide power; we must evict this thinking in order to establish a humanistic cultural transformation. According to Kimmel (2010) these biological characteristics are not deterministic predispositions of socialization, intelligence, nor cognitive ability. The phenotypical attributes of the human race do not directly affect nor determine human behavior, culture, nor cognitive processing. Thus, ‘race’ as a concept is only as important as a particular culture emphasizes its social relevance. If a culture decides the concept of race is to be determined as obsolete then there are no socio-political repercussions beyond resistance for the dominant group to maintaining its power base and/or socio-political privilege. The concept and practice of racialization functions to benefit the dominant class, and not the racialized group. Race, racialization, and racism are learned conceptual practices and behaviors. This is further expanded on by Kimmel (2010) in regards to gender as well. Evicting the concept of racialization could improve social health and result in less A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 125 financial burden on the health care system. We know racism results in poorer health and has economic burdens that go along with declining health in a nation (WHO, 2001). Gender and race are merely two attributes of what Anne Bishop (2002) refers to as a birdcage of oppressive intersectionalities of power over dynamics. These intersections of oppression can pile up on individuals who are visibly identifiable as a minority (Bishop, 2002). The reason we have Hate Crimes legislation in Canada is to protect people’s human rights and freedoms, as human beings and citizens from discriminative and exclusionary practices/violence. Looking for Solutions Race is biological as culture and ethnicity are defined as social (Rex, 1986). Race science is an archaic understanding of the human condition that was present within the school of biological determinism. The global community now realizes that race is typically assigned due to phenotypical attributes. Culture, which is a manifestation of socialization includes these elements: linguistics, psychology, and all other aspects of social life (1986). These are the prominent determining facts of human interaction, life, and experience (Kimmel, 2010). Considering the race relations lens and how dominant groups will utilize biology to justify usurpation and oppression, which is exemplified by Albert Memmi (1965). Racialization is often utilized in order to justify and/or rationalize differentiation which results in inequities, inequalities, and discrimination (Freire, 1990; Kimmel, 2010; Memmi, 1965). According to Rex (1986) the concept of race cannot be justifiably used in order to politically segregate people: A “Former’s” Perspective 126 Daniel Gallant “.. .so-called races of mankind were statistically distinguishable groups... [t]hus it was possible to classify groups of human beings in terms o f predominance of certain indices, such as the cephalic or nasal index, skin color, hair type and so on.. .such physical differences were correlated with behavioral or psychological differences, hence the notion that ‘race’ could be used to justify unequal treatment was rejected. The concept of race as the biologist used it was seen to be irrelevant to the explanation of political differences amongst human beings.. (Rex, 1986). Thus, if I reflect and link this section to the preceding sections relating to Social Work, we must confer as social work practitioners and Canadian citizens that these archaic practices be brought to the forefront of discussion and ensure that the cessation of racialization is employed. The other option is for social work to acknowledge their collective oppressive role and further develop affective pathways that are truly antioppressive. Social Work Contexts o f ‘Race’ There is a seeming paradox that is reflected in the professional Social Work culture. There seems to be a commonly identifiable stream of colonial ECMC functions of Social Work within Canadian society. I have learned that there are inherent issues and paradoxical challenges often associated with the Social Work profession. I do not intend to demonize, chastise, nor to put the weight of the world on the shoulders of a few workers, practitioners, and researchers. In this section, however, I do intend to somewhat localize these paradoxical issues of systemic racism as a structural issue. Highlighting educational curriculum that assisted me in realizations of examples that reflect the depths of less overt racism in Canadian society. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 127 Liberation is possible through the collective body of social work through processes such as decolonization, which I would argue is similar to de-radicalization of FVRWE. Considering our collective professional social work position within the ECMC it would benefit all of society if there was more decolonization embedded within the social work education system. Like Freire (1970) says, changing the pedagogical mechanical system to a humanistic dialogical system would result in cultural transformation that would provide many opportunities for liberation. Further to Rex’s (1986) definition of the word race we can also refer to the legal community as well in two separate contexts. The first, being human rights concerns. The United Nations’ (2011) website indicates that humans have the right to be bom into a world of equality and dignity and that does not discriminate based on race; race as being determined by phenotypical attributes such as skin color and other physical distinctions (2011). This context validates that globally the world perceives racial discrimination as a negative aspect of human life and should be ceased, or at least decreased. As well, Sullivan (2008) indicates that in legal interpretive methods ‘race’ is defined through genealogical and phenotypical attributes. Structural Social Work and ‘Race’ As much as I confer with, and incorporate, structural social work into my theoretical scope, Mullaly’s (2010) segment on multi-culturalism entirely misses the points that Sue (2003) draws upon. This is problematic, as explained by Cindy Blackstock who was a child protection worker and is still a social worker. In Blackstock’s (2011) dissertation presentation at UNBC, she states how anti-oppressive social work approaches are inherently problematic. This problem is relative to structural A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 128 social work. Due to the separation of theory and practice; it is easy to speak and present anti-oppressive discussion but it is very hard to turn it into practice within a flawed system (Personal communication, 2011). Sheila Hardy and Anne-Marie Mawhiney (in Turner, 2002) indicate that historically aboriginals in Canada were negatively impacted by social workers. However, they do not bring into context ways that social work still impacts First Nations children, families, and communities negatively. This reflects the potentiality that perhaps there is an avoidance to draw attention to such issues such as the contemporary ways in which the profession of social work culture is still negatively imposing upon First Nations peoples under a remaining colonialist regime. Surely colonization tactics have not dissipated. Not even in context to social policies and legislation. In fact, Canada still employs the Indian Act and the related archaic colonialist practices while negating their treaty responsibilities (Harmar and Foster, 2007; Neu and Thierren, 2003). These points about the role of Social Workers exemplify how entrenched systemic racism is in Canada. Even in the vocations of those set out to protect indigenous children there exists racism as common practice. The fact that I have learned about these oppressive contexts throughout my time in post-secondary institutions as a part of my disengagement process brings to point why this position and topic is discussed in my autoethnographic work. Further in Turner (2002) it is indicated in the same chapter that “(a)boriginal peoples were owners, occupiers, and users of the land before European settlement” (p.62). This statement misses the context of aboriginality and the relationship between people, culture, and land. As indicated in Battiste (2000) land was never owned. The A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 129 concept of ownership is a colonialist imposition (2000). And the simple fact that this sort of language is utilized in the texts of social work education literature exemplifies the point that social workers do not always understand the context of their own impositions and oppressive roles against the First peoples of Canada. These are examples of ways in which social work may have a disconnect between anti-oppressive theory and social work practice. The obvious fact is that Social Workers are governed and paid by the same federal and provincial governments that oppress First Nations people, language, culture, and land. In Freire’s (1970) work he states that the only way to ensure a cultural transformation is through a revolution of the entire pedagogical process of the oppressor. Even considering the implementation of structural social work the pedagogical climate remains the same with some limited development and advancements in some regards that has transpired over the last years. Thus, even structural social work literature could grow from the insights of Sue (2003). ‘Race’ and Health Elimination of racism can be socially attained. Racism is not an innate component to human life, nor is racialization. Racism is merely the manifestation of the momentum of a collective consciousness that can be moderated/eliminated, or at the very least suppressed. Cessation of racialization can assist in the process to eliminate racism. Engaging in a dialogue of racialization cessation will create safety nets for the indigenous peoples who are colonized/oppressed. Decreasing racialization will help engage First Nations peoples with self-deterministic healing processes, such as decolonization. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 130 Racialization cessation will contribute to suppressing the dominant classes’ oppressive social control program that we see in NA society. The World Health Organization (2001) identifies race as a social determinant of health; racially marginalized groups have poorer health in a global context. We know that health is greatly racialized in Canada; visible minorities have poorer health than the dominant class (Veenstra, 2009). But as Snait Gissis (2008) indicates the categorical concept of difference, ‘race’, has historically been central to epidemiological and genetic studies; however, since WWII this practice has largely been abandoned. Thus, reflecting that the global community may be moving towards a more inclusive approach to human genetic and epidemiological concerns (2008). It is examples such as these that show that science has largely moved away from race-based and eugenics science. It is my opinion that society is attempting to move on from a racist worldview but we are still shackled by those that hold onto these perspectives. ‘Race’ and Colonization Racialization has historically been an integral aspect of colonial regimes, and other oppressive governmental entities (Memmi, 1965). Often these entities are totalitarian and/or fascist. At the minimum they utilize totalitarian/fascist tactics. Assimilation, genocide, ethnocide, physical abuse, torture, and displacement of culture and community are all ways in which colonizers use power-over tactics. This is seen in the context of Canadian history with indigenous peoples. According to the A.H.F. (2008) the health of aboriginal people is largely affected through historic and contemporary colonial impositions. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 131 Memmi (1965) discusses how the colonized responds to the processes of assimilation and how the colonized internalizes the colonizers’ racist worldview. Thus, I propose, that if we as FVRWE(s) show that we can de-institutionalize ourselves through a disengagement process then maybe we can benefit others. We can become leaders in humanistic dialogues that synthesize dualistic roles within privileged locations while promoting transformative pedagogy that moves towards Cultural Revolution (Freire, 1990; Duran, 2006). This would increase the amount of ethical space, as Ermine (2007) explains it. After all, indigenous NA have fresh gapping soul wounds from the colonial sword. As a FVRWE, an overt oppressor, I hope to contribute to the momentum of social awareness that moves to establish safer spaces in society. Bonita Lawrence (2011) indicates that aboriginals in Canada face harsher political outcomes compared to any other racialized group. For instance racialized groups in Canada all face scrutiny of police surveillance in day-to-day life more so than the dominant class. However, First Nations people are the only racialized group in Canada who face a consistent threat of direct conflict with military in Canada (2011). These threats suggest that racism and colonization are still prevalent concerns for all Canadians. In a society that claims to be a human rights leader why is it that we harbor racialized policies and threaten legal First Nations’ dissent with military force. The ECMC does not necessarily understand these dynamics. We cannot expect citizens of Canada to understand these schismatic ontological underpinnings of the ECMC, when some critical race theorists and anti-racism theorists do not identify, include, or even understand the context of the indigenous socio-political position and life experience. Thus, it is essential A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 132 that these issues be brought to the forefront of scholarship pertaining to indigenous rights and worldview (Lawrence, 2011); all while being brought to public forums as well. Lawrence (2011) explains how aboriginal “existence is erased through theories of race and racism” in context to anti-racist theorists. She identifies how diaspora identities fail to consider how they are a component in colonial society. Lawrence also identifies how discussions around slavery in the Americas erase the history of colonization. Moreover, colonization politics are often associated with anti-racist theory/politics, which in fact erases the context of colonization and negates the indigenous perspective. Thus, according to Lawrence anti-racism is essentially a colonial agent in most cases (2011). I agree with her perspective. Somehow, we of the ECMC, must find a way to translate and disseminate messages that deconstruct colonial worldviews and articulate the indigenous context pertaining to contexts of racism, oppression, and colonialism. Denzin (2003) discusses the multi-layers o f racism within Montana, and his participation in the structural racism. From participating in annual cultural re-enactment festivals that are inherently white supremacist, to his observation of a debate between a local university and indigenous peoples over a caricature of an ‘Indian Chief that is borrowed by a sports team as a mascot. The largely accepted discourse reflects that racism and white supremacy in Montana are rampant, and are participated in by the university that is supposed to be a safe space for minorities. Thus, this is a further example of how deep racism runs through NA culture (2003). Denzin (2003) does propose and take the position that there is a resolution. The Foucault Effect as described by Denzin (p. 261) that “suggests that scholars should look A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 133 at the effects of discourses on social practices, including other discourses” (p. 261). The Foucault Effect focuses on consequences of actions, and the effects of the actions. Denzin indicates that the affect of an action results in racism, then the said action is racist whether or not the motives for the action are racist or not; a racist act is racist (2003). As told by Berlet (2004) it is irrelevant if racism is conscious or unconscious, “oppressions [are] not less serious because it is more subtle” (p. 45). Berlet further states that “ we must always recognize theories, acts, and systems of oppression based on gender, race, sexuality, class, ethnicity.. .exist throughout our society, not just in dissident or insurgent movements of the political right” (p. 47, 2004). Thus, if the outcome is racist then the action is racist. If the actions are committed by a professional practice, academic discipline, social policy, or just through the collective consciousness of a group they are nonetheless racist; even if the ECMC believes that it is indeed not racist. Emphasizing Colonial Contexts In order to educate the children properly we must separate them from their families. Some people may say that this is hard but if we want to civilize them we must do that ~ Hector Langevin, Public Works Minister o f Canada, 1883 ~ (TRC) The historic relationship between the first peoples of Canada and the colonizers is fraught with oppressive dynamics. My personal disengagement from VRWETA includes my post-secondary education, more specifically First Nations Studies. My educational path has helped me realize that I bought into white supremacist doctrine easily due to the fact that I live in a white supremacist nation, or at minimum a dominant colonial right wing worldview of the ECMC, which does include academia, law, social policy, and the Social Work profession (Adams, 1989; Badwall, 2013; Battiste, 2000; Cardinal, 1969; Denzin, 2003; Ferber, 2004; Fillion, 2010; FNCFCSC, 2005; Freire, 1990; Harris, 2006; Indian Act, 2012; Kimmel, 2000; Mullaly, 2010; Perry, 2001; Perry, 2008; Perry, 2010; A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 134 Perry, 2012; Ryan & Leeson, 2011; William-White, 2011). There are arguments that claim there are also dynamics that are not so oppressive. For the sake of the context of this literature review I will focus on some of the oppressive colonial dynamics. Please bear in mind this is merely generalized and scratches the surface of the experience of indigenous peoples, in context to the colonial dynamics of Canadian society and history. It is not a comprehensive contribution. My hope is to expand on these concepts in my doctoral degree. The purpose of this section is merely to position this literature within my theoretical scope/lens. As indicated by Smith (2006) historically “[t]here is one particular figure whose name looms large, and whose spectre lingers, in indigenous discussions of encounters with the West: Christopher Columbus. It is not simply that Columbus is identified as the one who started it all, but rather that he has come to represent a huge legacy of suffering and destruction. Columbus ‘names’ that legacy more than any other individual” (p. 20, Smith, 2006). The Aboriginal Healing Foundation (2008) provides a timeline of colonial happenings. From the Royal Proclamation, fur trade, Indian Act, residential school systems, 60s scoop and then moving to contemporary context(s) of healing. Within this time line it is substantiated through archival data that the federal government viewed indigenous people as ‘inferior savages that needed to be civilized’. There is evidence that government officials such as Duncan Campbell Scott wanted “to kill the indian in every child” (A.H.F., 2008). The residential schools housed approximately 150,000 indigenous children of which about 25% died from disease, abuse, and systemic atrocity (A.H.F., 2008). The A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 135 residential schools were later replaced largely with the child welfare system and Social Workers (York, 1999).This resulted in a horrendous amount of children being taken out of indigenous communities and put into homes with non-indigenous families, this resulted in many identity issues and systemic racism for the children and their biological families (2008). Smith (2006) tells us that: “[n]ative children in Canada were sent to residential schools at an age designed to systematically destroy their language and memories of home.. .years of abuse, neglect and viciousness meted out to young children by teachers and staff in schools run by various religious denominations. These forms of discipline were supported by paternalistic and racist policies and legislation; they were accepted by white communities as necessary conditions which had to be met if indigenous people wanted to become citizens (of their own lands)” (p. 69, Smith). Through the work of Miller (2000) and Milloy (2000) we are provided with horrendous details of abuse and racial discrimination that innocent children, families, communities and culture had/do experience. J.R. Miller’s (2000) book, Shinwauk’s Vision, is an in depth account of the ways government and churches abducted and abused, even murdered, First Nations’ children with the intent to assimilate them and to kill the Indian within the child. The assimilation tactics of the colonial government is a fact. This is further substantiated by Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s (2009) apology to indigenous peoples for the imposition of cultural assimilation of First Nations children via the residential A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 136 school system, which has established an inter-generational legacy of social issues (2009). Example after example could be provided. For me as a survivor of physical, sexual, emotional, mental, and spiritual child abuse I can empathize with the experiences of these children and families, although my experiences are not comparable to experiences of indigenous people due to socio-political contexts. I was not faced with legislated apartheid. There is in fact a huge differentiation between my abuse and the systemic abuse of indigenous children and their families. Last year the Hon. Justice Murray Sinclair indicated that Canada has committed genocide against indigenous peoples, he says this in spite of what he refers to as the federal governments tendency to steering away and avoiding United Nations standards and definitions (CTV, 2012). A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant Healing/Decolonization “ ...every colonial nation carries the seeds o f fascist temptation in its bosom” ~ Albert Memmi (Photo: Gallant, 2014) 137 A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 138 Cindy B. (Poem) I want to thank you on behalf of all us “un-indians” ethno-centric-mono-culture all non-First Nations Canadian peoples us immigrants, the ignorant, the mean, the killers, the rapers. the homophobes. the racists, the powerful, dominant, and sickened, superiority complexified society. I, thank you. for articulation, research harvested ceremonial, produced in language, and understood structures, by masses, now. who can deny? success, teaching the government, how to treat children, people and community, my nechi-nehiyewan. Cree. Saulteau. Secwepemc. Anishinaabe. my friends, lovers, partners, colleagues, and comrades in academia, my brethren on the streets, homeless, and those of us who moved on. survived, your praxis, a revolution, this, my honor, honorary shout­ out. for you. for the kids, and families, the world, country, and nation hiy-hiy The Result: Witnesses Bonita Lawrence (2011) explains that there is an ongoing means as to how colonization is carried out against indigenous people today, and that indigenous people do resist this current colonization. Lawrence explains that in America there is a legacy of anti-racist and post-colonial theorists who claim that since genocide was successful that indigenous issues are not necessary to address (2011). This results in an ECMC perspective that can ignore the nationhood of the indigenous people. Lawrence (2011) explains that Canada definitively criminalizes indigenous dissent, even if the dissent is based within legal and sovereign rights. Moreover, the law in Canada has been a huge instrument in the historic disenfranchisement of Indian status. Ever since the 1800s the courts have taken the perspective that land claims issues were irrelevant as Indians were on a path to extinction, and thus pointless to make a decision; even if that decision was A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 139 legally founded/based. This continued until the 1970s. In spite of Canadian court victories such as the Calder case and Delgamuukw, which recognize elements of indigenous rights, there is still a fundamental colonial dilemma. These decisions are not delineated with consideration of political and cultural frameworks of aboriginal government that are considered the heart of indigenous society, which are cultural/spiritual contexts of being (2011). To attain aspects of decolonization, Lawrence (2011) tells us that ‘we’ need to understand how indigenous peoples are ongoingly resisting colonization, in order to understand the aboriginal context. To engage with the different perspectives on issues in context to land base, and legal entitlement to the land, would unfold many elements of the indigenous context. The root of the colonial resistance is within land claims issues. Indigenous people are inherently tied to the land through ontological and epistemological relations (2011). Consideration of land bases and ownership can be determined as epistemological in function for the colonial society (Battiste, 2000; Lawrence, 2011). First Nations peoples have a right to an education, an education based within First Nations culture (Joffre, 2010; Harmar & Foster, 2007). Contemporarily on the issue of aboriginal rights and title we see a momentum that signifies global change. In the United Nations Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples (United Nations, 2008) many socio­ political issues are focussed on, education is primary amongst these points. As Joffre (2010) explains, the UN Declaration of Indigenous Peoples sees education as a key component of indigenous rights in Canada. Historically indigenous peoples, including the First Nations peoples of Canada, have been imposed on with education systems set out to A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 240 assimilate children and communities. The result is sometimes referred to as ethnocide, the mass death of culture/ethnicity. The praxis of ethical space can be identified within Gregory Cajete’s (2000) chapter Indigenous Knowledge: The Pueblo Metaphor o f Indigenous Education. Cajete’s explanation of indigenous education suggests that there are two main themes that must be focused on: Land and Language. These two themes are central to indigenous learning and cultural survival; especially after experiencing collective colonial ethnocidal impositions. Healing proponents of aboriginal education must include land and language at the core of curriculum and pedagogical methods (2000). Understanding this is important in order to add a contextual understanding to indigenous healing movements, and the term decolonization. The impact of internalized colonization/oppression creates conflicts that do manifest in identity and ways of being (Freire,1970; Memmi, 1965; Duran, 2006; Battiste, 2000). As Leroy Little Bear explains in the article Jagged Worlds Collide (2000) the imposition of colonization, for First Nations, has been an internalized conflict that results in two separate worldviews that collide and create internal psychological, emotional and spiritual strife. Colonization has displaced the First Nations peoples collectively. Colonization still impacts First Nations peoples individually. Collectively, and individually, First Nations people(s), have internalized the colonizers’ imposed assimilation programs and agenda in many ways. This was indeed the intent of the colonizer/oppressor. Little Bear explains that this collision of outer worlds is internalized and the results are very profound (2000). Healing from these affects has become central A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant \A\ to many First Nations peoples’ lives. Healing paths are for both indigenous and nonindigenous peoples. Creating safe spaces for the internal collisions of dualistic aspects of self is necessary especially after experiencing imposed colonization/oppression. For the individual to exist in the world in a relational manner it is essential that the soul wound, as described by Eduardo Duran (2006), is healed. The soul wound is the multi­ dimensional impact that colonization/oppression has on each affected person. There has been a negative impact of colonization/oppression on the social organism, and or life body, of indigenous peoples (2006). Moreover, in context to my own personal healing as FVRWE overcoming my part in the legacy of colonial soul wounds becomes relevant. Especially since ideologically violent white supremacist groups/doctrine adhere to colonial attributes and functions specifically relating to racialization, systemic racism, and genocide. Providing room for healing for both the colonized/oppressed and colonizer/oppressor must be made in order to heal (Duran, 2006). Willie Ermine (2007) describes ethical space. Ethical space does not demand that the colonizer/oppressor change. Rather, it makes room and offers ethical space for the colonizer/oppressor to decide their own path (2007). Freire (1990) indicates that the oppressed can liberate themselves. The oppressed are not necessarily liberated at the hand of the oppressor. Selfdetermination and/or self-actualization can provide a limited context to the complex process of liberation through transformation that Freire discusses. After the oppressed are liberated the oppressor can be provided opportunity for liberation as well. Those from the A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 142 dominant oppressive class who participate with oppressed groups’ liberation processes are conferred as witnesses (Freire, 1970; FNCFCSC, 2013). In my personal experience I was offered opportunity to embark on a journey of liberation by oppressed/colonized communities; Cree and Saulteau communities. If it were not for the supportive nature of Elders, Healers, and Medicine People I believe I would not have been provided with my transformative journey. Through the compassion of colonized, marginalized, and oppressed peoples I was granted opportunities to change and be freed from the shackles of my own hatred and identity issues. Finding Resolve This is where Frankl’s (1946) work surfaces through my theoretical lens and healing experience. As an overt oppressor who is engaged with liberation, I find meaning/purpose in my suffering and the suffering I caused others, which provides me with the motivation to continue to educate others about the depths of racism and that there is hope that we as people can change the schismatic design of society. This purpose includes engaging dialogue that we as a society need to understand if we truly want to synthesize humanistic qualities. The plight of the NA indigenous peoples needs to be more openly and continually engaged with, so that we can come to a cohesive collective understanding about ourselves, within the dominant ECMC. Colonizers have been oppressing nearly every land base, and the indigenous peoples who inhabit the land, that they come into contact with. I hope to contribute, at least in a small way, to softening the hard oppressive nature of racialization within the NA contemporary context by contributing to collective dialogues. The need to include the A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 143 concepts like ethical space into education systems/curriculum will indeed, in itself, result in a cultural shift that would be revolutionary (Battiste, 2000). According to Paulo Freire (1990), it is necessary to replace our current mechanical pedagogical institutions and curriculum with meaningful humanistic processes and curriculum. This is essential if we wish to see manifestations of cultural transformation, which move away from colonialist-oppressive dynamics. This is what Freire considered a revolutionary proponent of dialogical praxis (1990). In order to avoid racialization, the process of decolonization must be coupled with practices that both facilitate and maintain meaningful dialogue between the racialized and the racializer. These practices must be carried out, at least in part, by the oppressed/colonized individuals/communities. Racialization creates inequality in order for socio-political power structures to maintain their regiments of oppression, and their privilege. Structural Social Work Challenges to Decolonization I lack imagination you say No. I lack language. The language to clarify My resistance to the literate... ~ Cherrie Moraga ~ (P. 40, Smith, 2006) As Smith (2006) tells us “[djecolonization.. .does not mean and has not meant a total rejection o f all theory or research or Western knowledge. Rather, it is about centering our concerns and world views and then coming to know and understand theory and research from our own perspectives and for our own purposes” (p. 38, Smith, 2006). Colonial contexts of social work have been present throughout my whole life, and most definitely today, in context to ECMC colonial imposition on First Nations people. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 244 Structural Social Work School My post-secondary education has taught me how deep racism exists within Canadian society, policy, and law. I was first introduced to structural social work in September 2011 during my course work in the MSW program at UNBC. I entered graduate social work studies, not for vocational purposes, but rather to further challenge my right wing worldview and to continue my counter-extremist and anti-racist work. Through the exploration of my understanding of social work, my perspective was challenged and broadened effectively. For the first time I had the opportunity to have faith in the social work collective. I had little faith in the spectrum of the social work profession due to my personal historic relations with the discipline and profession as an abused child who was ignored by the state, who claimed to be protecting my rights. However, I was also presented with an opportunity to see where Social Work as a profession may be presented with a precarious location and function. Social Work urges towards a more equitable society by addressing social justice issues, which are often seen as structural issues. However, Social Workers are linked to archaic colonial projects such as child protection through legislative links. We know that Social Workers have carried out a legacy of ethnocidal and assimilative attacks on First Nations families and communities (Battiste, 2000; Harper, 2009; Indian Act, 2012; MCFD, 2013; Miller, 2000; Milloy, 2000; York, 1999). Some Social Workers still function within professional roles that seemingly contradict their ethical declarations. These lessons I have learned about the profession through First Nations Studies, Social Work school, and time as a practicum student at MCFD has enabled me gain a greater understanding of examples of the inherent racism that exists in the Canadian ECMC. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 145 I believe without the structural approach, social work could continuously repeat the mistakes of its own colonial roots/history. I have written and begun research on structural social work for the past couple of years now. I have learned the value of antioppressive approaches to social work. As indicated by Heinonen & Spearman (2010) structural social work has offered a practice application of radical social work theory. This has brought praxis of theoretical integrity, congruence, and effectiveness to social work theory that may not have been as prominent in previous eras. As indicated by Mullaly (2010) structural social work is not a theory, but rather a practice approach. Given that social work faces inherent challenges due to vocational positions and through legislation it can be argued that the likelihood that social work will effectively acknowledge its seemingly inherent racist position could be construed as unlikely. Although Mullaly (2007 & 2010) seems to miss an understanding about indigenous contexts within the multi-cultural framework of Canada, actuary information indicates that social workers in structural terms are lacking in contexts to not only missing the general contexts of indigenous issues, but also misses facilitating learning for indigenous students. Harris (2006) indicates that in BC: “[a] review of curriculum in social work education, of literature on social work education for First Nations, and of a survey o f twenty-three articles on social work with First Nations, as well as analysis of the traditional orientations guiding social work education indicate the failure of social work programs to adequately promote social justice, or to meet the needs of First Nations students... Ultimately, social justice in social work A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 146 education requires a post-colonial foundation, and incorporates decolonization, Aboriginal worldviews, and self-determination” (p. 29). Harris also indicates that, “[s]o far, what is evident is that the rhetoric of ‘social justice’ has yet to become a significant reality in social work education and practice (p. 245). This reflects that social work educators not only miss the ability to reach out to non-indigenous students in terms of addressing structural issues and critical thinking about their own oppressive location as citizens of the ECMC, but also that they are further oppressive as they volunteer to be social workers, which by definition only happens once someone is registered (BCCSW, 2013). When practicing under the BCCSW the practitioner becomes legislatively tied to apartheid policy in Canada due to the centrality of the Indian Act (2012). This is exemplified through the direct legislative links between the CFCSA (1996), Indian Act (2012), and the Bill-35 Social Work Act (2008) that is more often than not facilitated under MCFD (2013). Canadian legislation effectively operates as a living organism and is built upon colonial foundations (Cardinal, 1969; Battiste et. al, 2000; Neu & Therrien, 2003). We know that the Indian Act (2012) negatively affects First Nations children in care, both historically and contemporarily (FNCFCSC, 2005; FNCFCSC, 2013a; FNCFCSC, 2013b; York, 1999). We know that Social Workers are often child protection workers in the ministry. In addition, Social Workers have participated in the 60s Scoop (York, 1999). Moreover, it is through my First Nations Studies and Social Work education that I have come to understand that the two of the issues with the Indian Act are related to colonially imposed apartheid and gender based discrimination (Canadian Bar Association, 2010; CFCSA, 1996; Indian Act, 2012; King, 2011). Thus, from my A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 147 perspective it is clear that there is a legislative link between Social Workers who are a legislated professional designation who do carry out elements of colonial law that impede and deteriorate First Nations culture and peoples. The above points do not confer that because someone is a Social Worker that the person is racist. It could be viewed that the Social Workers) do adhere to colonial apartheid and do carry out contradictory and/or precarious elements of the vocational and legalistic location of the professional role and position in the ECMC (Sue, 2003; Mullaly, 2007; Mullaly, 2010). Moreover, Eduardo Duran (2006) identifies that the oppressive role of a therapeutic practitioner can result in deeper damage to indigenous clients within the context of the ECMC. Elements of hegemonic and oppressive intersectionality can be identified in the location and role of the Social Worker as a complicit extension of status quo, much like the structural issues outlined by Bishop (2002). Thus, for the sake of professional integrity social work could collectively work to transform its professional culture. Failing to address these issues that can be linked to decolonial contexts and are seen at the core of social justice issues identified through application of some critical lenses, i.e. structural social work and feminism, are essential if social work wants to maintain a level of ethical integrity. This can be achieved through acknowledgement and change of structural issues within social work education (Harris, 2006). Moreover, like Freire (1990) indicates the oppressed are not liberated at the hand of the oppressor; oppressed groups can only be liberated by their own actions. Further, in order to attain lasting oppression the oppressor must become aware of its oppressive dimension and desire to change this, which can happen. However, this transformation from being A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 148 oppressive to liberation is most effectively and sustainably achieved through the shifting to a humanistic dialogical transformative pedagogy (1990). Taaike Alfred (1999) indicates that the: “value of the Indigenous critique of the Western worldview lies not in the creation of false dichotomies but in the insight that the colonial attitudes and structures imposed on the world by Europeans are not manifestations of an inherent evil: they are merely reflections of White society’s understanding of its own power and relationship with nature” (p.21). It is imperative that these decolonial contexts are further included within social work education, if social work wants to collectively obtain integrity of social justice. Scholars would likely confer that without transforming social work pedagogical structures/functions it will maintain an oppressive role within Canadian society (Alfred, 1999; Bishop, 2002; Freire, 1970; Flanagan, 2011; Harris, 2006; Mullaly, 2010;). Inherent Challenges There are many critiques of social work as a profession. Structural social workers seem to synthesize values that I hold. According to Mullaly (2007) the structural social work approach is: “based on a reconstituted socialist ideology, located within the radical social work camp, grounded in critical theory, and operating from a social change view of society, structural social work views social problems as arising from a specific societal context-liberal/neoconservative capitalism-rather than from the failings of individuals” (2007, p. 244). A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 149 In conjunction to Mullaly’s (2007 & 2010) deconstruction o f capitalism as inherently creating inequality and inequity, Flanagan (2011) indicates that: “It is important to note that social workers are too often the day-to-day managers, monitors, and interveners on behalf of the state. Even as we know how contradictory this role is for us-it is our paid location. When we enter the world of practice we are faced with sites constructed by contradictions and ambivalences, yet we continue to expect to enact our ideals” (Flanagan, 2011, p. 67-68). Within the context of this structural dilemma of the social work profession, I believe this study can offer valuable insights which could result in social workers realizing their oppressive role, both through professional contexts and social work locations within the ECMC. Discovering understanding, and openly naming one’s oppressive role in the social work profession could assist in developing collective strategies. Much like how FVRWE are collectively creating a new emerging culture. FVRWE must take heed to the potentiality of becoming colonial agents of the ECMC. While the federal government claims to be approaching a new era focused on reparation and reconciliation with indigenous peoples we see many ways that this is not necessarily happening in society (A.H.F., 2008). For instance, as Jessie King (2012) tells us, the Indian Act was recently amended in a federal court challenge that Canada was discriminating against indigenous women based on gender. The Indian Act was amended in response to ‘correct’ this dynamic (King, 2011). In fact, the amendments made were seemingly very misleading, as the amendments did not eliminate the discriminatory practices. The changes lengthened the time by a generation or two to the outcomes of A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 150 discrimination. The amendments made merely bought time for indigenous peoples who will still face similar outcomes. The Canadian Bar (as cited by King, 2012) establishes that the Indian Act still indeed discriminates based on gender. I draw attention to the two-fold discriminative policy that is racist and gender discriminative. Thus, the federal government may be presenting the case that they are taking corrective measures to ensure that they are not being discriminative towards First Nations peoples, but this is definitely untrue and a failed attempt, if it was an attempt at all. The Indian Act (2012), in spite of amendments still maintains the status of a racist and patriarchal policy. I will move away from calling it a white supremacist policy, which it is, and instead focus and adopt what Sue (2003) calls ECMC. I confer with scholars that we live in a white supremacist nation but that is often far to complex of a dynamic that results in cognitive dissonance since most people are not even aware, nor understand, their own complicity within our white supremacist history and system; thus, referring to the dominant colonial society through Sue’s (2003) description of the ECMC is more palatable than implicating society as white supremacist. Acknowledging the depths of our white supremacist society must be informed by the indigenous socio-political experience if we want to fully contextualize racism in Canada, and NA (Duran, 2006; Sue, 2003, Perry, 2001; Perry, 2008). In order to contend with the ECMC worldview and system, the ideas and practices within decolonization could benefit society at large. Unlearning our racism by reprogramming society and re-educating ourselves on power-over dynamics and the depths of schismatic roots on our society (Adams, 1989; Bishop, 2002; Freire, 1990; Kimmel, 2000; Memmi, 1965; Perry, 2001, Sedhev, 2010; Simpson & Ladner, 2010; A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant Sue, 2003). The inclusion of decolonization is often not understood. Incorporating Sue’s (2003) work is a decolonial action, and he is not indigenous to NA. Just as Smith (2006) indicated that decolonization “is about centering our concerns and world views.. .for our own purposes” (p. 38). Canadian Indigenous Human Rights Cindy Blackstock is spearheading a human rights complaint (FNCFCSC, 2013a; FNCFCSC, 2013b) against the federal government of Canada. This is one of the contemporary ways in which the federal government are knowingly turning a ‘blind eye’ to systematic deaths of indigenous children, as substantiated in the Wenrde study (FNCFCSC, 2005). These dynamics can be presented in a case-by-case and policy-bypolicy manner (FNCFCSC, 2013a; FNCFCSC, 2013b). The federal government does maintain refusal to take corrective measures to address the deaths of First Nations children in care. The government’s funding process and schismatic design contributed to deaths of indigenous children ‘in care’. A new funding approach was offered by First Nations advocates, which was directly rejected by the federal government. The previous funding schematic was kept in place and continued, which resulted in more deaths of indigenous children in care (FNCFCSC, 2005). I need to reiterate these points because I, as a FVRWE, now understand where I had learned my schismatic, oppressive, and grotesque archaic worldview-ffom the larger societal structure of Canada. This does not displace my personal accountability for my conscious decisions of grotesque violence as I have openly discussed in the media (Andrews, 2006; Global, 2013). A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 152 I was ‘normal’ in context to my cultural position in the ECMC. I come from a society that is sick with racism and other schismatic designs. Thus, I was sick. Sick people can become better when treated. Sick social policy can be changed. Sick societies can be transformed. There is hope for social change that will be more universally beneficial. Potential change must include the consideration of oppressive power. The way in how this section relates directly to my study is through the fact that this information was acquired throughout my post-secondary career, which was a direct contribution and directive for my disengagement process. I was overwhelmed and felt defeated with all of the information regarding Canada as a white supremacist and colonial nation. However, later on I realized that if I as a VRWE could change and transform then perhaps I could teach others to do the same. Transformation and personal change can result in contributing to further social change in progressive directions. This sort of social change could be regarded as shape shifting. Transformational teachings often come from seeming unlikely characters and stories. Perhaps my story could be considered as a lived example of shape-shifting, transformation, and liberation from the learned shackles of ideology. Considering Oppressive Power Power is embedded within language, culture, and knowledge (Foucault, 1971). Engaging in transformative education which informs people that the language they use can reflect, and symbolically represent, the realities of oppressive and discriminative actions such as racism, homophobia, sexism, and/or abuse of any sort could provide opportunities for change. Oppressive dynamics such as racism are socially constructed (Kimmel, 2004). A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 153 Approaching these issues one person at a time through therapeutic processes would not necessarily result in long-term cultural change. Thus, to incite long-term cultural change it is proposed, by Paulo Freire (1970), to incorporate transformative pedagogical processes in a humanistic and dialogical context. Extrapolating and deriving from several disciplines while identifying a thread of transformative dialogical and humanistic practice, which can be incorporated into any form of professional social work practice, could be done with the scholarly work within this study. Heinonen and Spearman (2010) make several distinct points about structural social work that illuminate the points in my work. The roles of a structural social worker include three common functions: advocacy, enabler, and educator. The collective action of social work cohesively acts for social change beyond the client - agency to the levels of community and society (Heinonen & Spearman, 2010). Looking at social work practice on a macro level is essential to social change and social justice. When examining the social policy such as the CFCSA (1996) it can be seen as problematic racist document, or at minimum an extension of apartheid, Indian Act of Canada. This can be explained by first referencing the Indian Act of 1876. In this table it is demonstrated that the racist formula within the Indian Act does exist (CBA, 2010). The biological determinant that qualifies an indigenous person to the status of being recognized as an Indian is archaic and can be compared and paralleled to ‘old school’ ‘race’ based science. The CFCSA (1996) does racialize children in two separate ways. Firstly, it refers to the Indian Act to qualify which children are considered to be aboriginal. The Indian Act utilizes a mathematical formula that forces racial segregation if First Nations peoples A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 154 want to maintain their Indian status, as seen in Table 1. As seen in the table below, if First Nations peoples have children outside of their colonialist imposed racial category, then the mathematical formula imposed by the federal government will indeed cancel their Indian citizenship and further displace them from culture, family, and land (CBA, 2010 ). As demonstrated by Battiste (2000) culture is largely based in land and language. This archaic racialized-right-wing-agenda is likely another human rights violation waiting to be acknowledged. This mathematical formula synthesizes archaic medical perspectives such as blood quantification as seen in the eugenics paradigm employed by WWII Nazi regime. ‘Why’ are we maintaining this position through Canadian policy. Table 1.1. Indian Status Table. Indian Status Inherited from a Female Grandparent (Sharon Mclvor) Indian Status inherited from a Male Grandparent (Sharon M clvor’s brother) Before 1985 (Prior to Bill C-31) Sharon Mclvor Lost status Married non-Indian man Jacob Grismer (son) Status Married non-Indian woman Non-status Son Status Married non-Indian woman Married non-Indian woman Grandchild Brother Non-status Grandchild Status until 21 (according to old section 12( 1)(a)(iv) After 1985 (Bill C-31) Sharon Mclvor Married non-Indian man 6(1 )(c) Status reinstated Brother Married non-Indian woman 6(1 )(a) status maintained A “Former’s” Perspective Jacob Grismer Daniel Gallant 155 Son 6(1 )(a) Status Married non-Indian woman 6(2) Status: Second generation cut-off Married non-Indian woman Grandchild Non-status Grandchild Bom after 1985 Born after 1985 Grandchild Non-Status Grandchild Bom before 1985 Bom before 1985 6(2) Secondgeneration cut-off 6(1 )(c) Dbl mother reinstatee1 Parliament’s proposed amendments (Bill C-3) Sharon Mclvor 6(1 )(c) Status Married non-Indian Woman Grandchild 6(l)(c.l) Status 6(2) Status Son 6(1 )(a) Status Married non-Indian woman Grandchild 6(1 )(c) Status Bom after 1985 Bom after 1985 Grandchild 6(1 )(a) Status Married non-Indian woman Married non-Indian man Jacob Grismer Brother Non-Status Bom before 1985 Grandchild 6(1 )(c) Status Bom before 1985 Table 1.1. (Canadian Bar Association, 2010). Everybody in Canada is affected in one way or another by social policies, statutes and law. Perhaps they are affected by receiving some form of privilege while others receive injustices of some sort. This is an example of current dynamics of Canadian policy that is presented by Sue (2003) that indicates Canada is a white supremacist nation and maintains power-over dynamics as described by Bishop (2002). Sue (2003) states that Canada harbors racist policies against indigenous people. These policies offer A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 156 privilege to ‘whites,’ while ‘othering’ the first peoples of Canada through policy. This is the epitome of ECMC (Sue 2003). The FNCFCSC (2005) indicates in the research findings of the Wen:de document that indeed the federal government has made decisions that are racially oppressive against First Nations children, families, and communities based within capitalistic values that demonstrate a relentless and conscious attack in repeated horrific deaths of indigenous children in care; Approximately 400 deaths per year. These deaths are largely avoidable (2005). Acknowledging the work of Cindy Blackstock and the FNCFCSC (2013a; 2013b) that move to improve the care for all Canadian children who are in care could be recognized as a structural praxis through this sort of research and activism. Mullaly (2007) indicates that the term structural is both prescriptive as well as descriptive. It is prescriptive due to the problems embedded in our society through power dynamics. Mullaly indicates that the structure must be changed and not citizens, individuals, nor families for whom social workers work for (2007). This perspective is shared by the FNCFCSC. Again in the Wen:de (2005) document it is indicated that the federal government must take action and cease its racialized treatment of First Nations children and families. The descriptive aspect of the term structural is through the sense that major sources of social issues are identified through social structures (Mullaly, 2007). Thus, if I as a social worker wish to maintain claims to anti-oppressive practice, we must ensure that we engage with a dialogue that evolves into education and social action, which manifests in social change. We know through the CFCSA (1996) that the delegated director is a high authority in context to child protection/welfare. Historically social workers role in A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 157 oppressive dynamics against indigenous children, families, and communities can be seen in the 60s Scoop (York, 1999). We must acknowledge that social work does have a historic systemic role in racial oppression against the indigenous peoples, especially within the era that residential schools started to close down. In the 1960s the government decided to close down residential schools and ordered social workers to infiltrate First Nations families and communities by apprehending indigenous children (York, 1999; Kirmayer, Laurence, & Valaskakis et al. 2009). This was done in conjunction with the racial schematic seen in the Indian Act prior to several amendments, although the Act maintains its racialization platform based in archaic methods (CBA, 2010). As we see in Sullivan’s (2008) statute interpretation methods and in the Interpretation Act (1996) each piece of legislation interacts with one another unless explicitly indicated otherwise in the text of the legislation. Thus, structurally at a glance we can connect the apartheid policy in Canada to larger legislative contexts of Canadian society and social work. Legislation and law are the fabric that weaves through Canadian society. The fact that our social fabric is threaded with racialization, racism, and apartheid implicates Canadian society, and social work, as part of the ECMC. Through my personal experience it became a reality that I have recovered from an abusive and oppressive experience through disengagement, de-programming, aspects of de-radicalization, and decolonization. Thus, it is my belief that others can also be liberated and freed, including social workers. There is hope. As indicated by scholars that the dominant ECMC does utilize schismatic design, which does repeat historical structural mistakes (Adams, 1989; Badwall, 2013; Battiste, 2000; Cardinal, 1969; Denzin, 2003; Ferber, 2004; Fillion, 2010; FNCFCSC, 2005; Freire, 1990; Harris, 2006; A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 158 Indian Act, 2012; Kimmel, 2000; Mullaly, 2010; Perry, 2001; Perry, 2008; Perry, 2010; Perry, 2012; Ryan & Leeson, 2011; Sue, 2003; William-White, 2011). Sue (2003) states that white privilege cannot structurally exist unless the nation is white supremacist. If we truly want to attain social change in regards to schismatic functions i.e. racism, our society needs to have a pedagogical shift moving away from the status quo right wing doctrine of the ECMC (Ferber, 2004; Freire, 1990; Kimmel, 2000; Mullaly, 2010; Perry, 2001; Perry, 2008; Sue, 2003). I am living proof that this change can transpire for extremists, practitioners, and researchers. If I, a FVRWE, can experience and actualize an in-depth degree of social change than surely less overt and more subtle agents of schismatic design can also change. For me this is the most prominent teaching that can be derived from my story. A Letter To Matthew (Poem) (for Matthew Vaudreuil, RIP 1992) Hey Matthew, I lived with my parents. Unlike you I did not die. Although it was a possibility. I had a teacher. Mr. Killer. He told me. The streets, more safe than home. Run away. Get out. Like you. The system failed me. I pleaded. Teachers help me. Abuse. Hate life. I did not want to live. Attempts to take life. Twelve years. One teacher listened. He cared. None else gave a |B ______ ______ Hey Matthew You can relate. A murdered infant. This system sucks. sucks. H sucks. Guess what? The Ministry of children don’t care. Don’t care. But Mr. Killer did. He made them care. m H m a d . He swore. Cursed. Belittled. Berated. Finally, that at the counter talked to my parents. Finally, I was going. Stupid home. People I hate so much. Rape. Black eyes. Bruised ribs. Face Kicked. Choked. Molested. Tossed down stairs. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 159 Hey Matthew, My sweet mom. My strong dad. The helpful child welfare. The protective OPP. That cop. A real “You’re a bad kid. If you were mine, I’d slap you too.” I attack. I rebel. Wrath. Revolution. Threatened. Ministry appeased. Safe home. Wounded child. Cops and parents. Shake hands. “That kid, Insane.” Hey Matthew, I knew. In that moment, I had to leave. The next time it happened. My dad unleashed a new level of fury. Tired. Depressed. Death. Twelve years. A boy. That was you. That was me. The old prick. Kicked me in the head. I cried. I screamed. I begged. Stop. Rage lifted me. Defense. Offense. The front door slams. Motor revs. Drives away. Safety. The release. Over the fence. Hey Matthew, ___ I knew. In that moment, Mom didn’t care. That That H I sick-ed him on me again. Sadist. Conducted the hound. Panting. Frothing. Growling. Wolfing. Bones cracking. Children cry. Scream pain. Agony. Despair. Escape. Run. Run. Rim. Air Canada. Greyhound. The thumb. Reaching out. Hey Matthew, Now years later. Thirty six. Apologies. The torture. The sorrow. The guilt. Disappointments. Denial. Thick denial. Ignorance. Her recovery. In the gutter. Silence. Don’t start now. You can relate Matthew. I mean Your mom killed you. Is your death happiness? A system of punishment. They got away. I got older. They feared me. Age. Mortality. Frailty. Torment. Hey Matthew, I survived. Streets. Jails. Institutions. Graveyards. Independence. Resilience. Thriving. Demonstrated perseverance. Scavenged. Panhandled and stolen foods. Surrendered from the abyss. Finally breathing the breath of life. Cease abuse. Established empowerment of self-determination through the resurrection of a dead child. This is my redemption. Hey Matthew, You can sleep. Quietly. Solemnly. Soundly. As can 1.1 found us. In others. Those survivors. The meaning and purpose of suffering. Established and created. Bridges. Smiles. Laughter. Hope. And finally, light. You. Me. Exploring. Fashioning. And loving. Establishing networks. Engaging systems. Letters behind my name. Freedom through accountability of them and us and 1.1 manifested our hope. Our light. We discovered life. We are free. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 160 CFCSA The discoveries and realizations I experienced during time in the MSW practicum placement at the MCFD provided me with an opportunity to discover structural oppressive flaws and designs of child protection/welfare. Considering the guiding statutes of MCFD through a structural social work lens will be the foundation of this section. Examining how and where consideration may be given to see particular Canadian social policies as synthesizing racist attributes and functions. These considerations will not establish intent or motivation of current Canadian governments, nor lay accusation as to hypothetical outcomes. Merely this section will present a further substantiation and position that particular Canadian policies can be perceived as racist, or even apartheid; and in order for Canadian society to maintain integrity of political contexts like diversity, multi-cultural mosaic, and an inclusionary society that values equity; there are some changes that need to be made, otherwise we are incongruent and exemplify that we do not value these socio-political contexts. The CFCSA (1996) was implemented with the intent to intervene with children who suffer from abuse and neglect. Although the intention of the policy makers, and the legislature, was to protect and care for children this statute has been publicly scrutinized as racist. This scrutiny has been spearheaded by renowned child advocate and scholar Cindy Blackstock. These concerns are now formulized as human rights complaints against the Canadian federal government (FNCFCSC, 2013a/b). The First Nations Child & Family Caring Society of Canada (FNCFCSC, 2005) indicates that the federal government is making decisions based upon race and racial discrimination against First Nations children/peoples in Canada. The situation of a child A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 161 dying in ‘care’ due to a funding jurisdiction dispute during a hospital stay brought these situations under attack from First Nations child advocates. The research done by the FNCFCSC was not only a scrutiny of federal government and child welfare practices it also presented funding solutions as well (2005). According to Mullaly (2010) key components of structural social work are to critically assess systems while also offering solutions in a manner that is understandable by the people it is intended to help (2010). The FNCFCSC (2005) does follow suit with some attributes of structural social work. As a FVRWE on a path of liberation I find it rather disappointing that UNBC School of Social Work is not taking a forefront role in this context. As a student who has unlearned racism and how to identify structural racism it had been a disappointment to discover some happenings within my learning environment. Dr. Catherine Nolin from the Geography department, has taken an advocate role for human rights complaints against a Canadian mining company for atrocities committed against South American indigenous peoples (UNBC, 2013b). It seems that the discipline of social work, which claims to be anti-oppressive, has a tendency to veer away from collective critical practice in regards to structural racism to do with the Canadian structural context. In addition, the school of social work had sent out emails that claim to ‘support’ the IdleNoMore movement. I was a presenter at two separate IdleNoMore events at UNBC Teach-In, along with two social work peers. It is disturbing for me that I did not see more than two faculty from UNBC School of Social Work, only one of which presented, that attended the events; nor was there a presence from BCASW, or any other social work collective present at the event(s)/teach-ins. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 262 Although social work researchers may not be racist they can maintain inherently hegemonic positions within a paid paradoxical structural location. As Stokes and Schmidt’s (2011) research evidences decision-making practices of child welfare social workers are not based on race. I know most social workers I have met are not ‘racist’, but the majority are socially located within the ECMC. Social workers may not be basing their daily decisions regarding child protection issues based on race; however, the social workers are making decisions within a racist system while maintaining the ‘status quo’. Thus, it could be determined that practitioners are accountable, especially after it has been brought to their attention, for selecting to work within a racist system. These researchers in my opinion are not necessarily racist according to my scope of knowledge, but definitely are accountable as members of the ECMC. This paradox is reflected to social work culture in general. This seems to be commonly identifiable within the social work profession as an inherent paradoxical challenge. I am not intending to put the weight of the world on the shoulders of a few workers, practitioners, and researchers. Nor do I intend to chastise or center anyone out rather my intent is to localize these issues of systemic racism as a structural issue through specifying localized examples. The FNCFCSC definitely achieved some key aspects identified in the structural social work approach. In my experience most First Nations peoples can explain in lay­ person terms issues that are contemporarily present within the child welfare/protection system. Non-indigenous peoples do not seem widely knowledgeable, nor concerned, with indigenous children’s experience while in care. In my opinion and experience this exemplifies the point that I make that Canadians are confused about their role and place within the schismatic design of NA society. I believe questions about whether or not the A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant government intends to treat indigenous children more fairly, or not, need to be widely and publicly discussed. After all, Canada still employs apartheid policies such as the Indian Act and some of the most vulnerable in children in Canada are falling victim to an institution that definitively puts profit before human life and child care (FNCFCSC, 2005). In summary, I have identified Canadian policies that demonstrate how First Nations peoples are being systemically racialized, segregated, and discriminated against in context to child welfare and child protection. Through the delegation of power from the federal government to MCFD, as seen in the CFCSA, we see that government officials become colonial/oppressive agents with power-over indigenous peoples. Seemingly this is not a far stretch from residential schools and the 60s scoop. We know that social workers often are the ones who are employed within MCFD. Of course this issue must be acknowledged and changed in order for Canada to maintain its integrity as a nation who demonstrates multi-culturalism, diversity, equality, equity, and as an alleged leader of a non-oppressive nation. Prime Minister Stephen Harper claimed, in the international forum, that Canada has no history of colonization at a G20 Summit in the USA (Ljunggren, 2009). This is a blatant misinformation in context to the historic colonization of indigenous peoples. For Harper to make this statement without acknowledging the colonial imposition upon First Nations peoples is absolutely irresponsible and an international misrepresentation of government and indigenous relations within Canada. Of course if Harper meant that Canada plays no part political part in colonizing other countries and peoples; that too can be argued. One only needs to refer to mining operations in South America by Canadian sanctioned resource extraction A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 164 companies. These companies have been responsible for deplorable atrocities that have been confronted by UNBC’s advocating for human rights of indigenous groups, as many people were physically and sexually abused for demonstrating against Canadian companies, right ‘under the nose of the federal government’. Furthermore, my understanding is that the social work profession has also been tarnished due to the delivery of such statutes and services directed by legislation through the delegation of power over children and families. This concept has been considered as a contextually valid and relevant to the position of the Supreme Court of Canada, which has recently approved Cindy Blackstock’s human rights complaint against the federal government on behalf of First Nations children (FNCFCSC, 2013b). Moving Towards Praxis: Employing a Decolonization Perspective When faced with colonization/oppression the colonized/oppressed will find ways to resist and revolutionize their oppressed socio-political position. Frankl (1946), Adams (1989), Freire (1990), Sue (2003), Duran (2006), Kimmel (2004), Bishop (2002), Mullaly (2010), Perry (2010, 2011, 2012), and countless others, which includes myself, would all agree that the archaic practice of racialization is problematic in contemporary society. This is a timeless perspective shared by enslaved, oppressed, and socio-politically marginalized groups. Education is a vehicle that can manifest a collective cultural transformation. The solution to healing from these oppressive dynamics lies partially within education. Freire (1990) calls for transformative pedagogy, which moves away from the current oppressive education system we still maintain. To acquire healing through a decolonization process it is necessary to redesign educational institutions and processes. Eliminating social practices such as racialization will contribute to healing for A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 165 all Canadians (Sue, 2003; Duran, 2006; Freire, 1970; Memmi, 1965; Bishop, 2002; Mullaly, 2010). The work of indigenous scholarly writers such as Harold Cardinal (1969) discuss how Canadian social policy has negatively affected and changed First Nations peoples/culture. Anderson (2000) discusses her experience as a Metis, ‘half-breed,’ person in Canada, which was similar to Cardinal’s work on how racism negatively affected indigenous people. Now Metis people are being legally included within some contexts of the Indian Act, which means Metis are possibly going to be recognized as indigenous peoples and not a ‘racialized hybrid species’ as they have been identifiably demeaned as by the federal government in the past. Albert Memmi (1965) makes a statement that summarizes both Anderson’s and Cardinal’s work: “ .. .every colonial nation carries the seeds of fascist temptation in its bosom” (Memmi, p. 62, 1965). In relation to critiques about indigenous discourse Bonita Lawrence (2011) explains that often-aboriginal peoples are determined by the ECMC as being anti­ immigration. This is not true. Essentially the indigenous perspective is not being taken into context and thus puts indigenous peoples at odds in regards to newer immigrants. This is a dimension of paradox that indigenous peoples face in regards to race relations, while experiencing further contextual contemporary colonization. Whether this colonization is intended or not is irrelevant, as now indigenous scholars such as Bonita Lawrence are calling to anti-racist theorists to task on their colonial position (2011). Critiques such as this above epistemic attack from ECMC scholars against indigenous scholars that attempt to discredit First Nations informed perspectives seem to exemplify the adversarial nature of our society. In my experience, throughout my First Nations A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant Studies, I have not once read totalitarian perspectives from indigenous scholars that indicate First Nations peoples are in any way anti-immigration or wanting to force out non-indigenous peoples. Rather it is my experience that First Nations scholars and culture are seemingly more inclusive and forgiving, even in the context and example of my extremist perpetrations of violence, more so than scholars and individuals within the ECMC. According to Sue (2003) white society is privileged for merely being bom ‘white.’ Immigrant populations adhere to Canadian law/policy. Both of these divisive groups maintain privileges that surpass that of the indigenous population in NA. While some people argue that Indians receive special treatment they may not understand that First Nations are systemically racialized and categorically unequal to the rest of society in the eyes of the law. This policy of racial segregation results in what Anne Bishop (2002) refers to as ‘othering’. Freire (1990) and Memmi (1965) would confer that colonial/oppressive systems are indeed archaic and we as a society should consider transforming our policies as a guiding social consciousness. Examples o f Praxis Deraid Wing Sue (2003) provides an elaborate curriculum for racialization cessation that would contribute to what Freire (1990) defines as a Cultural Revolution. Sue has also worked along with Eduardo Duran (2006) and exemplifies that these two scholars have a collective perspective in relation healing elements of psycho-socialeducation within a decolonization process. Sue’s (2003) work is set up as to be utilized as a curriculum and guide book for written excercises for the individual to realize their own location as an oppressor where appropriate. Duran (2006) speaks directly to the need for A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 157 teaching clients and practitioners the socio-political history and contemporary forms of colonization. Anne Bishop’s (2002) unlearning racism curriculum could compliment these components. Moreover, including aspects of the arts as teaching tools can be valuable to this direction. Theatre was utilized by Augusto Boal (1979) who was a student of Freire. Boal (1979) provides a plethora of engaging anti-oppressive dramabased exercises that include the voice and solutions of oppressed/marginalized/colonized peoples. His work is a form of praxis. Utilizing this type of discourse for dialogical praxis would support and aid in the process to end current oppressive institutional dynamics. Educational processes e.g. residential schools have historically, in Canada, have been vehicles for systemic oppression, especially in context to the experiences of First Nations peoples (Adams, 1989; A.H.F., 2008; Battiste, 2000; Blackstock, 2011; Graveline, 2004; Harper, 2004; Harris, 2006; Lawrence, 2011; Milloy, 2000; Miller, 2000). Concepts such as the cessation of racialization can shift the oppressive nature of education. Including cessation of racializing tendencies through decolonization can be offered to further the de-radicalize FVRWE. We know that even today, there are embedded dynamics of racial discrimination and hate crimes occur within post secondary schools in Canada (Perry, 2010; Perry, 2011; Perry, 2012). Mao stated that “knowledge begins with practice, and theoretical knowledge is acquired through practice and then must return to practice” (Carroll, 1997, p. 33). This identifies that the distinction between theory and practice should not be seen as divisive polarities; rather, they should be viewed as a dialectical relationship between the two (1997). Freire (1990) would concur with this notion and would further it by stating that the oppressed, in this case the First Nations peoples, can liberate themselves and that the A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 168 oppressors, in this case all non-First Nations peoples in Canada or the ECMC, cannot liberate the oppressed First peoples. First Nations peoples must liberate themselves, but can be offered further opportunity to advance towards more progressive relations with the oppressors only if the oppressors themselves engage with liberation. The oppressors can also liberate themselves, and can be provided with more opportunities for depths of liberation once the oppressed groups are engaging with liberation as well. From my own perspective it seems that the culture of professional and academic social workers are not necessarily reflecting the integrity that would demonstrate a cultural transformation that fosters liberation through praxis of their own legislative ethics; due to the role social workers often play within apartheid system, particularly within child protection contexts. The same provincial ministry who has administered oppressive colonial acts against First Nations people pays social workers. As problematic and precarious roles/relations between social work education, practice, and policy seem to reflect incongruence, Social Workers are faced with a paradoxical role and expectation of maintaining social justice ethical integrity while attempting to work within a schismatic society (Flanagan, 2011; Mullaly, 2007; Mullaly, 2010; Badwall, 2013). Social work as a professional-academic-collective do have an option to either participate in the solution, as structural social work discourse indicates, and maintain integrity of professional ethics and standards, or not. If this is not done, then perhaps it is representative of the declared social work ethics, standards, values and intent. If social work were to learn from indigenous peoples of Canada and incorporate indigenous insights into pedagogical processes of social work education then maybe social work education in time would transform into a less colonial and inherently oppressive A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 169 profession. I was a marginalized and abused child ignored by the system that ‘they’ are a part of; I have had an opportunity to contribute to some degree of scholarship that reflects on some problematic aspects of social work education and professional culture. I have been engaged with healing, transformation, and liberation for over a decade now and continue to move towards further development. Social work education is a small component of my process of change, but it was a part of my healing from the beginning of my healing and disengagement process. Now re-visited for graduate studies, I offer my voice for social justice and social change. Until these considerations or changes transpire there will continue to be a paradoxical and polarized contradiction at the core of social work. This is a contradiction that could pit anti-oppressive principles as ‘academic rhetoric’ while the actual role of social work practice mainstays archaic schismatic structural design(s). A realistic de­ construction of social work practice in context to Canadian child protection/welfare legislation should be engaged and combined with insights that bridge structural social work with liberation discourse laid out in this thesis. Short of exploring and examining social work practice and applying it to theory relating to decolonization ideas, and then re-constituting social work practice these ideas may not be achievable beyond my own future practice as a social worker. We Owe It I am doing all I can to address, acknowledge, and contribute to challenging inherent and embedded structural superiority complexes relating to racism as softly as possible. It is not my intention to be hard nor hurtful in my critique that directly relates to my lived disengagement process, but sometimes there it is necessary to state things A “Former's” Perspective Daniel Gallant 270 openly so the conversations and dialogue can be intiated. In order to absolve and move away from the normative oppressive culture of the contemporary western world, the ECMC must employ critically introspective and analytical concepts. I have personally been freed from some of the constraints of my racist mind, although the reality of my social location in the ECMC still exists as long as our society maintains a power-over dynamic. My racist mind was the learned result of a racist society. Through normative prejudicial socialization I became a product of my environment. Not only have I been engaged in a process of liberation from extremist thought and action, but also loosened from the hegemonic and discriminative schismatic mind of the collective Canadian consciousness. Thus, race as a socially constructed concept no longer exists within my individualist conscious interpretation and interaction with others. However, I do acknowledge and admit I am culturally tied to the racist and colonial systems. This is substantiated by repeated conscious decision and challenging my belief structure to understand race is an irrelevant social construction based on archaic biologically determined science and worldview (Kimmel, 2010). As indicated by scholars including UNBC Anthropologist, Michel Bouchard, the concept of race is phenotypically rooted and is not an actual scientific biological differentiation in people (Kimmel, 2010; Rex, 1986; PG Citizen, 2011). I am aware of my privileged location. I do not reject my socio-political privilege. I embrace it. I embrace it with intellectual, emotional, spiritual, physical passion, and maturity. I love my position of privilege because I love my ‘voice’. With my privilege I am committed to teaching the ECMC the very lessons that were offered to me from groups and individuals whom I have abused, violated, and damaged. I do not believe I A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant Y7\ will ever be able to synthesize the patience, tolerance, compassion, and kindness that were offered to me by Cree healers, elders, friends, and family. But I will do my best to model after the people who helped me. My life experience, culture, language, and social class is inherently embedded with superiority complexes. I am doing what I can to address, acknowledge, and contribute as gently as possible to raise social consciousness of the role that we as the privileged dominant class maintain. This relationship I have with my privilege is not to be mistaken with pride, power, nor prejudice. Rather it is broached with respect. I hope that I can contribute to a real-lived experience of how to de-construct racial-social privilege. I am committed to teaching and engaging with my people, the ECMC, about how abusive, oppressive, and colonial our society still is in relation(s) to race, racialization, and racism. Of course there are many other dimensions of oppressive intersections as outlined by many scholars like Anne Bishop (2002). However, my contribution at this point is specific to race, racialization, and racism. This is what Viktor Frankl (1946) would encourage us to do; use our sufferance and transform it into meaning/purpose. Needless to say, all of the FVRWE in this study are leaders when it comes to personal and social transformation. I am merely encouraging, us as a collective and as individuals, to go a step further and recognize the plight of indigenous peoples. Perhaps one of the movements that we as NA-FVRWE can take, are to acknowledge that we are bom as overt oppressors and were bom into socio­ political privilege at the cost of injustices served onto indigenous peoples, both historically/contemporarily. This could contribute to furthering conversations that work to deconstruct the colonial roots of our own white supremacist attitudes, both A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant Y72 overt/obvious and covert/subtle (Bishop, 2002; Battiste, 2000; A.H.F., 2008; Sue, 2003; Freire, 1970; Memmi, 1965). After all, FVRWEs are overt oppressors that have manifested from a society fraught with oppressive schismatic desiga We have an obligatory accountability and responsibility to those we hurt and scared, and to those we further corrupted through our dissemination of hate. We owe it to society. We owe it to ourselves. Please consider my words. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant CHAPTER 4 (Photo: Gallant, 2014) 173 A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 174 Overview Developing new and effective streams of counter terrorist narratives is recognized as an effective way to respond to domestic, issue based extremism. My experience as a credible FVRWE allows me, as a past insider, to effectively research themes of disengagement from VETA. By selecting the stories of other FVRWE as data, I identify and relate themes of disengagement to my own personal experience in order to create a categorical presentation of identified themes found in the exit/disengagement process. Accessing FVRWE’s stories found in their published writings allows a seminal comparison between myself and others who have experienced profound social change. In each case without exception, all of the FVRWE in this study have experienced ideological shifts and are recognized as leaders by communities of people who have been historically oppressed, marginalized, and racialized; this serves as a measurement of which FVRWE qualify as a credible Former(s). The findings of this study identify themes of disengagement that exist within the personal stories of these FVRWE, including myself, and represent that commonalities do exist throughout individual’s disengagement process; even though there are many variables within individual disengagement experiences, thus, reflecting that perhaps social cohesion amongst FVRWE may enable, support, and foster further social change and minimize the alienation that can be experienced as a result of stigmatization that FVRWE do experience. Secondly, this chapter addresses the fact that without exception these credible FVRWE have contributed valuable intelligence to law enforcement, government, legal communities, and anti-hate activist organizations. This is why it is imperative for policy makers, law enforcement, and the general public sector to recognize FVRWEs as a A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 175 valuable social commodity. Through the emergence of new social networks FVRWE are finding one another; now Formers are establishing an emerging cultural phenomenon of FVE. My hope as a FVRWE is that credible Formers will be accessed as consultants on relevant issues, and become leaders in their communities to speak out against hate and violence. It is my recommendation that programs and resources are established to assist and foster the disengagement process in order to contribute to further counter-VET A intelligence; credible FVRWE can be accessed in order to develop disengagement, exit, de-programming, and de-radicalization programs and resources. There are concerns that exist in accessing FVRWE for law enforcement information sharing and or intelligence, education, and social awareness. With just reason Formers are often scrutinized and doubted by the general public due to their past actions, while also being identified as ‘race-traitors ’ and marked as an ‘enemy ’ by their former VE networks. My personal experience offers an example of how alleged ‘Formers ’ can be detrimental to public safety. An example of an encounter I had with an alleged FVRWE,' since my social transformation from VRWE, in a botched intervention with a youth who was recruited into the VRWE network. This example will be provided for the reader in the section Issues o f Credibility. My personal experience reflects that active VRWE can engage in espionage-esque behavior, whether organized or individually motivated, that does pose potential security threats and concerns for Former-VRWE, law enforcement, and public safety. The emerging culture of FVRWE is a valuable phenomenon that provides a wealth of intelligence on active VETA in NA. This necessary cultural phenomenon is developing and needs to be recognized as a valuable social commodity. However, there A “Former's” Perspective Daniel Gallant 176 are public safety considerations that government, law enforcement, and policy makers should consider prior to accessing FVRWEs as consultants and intelligence sources. The value of acknowledging the social change that FVRWE have experienced is essential for building public safety. The themes of disengagement identified within this study will allow and encourage development of disengagement/de-radicalization programs and resources. Summary This study aims to identify themes of disengagement from VRWETA found in the experiences/stories of FVRWE within North America. This qualitative analysis of lived experiences may add some exceptional qualitative insights into academic research. As a FVRWE and researcher, I explore, identify, and articulate a resource of summarized taxonomical descriptions of themes in the disengagement process from VRWE. These identified themes of disengagement could contribute to counter-terrorist narratives, which can be offered as a resource for the development of curriculum, programming, and strategies for programs that focus on disengagement/de-radicalization. According to this study, without exception, both information sharing and investigations are seemingly by-products of disengagement/de-radicalization. Using FVRWE for intelligence is a seemingly logical step. Exploring credibility of FVRWE is necessary when accessing them for education purposes or when consulted by policy makers and development of disengagement/de-radicalization programs. In each of these credible FVRWE’s published autobiographic stories that are analyzed in this study, including my own, offer intelligence to government, law enforcement, and activist groups. Keeping in mind that this information sharing appears A “Former's” Perspective Daniel Gallant 177 to be strictly voluntary and involves no coercion or pressure from authorities. In fact, in my own personal experience I had to advocate and utilize media often in order to get authorities to respond to VRWE. For whatever reason municipal police, federal law enforcement, and Canadian armed forces were often not openly willing to receive information from me. I have had to put social pressure upon authorities in order to get responses at times. Lack of response is often explained to me as it is due to a lack of resources and investigative jurisdiction/power. When there has been a response, it seems the outcomes are very minimal in regards to punishment for VRWEs in comparison to other types of VETA. According to Home Land Security (2009) VRWE groups/individuals are the primary source of domestic terrorism in the USA. Thus, it seems that there is a lack of centralized policy response to these domestic VRWE(s). A poignant finding, without exception, in relation to security and intelligence is that FVRWE do voluntarily share intelligence to government, authorities, and activist groups. My recommendation is, considering that there is an emerging cultural phenomenon of Former-VRWE through social networks such as AVE, that policy makers consider a centralized resource for intelligence sharing and coordinating responses concerning VETA groups, individuals, and culture in order to increase public safety responses to these violent ideological social groups. Moreover, when government, policy makers, and education resources seek FVRWE for prevention-education work I hope that they have access to credible-Formers, as this type of work is important as organic examples of social change. We know that right wing extremist/terrorist groups utilize processes that could be referred to as cultic in nature (Lifton, 1989; Singer, 2003). All too often research and policy focuses in on VETA, rather than more subtle sources of A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 178 information that could provide data for building upon new strategies to further public safety. The selected methodology for this study allows me to incorporate my socio­ cultural location and insights into counter-terrorist narratives. It is necessary to mention the following primary findings of this study: a) voluntary intelligence sharing is a result of voluntary disengagement/deradicalization b) contradictions exist within VRWE epistemological structures/functions when contrasted and collided with contemporary North American social climates that reflect the growth and development our society has experienced c) several taxonomic themes of disengagement that encompass a variety of sub­ categories, which could be used for: i) strategic development of disengagement/de-radicalization resources that foster social change and increase public safety intelligence ii) similar research on themes of disengagement from other VETA types could be useful to identify correlated extremist-cultural trends within the disengagement process iii) comparing themes of disengagement from VRWE in North America to other national cultural contexts. Qualitative research based in one’s own experience can be beneficial to matters pertaining to social issues that threaten public safety. With the rising rate of VETA, concern for the safety of society is valid. One of my central concerns is physical safety of the general public; however, ideological and epistemic safety is essential as violent and A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 179 fanatic ideological paradigms all too often result in extreme violence. Identifying themes of disengagement can be potentially beneficial if developed into policy and law enforcement responses to VETA. Scholars from native studies, cultural/gender studies, sociology, psychology, education, social work, and other disciplines as a revolutionary pedagogy understand the value of the individual’s personal experience in theory, practice, and in substantiating poignant social change. As we see a shift in social consciousness and progressive pedagogical collectivity the archaic worldview of VRWE becomes blatantly incongruent/contradictive when contrasted with real life social realities. The coercive tactics of VRWE doctrine and social norms of this counter-culture become apparent when one is not submersed within the ideologically violent worldview of Right Wing Extremism (RWE). The findings of this study suggest that the value of narratives/story-telling forms a valid and reliable source of information/intelligence that could be compiled to effectively administer strategies for public safety in relation to VETA; more specifically in regards to VRWETA. Perhaps stories of exit and disengagement could be, and in some cases are being, recognized as a form of counter-terrorist narrative, which could provide further qualitative insights into how and why VRWE disengage from VETA. Compiling these stories into an accessible resource could provide an accessible dialogue for those currently isolated in the path of disengagement. My experience, as a FVRWE, with disengagement was lonely, arduous, and consistently challenging in order to find resources and support. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 180 Rethinking Disengagement Disengagement refers to the stopping of VETA, whereas de-radicalization refers to moving beyond changing behavior and emphasizing a cognitive shift (Dechesne, 2011; Bjorgo & Horgan, 2009; Horgan & Braddock, 2010; Horgan, 2008; Horgan, 2009). The potential for members of VRWE to weaken the work of FVRWEs is real; I have experienced it directly. When I had intervened with an individual being radicalized with another alleged Former who then ended up further entrenching this youth in radicalization. As a FVRWE I am concerned about the potential harm that could be done by active extremists posing as FVRWE. This is especially disconcerting when government, law enforcement, and policy makers are considering utilizing FVRWE in policy processes, intelligence, and de-radicalization programs. Perhaps, without realizing that particular ‘'Formers’ may not yet have achieved credible social change is due to the possibility that there is a lack of resources, or that some individuals lack the ability to effectively change. Either way, not all Formers are credible. This point, in my opinion as a FVRWE, and researcher and practitioner, is that there needs to be extraordinary consideration to the role of Formers within the public sector, social policy sector, and law enforcement sector. Dechesne (2011) indicates it is important to be clear about the differences of disengagement and de-radicalization. While talking to a well-known American scholar on the topic of radicalization, I came out of the conversation with an insight I did not have previously. Perhaps the term de-radicalization is problematic. For instance, this particular scholar posed a question to me: “what is de-radicalization ?”. My reply was “a shift in paradigm, or changing radical thinking to a more normalized and acceptable way of thinking and being.” A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 181 He suggested perhaps that I had not necessarily de-radicalized in that context. Perhaps I have shifted paradigms and shifted to a more critical perspective, which could be perceived as still being radical by the status quo, and/or more conservative sorts. Nonetheless, I have been integrated and recognized by several marginalized/oppressed communities as being credible. In consideration of my personal experience and scholarly perspectives it appears that oppressors/colonizers could change our society if we become willing to let go of our tight grip that holds and maintains social privilege at the cost of injustices served to marginalized/oppressed groups. Society is constructed in such a schismatic fashion that maintains and perpetuates the ECMC in NA (Sue, 2003; Bishop, 2002; Battiste, 2000); a schismatic design that continues to systematically disregard particular groups socio­ political issues. We can see this dynamic on Canadian campuses even. As studies show that Canadian students are holding onto their privilege to such degrees that results in, and possibly reinforces, apathy towards hate crimes in a number of universities (Perry, 2010, 2011, 2012). We know that there are endless examples of how and where racism, hate crimes, oppression, and marginalization manifest in our schismatic society. The fact that each of the FVRWEs in this study have been identified by several communities as credible proponents of social change operates as a recognizable qualifying factor of credibility. This avoids contention around potential qualifying attributes and criteria of a systemic standardized prescription for credibility. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 182 Issues o f Credibility For this study, consideration had to be given to the context of who is a credible FVRWE. My perspective of the contentious nature of qualifying as a credible FVRWE comes from a particular incident, where an alleged ‘FVRWE’ and I did an intervention with a youth who was planning to engage with terrorism acts with a local neo-Nazi organization. This example is an explicit challenge to the contexts of my research due to the methodology selected for this study and my social location as a researcher; I had to solidify that the FVRWE in this study were credible. After spending hours of conversation with the youth the alleged ‘FVRWE’ and myself had successfully convinced the youth to disengage from his plans to bomb ‘gaybars,’ in order to establish a local C-18 (18 = Combat Adolf Hitler: a faction o f Blood & Honor hate group openly affiliated with bombings) cell. After the intervention was finished we all left the coffee shop in order to go for a walk. The alleged ‘Former' then stretched out his tattooed arms like he was ready to fight and made reference to ‘feelinglike-the-old-days’ and that ‘we-should-go-kill-a4MB’. In my experience someone claiming to be a credible '‘Former' is simply not enough. The person must hold a solid reputation in communities. Otherwise it is possible for this type of espionage-esque behavior of people posing as FVRWE that could result in damaging the credibility of work of credible FVRWE; such as those found within the AVE network. I believe this is a poignant discussion point that needs to be added into counter-violent extremist scholarship. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 183 Autoethnography and Autobiographic Narratives “Individuals are cultural agents, but culture is not at all about individuality. Culture is inherently collectivistic, not individualistic” ~ (p. 21, Chang, 2008) Identification of themes in the disengagement process through analyzing the stories of individual FVRWE located within an emerging culture of Formers by comparing them to my own lived experience employs insights that the cultural agents in this study offer a collective benefit to society (Chang, 2008); I am the cultural anchor within this emerging culture of FVRWE. AEG enables me to soundly include my own narratives and insights as a cultural anchor within the targeted group of FVRWE within this study (Chang, 2008; Chang 2013; Denzin, 2011; Denzin, 2003). As an informed researcher there are ethical considerations that must be addressed. This qualitative exploration on the themes of disengagement from VRWE builds upon Horgan’s (2009) indication that we should embrace the richness of exploratory results when approaching these topics. Horgan (2005) states that “[t]he most readily available data from which we might construct a model of disengagement comes from autobiographical sources.. (p. 156); thus, I have selected autobiographies to explore my research question beyond my own experience as a FVRWE. I choose to use the term disengagement due to the lack of distinction from deradicalization. In addition I do not want this research to be utilized as an evaluation of the degree of change of FVRWE, beyond the qualifying parameters I set up. Healing includes acknowledging one’s internal conflicts and turning these elements of self-concept into a harmonious dualism of self that is motivated by seeking one’s existential meaning/purpose (Duran, 2006; Frankl, 1946; Freire, 1990). I found a substantial amount of relevant literature on this topic after I came to this conclusion on A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 184 my own. The transformative lessons I had learned in university, which are embedded within this work, strongly reflect my own lived experience. Horgan (2005) states that “[t]o try to answer why people leave terrorism in straightforward terms obscures the impressive complexity of the question and the possible assumptions that underpin it” (p. 156). Horgan (2009) calls for qualitative research on the disengagement process, which he articulates is actually a stage of the terrorist process. In addition, Cronin (as cited by Horgan, 2009) indicates that there is little agreement amongst scholars about how and why disengagement happens. The reason I choose to compare my story to each individual in this study as opposed to studying us all as a collective, at this point, is due to the lack of research on individuals, as stated by Braddock & Horgan (2010). They indicate there is no consensus on who qualifies as a former VE. Thus, I have taken biographies of individuals who have written autobiographies, who are engaged with the AVE (2013), Lah (Life-after-hate, 2013), and other community initiatives. There is little scholarship on what constitutes success, in relation to disengagement from VETA, but scholars indicate that there is a need for this type of scholarship. There is a successful aspect of disengagement from VETA, which includes the development of forming new families, new social networks, attaining a job, and cultivating the development of a new identity (Braddock & Horgan, 2010). Although I agree with Horgan I, from personal experience, would argue one point about attaining a job. I ascribe to Viktor FrankTs (1946) idea that we must find existential meaning/purpose within ourselves and not outside of ourselves. One’s internal motive can include finding a job, but if seeking a job is an external pursuit this can result in A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 185 existential dilemmas, which according to Frankl (1946) could result in crisis of identity and other potential existential issues. I would question the depth and longevity of the change if it is more about the function of ‘work’ rather than existential intention of resolving meaning/purpose. As an external function it could potentially result in what Frankl calls an existential vacuum (1946). Because scholarship and resources are limited on the topic of disengagement from VRWE, I find it necessary to do this work. Horgan (2005) says that “[i]f at some future point there are calls for a taxonomy of factors contributing to disengagement... researchers will need to accept the dynamic processes influencing individual behavior regarding any stage, role or function of the terrorist group” (p. 157); thus, I call for a taxonomy of themes of disengagement that can be found in reflective and reflexive qualitative insights from FVE in order to provide scholarship, resources, and dialogue on these matters. An identified set of seminal themes would allow further input from Former-VRWE themselves in order to establish a further informed perspective, rather than an outside academic prescribed taxonomy. Further research on themes of disengagement from VRWETA could draw pragmatic resources for fostering and supporting programs targeting FVRWE(s). Adding an academic voice of a FVRWE/researcher could offer additional insights into the mechanics of transforming oneself from a violent extremist ideological worldview to a productive member of society. I believe that the lessons I have received throughout my exit, disengagement, de-programming, and shift in paradigm has been the result of the compassion offered to me throughout social services I had accessed, my post-secondary career, and healing offered to me by First Nations cultural communities that are on A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 186 pathways to liberation. Social work has offered me the ability to identify a deeper understanding of systemic racism and the opportunity to assess how and where I chose to operate within that system. Disengagement Research After the data collection and analysis for this study I began to read more academic literature on disengagement from VETA, as it became available to me. I found that Horgan (2009) indicates leading factors that lead to disengagement. I do not shape my analysis on Horgan’s work although I would agree and conclude that elements of his contributions are definitely identifiable within my analysis of the autobiographic stories of FVRWEs. Horgan’s list includes these five points: 1) disillusionment arising from incongruence between the initial ideals and fantasies that shaped a person’s initial involvement and their subsequent experiences with the reality of what is entailed by involvement- i.e. the mismatch between the fantasy and the reality 2) disillusionment arising from internal disagreement over tactical issues 3) disillusionment arising from internal strategic, political, or ideological differences 4) becoming ‘burned out’ 5) changing and conflicting personal priorities (e.g. getting married, having children, growing older) (Horgan, 2009). Horgan & Taylor (2001) articulate that failure to widen gaps in our knowledge will undoubtedly challenge the longer use of the counterterrorist toolbox. A clearer strategic A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant development map must be created to promote de-radicalization, or we face the growing impact of VETA (2001). Disengagement & Social Services In the initial stages of my own disengagement from VRWE I infrequently accessed social services i.e. addiction services, counseling, residential treatment, and twelve-step recovery. Although these elements were only a starting point for my social change; post-secondary education became a pivotal and influential force in my life, as did First Nations cultural teachings (Gallant, 2012a; Gallant, 2012b). There was no single event that led to my social change. However, there are several contributing factors that include childhood memories, contradictions within white-supremacist VRWE doctrine and culture, exhaustion from violence, unlikely social influences from marginalized/oppressed peoples, and my willingness to learn and give back. Since a lot of my personal change included addiction counseling and support services, and then later I was trained as an addiction counselor, I now see parallels in some aspects of addictions counseling and disengagement processes. Moreover, the FVRWE network has established a Formers’ Anonymous group that is built upon the twelve step model; as many FVRWE do find some usefulness in accessing twelve step recovery, perhaps this is due to the fact that there is a gap in services and resources for disengagement/deradicalization. Dechesne (2011) tells us that spontaneous de-radicalization happens. This is similar to the discussions I heard at a federal government conference on substance use, misuse, and abuse in Edmonton. Spontaneous recovery was discussed as the main factor for the then current statistics on addiction recovery. It was indicated that spontaneous A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 188 recovery has the highest percentiles of recovery compared to other reasons for recovery. Whether someone recovers from addiction in twelve step meetings, addiction treatment, or prison it seems that spontaneous recovery is effective. From my experience as an addictions counselor/practitioner I believe that spontaneous recovery brings the strongest element of social change for individuals. Moreover, in my opinion this establishes that there may be noteworthy links between addiction treatment scholarship and disengagement/de-radicalization scholarship that could be applied to disengagement processes. De-radicalization has two main features according to Dechesne (2011) promoting inner openness in order to change one’s mind and presenting alternative views from the outside. The latter is what I refer to as the following recommendation for establishing publishable resources for those seeking to leave VETA. Dechesne does remind us that we cannot definitively determine how to de-radicalize because we don’t understand the deradicalization process well enough (2011). That is why my research is important as a FVRWE and researcher. I hope to add some personal qualitative flavors through my personal experience and how it relates to the others included in this study. Dechesne (2011) indicates that in a counterterrorism climate we are seeing the increasing value of de-radicalization scholarship. Dechesne (2011) indicates that exit groups do exist in Europe for those who choose to exit. However, as indicated in an earlier section a well-known American scholar on the topic of radicalization stated to me that North America and Europe are not necessarily comparable; more scholarship needs to be done in order to compare these A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 189 phenomenon, so we can potentially and collectively expand scholarship on these topics globally. Themes o f Disengagement Below are themes that I have identified in my own lived experience. When reading the autobiographies of other FVRWE in NA, I found that there were many shared themes. I have compiled them into a condensed and general taxonomical context. Here I provide a list of identified themes and comparisons between myself and three other FVRWE. First, I will present diagrams of shared themes of disengagement from VRWE between myself and other formers; this will be done by presenting Venn Diagrams. The reason for these diagrams is in order to offer a visual of the thematic commonalities and relations between myself and other Former-VRWEs. The circle on the left represents me and the circles on the right will represent other Former-VRWE(s). Where the middle of the circles overlap, with a darker shade, will represent the common and shared space with a list of themes found in my, and the other Former-VRWE(s), experiences. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 190 Figure 1.2 Daniel Gallant TJ Leyden A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 191 Figure 1.3 Daniel Gallant Frank Meeink “Former’s” Perspective 192 Figure 1.4 Amo Michaels A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 193 Contradictions I have identified one of the primary findings as a contradiction in VRWE doctrine, thought, and group dynamics that form incongruence(s), which lack integrity to maintain rationale, logic, and critical reasoning. If the doctrine of the RWE spectrum was substantiated, and if there was a viable system of knowledge, I would not have abandoned the doctrine, and then declared it as propaganda. I would never abandon a way of thinking that was solid enough to withstand critical analysis, counter information, and opposing ideological frameworks. It is logical to me, in hindsight, why others and myself defect/disengage from the doctrine of hate groups. There are plenty of logic/reasoning gaps within the RWE doctrine and worldview. These epistemic gaps and logic leaps seem to contribute to disengagement in each individual included within this study. Right wing extremists do share many ideological, belief structures and knowledge systems with right wing population (Berlet & Lyons, 2000; Ferber, 2004; Perry, 2001). These contradictions may be identifiable in the general population as well. In my personal experience of disengagement from VRWE, and the experiences of the other FVRWE in this study, I have found many inconsistencies, through several means, within the worldview purported by white supremacist doctrine: • Incongruence becomes apparent between how the doctrine indicates the way people and society operates, and the way in which people and society actually operate. White supremacist doctrine de-humanizes, demonizes, and stereotypes behavior of people of ‘other-races.’ Frank Meeink (2009) tells about his experience with a Jewish employer, which became a catalyst for his disengagement: “Keith (Frank’s Jewish employer) stomped A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 194 on another one of my long-held beliefs about Jewish people.. .1 realized something about Jews: until Keith, I had never met one.. .until I met Keith Goldstein, I would’ve sworn I had facts to back every one of those theories” (p. 224) • Incongruence can be seen in the image of the alleged ‘white-warrior-ideal’ and the way in which most white supremacists actually behave. For instance as white power: o “Skins were more about drugs than any ideals or competition” (p. 116, Leyden) • Incongruence between the role that white supremacists think they take in society as warriors is incongruent and contradictory through their own behavior: o “You’re not a ‘Race Warrior’. You’re a thug” (p. 208, Meeink, 2009) o Amo Michaels reflects on these incongruences: “that was yet another indicator to me how wrong what we were doing was” (p. 149-150, Michaels) • Contradiction and incongruence exist within the career of a ‘race-warrior’ as promised in the doctrine of white supremacist music and literature, and what actually happens to these ‘race-warriors’: o “.. .the skinheads hadn’t just drifted away from white supremacy, most had actually turned against it” (p. 204, Meeink) A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 195 These contradictions and incongruences are examples of the most prevalent theme that I have found within the stories of Former - VRWE. There are other examples and contradictive dynamics that manifest within this coercive and cultic programming/radicalization. The theme of contradiction is linked to Horgan’s (2009) findings; this deepens the importance as a primary theme. I recommend that particular interest be focused on this theme in order to contribute to counter - VETA narratives that could influence more Violent Extremists/Terrorists to consider why their own ‘brethren’ leave the ‘movement’. Searching for Help Years ago I had emailed TJ Leyden after I had disengaged from VRWETA. I was looking for resources to challenge my racist system of knowledge. I was not referred to any particular resource. It took years to deconstruct my extremist paradigm. I believe that if FVRWE compiled their experiences that emphasize the contradictions of the far right doctrine and system of knowledge, we could more effectively challenge the ECMC in a transformative and humanistic manner (Sue, 2003; Bishop, 2002). If we as FVRWE(s) compiled experiences pertaining to these contradictory points we could potentially breakdown the fortification of white supremacist ideology that has been arguably constructed since the beginning of historic white supremacist cultures. Disengagement on its own is very important, perhaps more so than deradicalization in context to public safety (Bjorgo & Horgan, 2009). However, we should not stop at disengagement from VETA; as a society we can push for further social change. As a FVRWE it is imperative, for me, to connect with a larger community of credible FVRWE(s). A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 196 Emphasizing the contradictions found within the reflective cognitive incongruences with real-world interactions could be beneficial in the development of disengagement/de-radicalization programs and educational resources. Looking at the experiences o f FVE through autobiographical reflections allows for further qualitative analysis necessary for gaining insights in order to respond appropriately to domestic VETA. Creating Resources If the RWE doctrine is fundamentally flawed as a system of knowledge, then this is an aspect of potential approach and response that should not be overlooked. This is similarly true for extremists who refer to themselves as ‘Muslim According to counter­ extremist narratives the radicalization and extremist Islamic doctrine is offensive to the majority of Muslims. If this approach is effective in Muslim communities, as suggested to me in a meeting with RCMP, Public Safety Canada, and CSIS then why would it be so different with VRWE. I recommend that approaching the contradictions of VRWE doctrine through accessible scholarship and electronic and trade publications, which could help to break down the fortified walls of rahowa (racial holy war), and other general white supremacist conceptualizations that are generally based in archaic and debunked worldviews. Challenging the fallacies of VRWE ideology is a good thing, especially if it is done by FVRWE(s). In my experience my mind was screaming to get out of white-supremacy long before I exited. I knew I was abusing people and felt that was wrong; I was living in contradiction. I had no other resource to challenge my beliefs/indoctrination that there was a war waged against the ‘white race’ by the ‘ZOG.’ Thus, I was trapped in a coercive A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 197 cycle of being an abuser that was fighting a ‘special-interest’. The lack of challenging literature is a resource gap; if literature that challenged these conspiracy theories were available it would be a way of contributing to preventative-education. There does exist a plethora of white supremacist literature from prominent American leaders and scholars that supports/purports the archaic-coercive-violent-ideological-half-baked-conspiratoryallegations. For instance the doctrine I was programmed with included attributing crime/deviance to ‘race’. This of course is not a true, nor is it a valid scientific perspective; rather it is archaic and systemically abusive and coercive (Rex, 1986; Kimmel, 2010; Bishop, 2002). Establishing a library that directly confronts the coercive nature of the white supremacist doctrine seems like a rational, and necessary, strategy for the disengagement process. This would provide a sufficient resource to breakdown these white (supremacist) lies. As a FVRWE, I would definitely have read literature that challenged the white supremacist movement. Most of the literature opposing VRWE can be dismissed by the far-right as ‘far-left-rhetoric’. Perhaps this literature gap could even be seen as a missing piece in social services, a gap that we FVRWE are now being called to create. Filling this gap with literature that further challenges the VRWE doctrine will not resolve the issues. But, if written by FVRWE for those active extremists who are contemplating disengagement could see there exists potentially credible resources for counter-violent-right-wingmessages. This study’s direction supports the idea that insights, which unveil the coercive nature of VE doctrine, are absolutely necessary to sufficiently respond to VRWETA. We, FVRWE, had spread a doctrine of hate willingly. Little did we know that these were archaic and illogical trends that have been going on for thousands of years. We A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 198 are responsible, and accountable, to contribute to a social movement that is truly humanistic. Providing visible/identifiable minorities more safe spaces, while offering oppressors, colonizers, hate-mongers an opportunity for change because we as FVRWE are empathetic to the fact that VRWE thought and doctrine are merely a manifestation of ECMC and the legacy of colonialist white supremacy (A.H.F., 2008; Berlet, 2004; Sue, 2003; Bishop, 2002; York, 1999; Ermine, 2007; Battiste, 2000). Qualitative examinations pertaining to the contradictions that manifest within RWE doctrine and VETA could also serve to facilitate deeper insights for FVRWE who have disengaged but not de-radicalized. Offering liberation from potential identity issues that one may face on the path of disengagement/de-radicalization; I experienced many forms of identity crisis/issues throughout my disengagement, there is a lot of scholarship on this topic but I am merely speaking from personal experience. I experienced an existential crisis, and Viktor Frankl’s (1946) work saved my life by providing me with a basic process of resolve: turn my suffering into meaning/purpose. Knowing that there are limited resources to support and foster change in context to VRWE doctrine and epistemological shackles of archaic propaganda, could serve as a meaning/purpose for us FVRWEs to assist others to follow the paths we are creating through iron bars of ideology. There is no one right way to achieve or describe change. No matter how much we change, we can change more; but at the same time this is not to say that change should be taken lightly especially from the FVRWE. If we are not aware of our being, then we cannot change our being. As FVRWE, I believe it is important for us to disengage from all violent behavior and dynamics when possible, otherwise there could be a tendency to A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 199 relapse into violent behavior, much like it is suggested that alcoholics not hang around a bar. I suggest FVRWE not hang around with white supremacists, nor lean toward right wing doctrine/ideology/politics if they want to actualize meaningful and progressive transformation. My telephone discussions with Amo Michaels (2012) verified that we both believe education is the key. Even though Amo and I both agreed on this point, I did not intend to identify contradiction of doctrine and hate group dynamics as a theme of disengagement for this study. It is my recommendation that FVRWE should step into this dialogue and scholarship with experts within critical disciplines of academia. We know academic environments can be fraught with ECMC tendencies and right wing schismatic designs (William-White, 2011; Perry, 2010 & 2011 & 2012; Mullaly, 2010; Sehdev, 2010). As past promoters of the RW agenda through extreme measures, I believe we are accountable and responsible as a result of our liberation/freedom, to bring these contradictions to the forefront of public discourse/dialogue. TJ Leyden is considered a pioneer as he was the first to publicly denounced the movement after he exited (2008). Those of us coming into this emerging FVE global community must walk towards further constituting the degree, frequency, and intensity of consciousness raising amongst our peers in the ECMC. The suffering we endured and had perpetrated as VRWE employs us to develop and transform sufferance into meaning/purpose; and to become leaders within dialogical socio-political praxis by educating and manifesting a momentum of social change. FVRWE who were once the epitome of schismatic privilege, often with the exception of economic class, can now become leaders in change. Teaching others how to A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 200 change as individuals and how the cultural collectivity of those individual transformations can strengthen our society. We know that the main perpetrators of violent crimes in NA are men (Katz, 1999). I must acknowledge that men abuse women in grotesque numbers but accordingly men perpetrate violence against other men; the context of this reference is only o exemplify that men are violent against other men. Men teach men to be violent. FVRWE could be useful as examples of living change and transformation stories. Thus, as Former-VRWE we all have a lot of work to do, which I recommend contends not only with racism, but also other schismatic classist and hyper­ masculine attributes of oppressive intersections (Graveline, 1998; Bishop, 2002). Unlikely Networks/Individuals In my personal experience love, empathy, and compassion were shown to me, even in the midst of my violent extremist action, from people who were systemically marginalized, colonized, and oppressed. Even though these individuals and communities knew I was perpetrating violence some of them continued to show me compassion and love. These people showed me more kindness than my biological and extended family even; they seemed to care more for me than ‘my-own-people’ and my hate mongering peers. This fed further contradictions and incongruences of my belief structure and the de-humanizing/de-personalizing tendencies of the RW worldview. After my disengagement process started these unlikely groups and networks showed me more support than any social service, resource or groups/individuals. Each of the FVRWE in this study not only received these gifts of compassion from unlikely individuals/networks, but also without exception gave back to the unlikelys. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 201 If we, as an ECMC, want to proclaim our dedication to anti-oppression and humanism, we must consider the colonial implications that result in ongoing genocide against indigenous peoples in NA. Lawrence (A.H.F., 2011) says: “Anti-racist theorists, if they are truly progressive, must begin to think about what their personal stake is in this struggle, and about where they are going to situate themselves” (p. 242). We need leaders who are willing to take on these discussions. FVRWE seem to be stepping out in these contexts to openly discuss social issues pertaining to racialization, racism, extremism, and the schismatic historic/contemporary design of NA society. NA society can be viewed as a schismatic socio-political entity. Many human rights groups advocate for equality and equity in our multi-cultural and multi-ethnic communities; there are examples of many groups who are upset about the systemic racism in NA. However, there are many people from marginalized, oppressed, and colonized communities who still show compassion to those of the ECMC, even to those who are viewed as the most extreme. My story indicates that many First Nations peoples showed me love and compassion even in the midst of my VETA. Amo Michaels received kind words from an African American woman who worked at a fast-food restaurant he attended while intoxicated and sporting swastikas. Her words resonated with him for years to come. Those simple loving words were enough to contribute to Michaels’ disengagement. Michaels was also accepted into a new network of friends who opposed his extremist views; these friends proved to Amo that their relationships were more important than the ‘movement’: A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 202 “when it came down to it, friendship was more important than ‘saving the white race’...I have a lot of friends who are now opposed to the movement as I am now.. .1 was very lucky to run into a group of new friends that accepted me and forgave me” (p. 150, Michaels, 2010). In Frank Meeink’s (2009) case he tells two stories that synthesize similar aspects to Amo’s experience. While Meeink was on the streets, a youth called out to him: “Dude,” the black punk said to me with complete sincerity. “You two should get together and make Nazi love”...So that’s how it came to pass that a black dude set me up on my first date with a neo-Nazi skinchick” (p. 78, 2009). Later while Meeink (2009) was in prison when a group of unlikely inmates called out to him: “I tried to ignore a group of black and latino inmates playing Spades at a nearby table, but after a few minutes of me just standing there, one asked, ‘Know how to play, Aryan Boy? Want dealt in?”’ (p. 165, 2009). When considering these unlikely relations with individuals and networks it may be interpreted as relevant to the contradiction theme. While definitely this is included in a preceding theme, my experience tells me this is an essential theme that is worth mentioning separately. More research on these themes could prove to be useful in order to contribute to further resources, programs, and social services for VE and FVE. Also it is possible that further research on disengagement from VRWETA findings could show that a variety of other disengagement themes exist. However, as A “Former's” Perspective Daniel Gallant 203 there is no categorical development, to my knowledge, I recommend that scholarship of disengagement includes an exploratory inquiry to widespread themes of disengagement from VETA; and VETA sub-groups of political ideological categories such as VRWE. For instance once VRWETA disengagement has solidified a discourse then it could be compared to other forms of VETA disengagement in order to see if there are universal themes or not. Taxonomy could be further established by building upon my identified theme categorization, which dovetails the other scholars’ insights included in this study. Moreover, I encourage consideration of forming hierarchies of thematic prominence through comparisons between experiences of FVRWE nationally, internationally, and globally. As well I would recommend further sub-categorizing ideological variations of VRWE groups/doctrine. Epiphany/Realization It appears that epiphany/realization occurs at least in retrospect of thoughts, which seems to be common when these FVRWE authors reflect back on their disengagement process. When I read the three autobiographies for this study it became clear to me that I could relate to this way of interacting with one’s own past VETA and disengagement. I have written similarly about my past epiphanies and realizations that I had in moments. It seems those epiphany(s) and realization(s) that I experienced are what stand out the most in regards to catalysts for my own change, and the changes TJ, Frank, and Amo went through. Often these ‘events’ of realization were caused by contradictions within any combination of variable(s) such as RWE doctrine, VRWETA, conversations, acts of violence committed by others, and one’s own VETA, all of which become A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 204 incongruent while observing interactions of the communities they live in. Compassion from unlikely individuals and networks surrounds the hate filled RWE. Hatred and power become suffocated when immersed and submersed in kindness. When society loves a hate-monger the hate monger must either: a) respond in VETA or b) change Another form of epiphany/realization that transpires is when a former has a profound shift in belief structures or a shift of paradigmic perspective. Amo Michaels (2010) exemplifies this as he summarizes his perspectives to the depths of racism in context to indigenous peoples: “I will never truly understand what it’s like to be anyone but a white man in the United States. For all of my self-imposed distance from the status quo, I’ll never be able to get my head around being the product of generations of hardship. The most brutal chattel slavery in human history. I will never comprehend being penned up in an impoverished reservation on land that was once sovereign domain. I’ll never know how it feels to be denied because of the color of your skin or because of where you came from. To have to watch your children suffer the same fate” (p. 29-30, Michaels). Exhaustion from Violence “Nothing tastes quite like a gun” ~ (p. 310, Meeink) It seems that acts of extreme violence including bombing, fist fights, getting beatup, beating up others, being threatened, or suicide attempts are all acts of violence that A “Former's” Perspective Daniel Gallant 205 seem to be significant in the experiences of the FVRWEs in this study. Exhaustion from violence seems to be significant. I know that the well-known American scholar I had been communicating with throughout my thesis writing, Pete Simi, indicated that he was studying these points in 2013. As I provided this particular American scholar with my information on these points, I will honor his current studies by not hypothesizing as to how/why this happens for each individual. I will say that based on my personal experience with 9/11, and my last hate crime, were catalysts for personal change. Violent scenarios were not the core reason for my personal transformation but did play a role as a catalyst. I suggest that other themes identified in this study i.e. contradictions, unlikely networks/relations, and epiphany/realization enabled me to become exhaustedfrom violence. Perhaps this is worth further examination in the future. I was at war with society. I grew up in a domestic-war-tom-home. I was sick of fighting at an early age. I only became a perpetrator of VE because that is all I knew; I did dream and hope that there was something better. It does seem that violence precipitates change. Decker & Lauristen (as cited by Simi, 2012) found that people who leave street gangs tell that often their exit is precipitated by violent victimization such as gun violence (2012); this is similar to my personal experience with my last hate crime and build up of my pathway to declaring a personal rahowa (Andrews, 2006; Gallant, 2012b). My last violent crime was preceded by flashback type memories from my childhood; I recalled witnessing my mother being raped (Global, 2013). Shortly after a flooding of memories I beat a First Nations man with a hatchet (Andrews, 2006). In combination with the catastrophic events of 9/11,1 began to experience epiphany/realization that allowed me to see contradictions within A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 206 the ‘movement’. All of these events in conjunction with the birth of my son contributed to my social change (Gallant, 2012b); it appears these themes seem to be common amongst each FVRWE in this study. Faith/Hope These findings are pretty self-explanatory. As odd as it seems, in my experience faith and hope was the motivation behind VRWETA. In my experience I wanted to resolve the issues/trauma that I experienced as a child. I wanted to prevent social sickness from occurring. I wanted to be heard. It seemed to me that the only solution was the ‘final solution’. Thus, in retrospect my involvement in VRWE was due to my desire for a better society. I only knew violence, so that is all I could do in action. That is all I knew, until unlikely networks/relationships showed me that compassion exists. If it were not for my Kohkum, my Cree-Saulteau aunties, and uncles I may not have found my way out. After I sought change, more nechis were drawn to me; nechi is Cree for my fellows/friends. This gave me hope andfaith in my own spirit that perhaps one day I could be better than I ever imagined I could be. If they saw something that I did not recognize in myself, because no one around me treated me well as a child, perhaps I could find it in myself, which I now have done. My twelve-step sponsor came to see me after I was sober for a few weeks and when I opened the door I had two fresh black eyes. I had punched myself in the face several times trying to find a way to not get high or drunk. He looked me in the eyes and told me to not give up before the miracle happens. I felt a twinge of hope with very little faith, but enough to get me through. Faith and hope in my experience and as seen in the autobiographic stories of TJ, Frank, and Amo are integral and innate to the healing process; sometimes faith and hope A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 207 are disguised in turmoil and pain. Amo Michaels (2010) said that “[i]f there is hope for me, there can be hope for anyone.. .1 know my story isn’t a fluke” (p. 30). We can turn the suffering we caused others, and the sufferance we endured, into a meaning/purpose by not forgetting where we come from; “I’ll never forget the taste of that gun. It lingered in my mouth...” (p. 312, Meeink, 2009). Asking for Help Accessing social services, counseling, therapy, twelve-step recovery, human rights, and community services is a bold request for help. This takes strength and coinage. Each one of us FVRWE in this study has done so. It seems the role of social work and social services is typically not that successful due to a lack of resources and tools available to FVE. I hope I can contribute to changing this in the future. FVRWE have had to utilize services not set up to deal with their issues which includes: “inpatient rehab center[s]...twelve-step meetings...halfway housefs]” (p. 272, Meeink); and other counseling services that are not necessarily prepared to deal with individuals involved in extremism and/or terrorism. I would like to work collectively with other FVRWE to build resources available to people seeking change from extreme violence. Some consideration is being given to the development of de-radicalization programs in Canada. These programs are not being discussed openly, even to me as a credible FVRWE; I do not understand how these secretive programs are going to benefit those seeking an exit unless the individuals exiting happen to be prominent within the NA VRWETA network and have some social connections to other prominent Formers VRWE. In my experience and opinion, the main gap of resource available is information A “Former's” Perspective Daniel Gallant 208 that challenges the inherent contradictions and incongruences of the white supremacist movement. I contacted TJ Leyden in the beginning stages of my disengagement process and was told there were no resources available that would challenge my belief structure directly. He referred me to others who then referred me to a conference on cults, which did become a great resource in understanding coercion. I had been refused counseling services due to the context of my violent acts and fantasies that frightened several practitioners. Once I had a counselor who had encouraged me to obtain a post-secondary education in order to challenge my violent ideological belief structure. He had also indicated that there were no accessible resources or counselors for my particular case; he then encouraged me to consider turning that into a future goal of establishing resource tools. I am fortunate that this counselor, who was a member of the Frankl Institute, offered me this advice. These service gaps are not new; what is new is the emerging culture of FVE that is offering a collective voice to the individual processes we have all endured in our disengagement/exit. A FVE named Sammy Rangel has initiated a twelve step program for FVRWE(s) called Formers’ Anonymous. My presumption is that due to the fact there are so little resources for FVE(s) that often Formers access twelve step recovery programs, and thus want to share a form of healing with others. Although this is a useful resource tool, it is not a definitive solution and could offer a plethora of problems for individuals facing existential crisis. Sammy Rangel should be applauded for his work on the ground level. Without funding sources FVEs are left to their own devices; we know that public safety’s primary concern is extremist violence. Thus, it seems that further discussion on program A “Former's” Perspective Daniel Gallant 209 options and resource development needs to be facilitated soon. As Amo stated “there is no shame in AA or other counseling” (p. 144, Michaels); but it would be beneficial to FVE(s) and to the general public if there were other resources at hand to help counter extremist narratives. As it currently stands if no specialized programs are initiated future formers are going to continue to be requesting help from inappropriate services, which could lead to potential threats to public safety if their unique experiences are not processed through appropriate services. It is possible to create an in-print publication, online resource, and multi-media version of an educational resource for Formers and potentially active VRWE. Moreover, it could also be tailored to work for former extremists who claim to be ‘Muslim’, former gang members, and other types of violent extremists. I recommend further studies on disengagement/exit processes be done in order to explore the commonalities in successful stories. As a FVE situated within a social network and emerging culture of other FVE our dialogues include at how similar our radicalization processes are; and how similar our disengagement/exit processes are in general contexts. Meaning/Purpose I suppose this theme could be re-framed in other terminology. However, it fits within my theoretical framework and experience with healing under the category title of meaning/purpose. I believe that as a person who has healed many aspects of self and has built a positive self-concept/identity through discovering meaning and purpose that are integral to my healing process, and seem to be integral to the other FVRWE in this study as well. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 210 Meaning/puipose seems to be a consistent driving force in each Former-VRWE experience. This is also reflected in the fact they wrote books about their experiences, and seen through the work they are engaged in within their communities. For instance Frank Meeink initiated a hockey program that works with youth through a NGO in order to assist in community inclusion. Frank (2009) said: “We could take the shit that keeps them different and erase it with the one thing they’d have in common. No matter what color they are, they’re all going to be landing on their asses. Even ice, man.. .Harmony through Hockey” (p. 258, Meeink) Discovering ways to foster existential determinants could be supported through person centered counseling, mentoring, and corrections facilities. Frank Meeink also encourages people to change in his program by promoting inclusive ideas e.g. “let’s share our experiences with honest openness and see if we can help each other out in the process” (p. 28, Meeink). This could be established in a manner that could include intelligence sharing, writing, or dialogue with FVRWE networks. As I do what I can, through this study and several other avenues, TJ Leyden’s (2008) words summarize the direction of all Formers in this study: “I am the only one, but because I am one, I will not stop doing what only I can do” (p. 188, Leyden). Political Activism and Intelligence Sharing Taking bold positions in society that are potentially life threatening is a conscious decision that each one of us FVRWE(s) in this study have done, in spite of possible consequences we have come out publicly. I argue this is a form of political action, and A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 211 activism, in and of itself. No matter how deep or intense stigmatization comes from the community, like Amo experienced on the DNTO (defmitely-not-the-opera) show (Lee, 2013), the FVRWE(s) in this study have definitely contributed to public safety through intelligence sharing. Not one of us would not be better off in prison than doing the work we are currently doing. As I may understand the need for accountability for FVE to face consequences of their past actions, there is a social value to having us free and doing the work that we are doing. This is not to suggest that convictions of past crimes are reduced. Our intelligence sharing is only one example of our political activism; the other is explained further in the thematic section for education. FVRWE experience a real danger when taking on these roles. In the past I have been threatened repeatedly by a former Airborne Commando who was involved in the Somalia Affair, and other VRWE, as a result of my public speaking, activism, and intelligence sharing with several layers of law enforcement. I have also been the target of several online social network groups and threatened on a white supremacist discussion forum (Stormffont, 2013). All of the Formers in this study have put themselves at risk by stepping out into the public eye. TJ Leyden (2008) was targeted most poignantly: “I was more than a snitch - 1 was a threat to the whole White Power Movement.. .After I left the movement, Marty wrote a song about me, entitled “Race Traitor” (p. 153-154, Leyden) In fact, my own experience substantiates that I was willing, to some degree, to face legal consequences for my past actions without seeking negotiation and/or deals with authorities after I had confessed and turned myself in for my last hate crime and my involvement with two Northern BC bombers. My intelligence sharing has lead to several A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 212 arrests, convictions for bombings, and intelligence on groups and individuals that would not have been acknowledged. Thus, I believe that contributing to resources for VE looking to exit needs to be a primary consideration. Each FVRWE in this study has entered dialogue with one another throughout the time I was engaged in this research. When media coverage speaks of mass shootings and terrorist attacks each of us recognizes the intention of these VETAs. We recognize these events when they happen because we were so closely involved with these circles in the past. Frank Meeink was prompted to contact the FBI after the Oklahoma City Bombing. Frank wrote: “Oklahoma City”.. .’’What kind of asshole does that?...Terrorists?...I bet I know who did it” (p. 19, Meeink, 2009). Frank, TJ, Amo, and myself all felt compelled to share our experience and insights with human rights organizations, general public, anti-racist organizations, government, national security teams, law enforcement, courts, media, and several other audiences. The fact that FVRWE share openly about these matters, further consideration could be given to this element for the safety of Formers and the public, especially in the development of exit/disengagement/de-radicalization programs. Education Each of us, Formers, have engaged with variations of educating ourselves, through sources of unlikely networks. Each Former has then gone out and engaged with educate others about extremism, racism, and social misconceptions about people and society. My process of social transformation has primarily been through post-secondary education. Each Former - VRWE’s story discusses elements of the importance of progressive social humanistic education. TJ Leyden (2008) said: A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 213 “Prejudice is learned behavior, and so is tolerance...Interactive education about tolerance is the only key I’ve seen that will fit in the lock of this problem. I believe education has to begin with kids as early as elementary age.. .The entire community.. .need to band together” (p. 187, Leyden). My participation in educating others through information panels, workshops, public events, rallies, media, and in the classroom is a passion that I hold close. The crux of my change has been in university settings; thus, my giving back to the community is centralized around education. Getting people to openly discuss concepts such as racial social policy, domestic forms of genocide, and the prevalence of white supremacy and white privilege is an important part of each Former - VRWE’s message. Michaels (2010) discusses contexts of lessons he has learned, which he has transformed into teaching others. “Now I see that the “genocide” that I was so worried about was really a concoction-a culmination of thousands of years of anti-Semitism and centuries of racism” (p. 142, Michaels). Bringing these discussions into public spaces enables us a society to consider diversity and humanism beyond theoretical constraints. The most effective way to educate people is through engaging them with stories of experiences that emotionally touch them, which are embedded with lessons. Rather than our stories of our individual paths of life-after-hate, we bring a tangible example of social change. Explaining how we were able to open ourselves up from extremist paradigms and violent action and then walking paths of peace is at the core of our stories. Challenging ourselves is not always comfortable. We have had to put ourselves in very vulnerable spaces. TJ (2008) describes his journey of challenging himself: A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 214 “I got to know Jews, homosexuals, as well as many bi-racial and multi-ethnic people from hundreds of different cultures-and all in an environment of promoting cultural and religious understanding. It was such a stark contrast from the masculine, misogynistic way of life I’d lived, and it was fascinating to me” (p. 166, Leyden). Offering our experience, strength, and hope through educating others is an essential and integral part of change and belonging in society. Paulo Freire (1990) indicates that the only way to truly make long standing social change is through transforming our oppressive and schismatic pedagogical systems into a humanistic dialogical process; which will in turn manifest what Freire calls a Cultural Revolution (1990). Kids “I began to spend much less time fretting over securing the existence o f my race and a future for white children and much more time with my child. Before I had fully shed my racist ideology, I called-off the race war with the realization that my daughter needed me” ~ (p. 98, Michaels) There is no replacement for the value of learning that comes from being a parent. From holding one’s child after birth to the watching and engaging with the development of another human being, it’s a beautiful and challenging position. My children were mostly raised by their mother without me, like several other FVRWE ex-partners do; however, I have participated and helped shape the great and beautiful qualities of my children who look to me as a role model and for answers to difficult situations. I now teach them to be as compassionate and honest as possible. In a world fraught with abuse and violence we can only make our way by doing the best we can. It seems that my kids, and the kids of each FVRWE in this study, have a positive and complex role A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 215 model/parent to walk with. Parenting seems to bring some context of realization, reformation, and reflection of meaning/purpose and faith/hope of one’s interactions with society. Each FVRWE had children prior to completion of the disengagement process from VRWETA. In my story, Mirrored Child (Gallant, 2012b), I explain that the birth of my son allowed me to see a mirror image of myself. I realized the path I was on would only result in destruction for another child, my son. There were other catalysts of epiphany/realization that lead to my exhaustion from violence that contributed to my realization the day my son was bom. I do not claim any one event was a stronger proponent than another, rather I only identify them as individual themes in my story. TJ Leyden (2008) came to a realization one day when his son “Tommy pointed. ..Look mommy, there’s some H H ” (P- 1 Leyden). Frank Meeink (2009) had a different spin, yet a similar experience: “I wanted to be the kind of father my grand­ father was. I wanted my kid to feel the kind of love Pop radiated. I hoped my kid would respect me like my uncles respected pop” (p. 161, Meeink). Recommendations Researcher’s Insights As indicated throughout this thesis it could be concluded that a thread of Canadian society is overtly racist, while more subtle dimensions of schismatic social and political structures ongoingly reinforce the overt oppressive dimensions of violent right wing extremist ideology (Perry, 2001; Perry, 2008; Perry, 2010; Perry 2012). Considering this structural lens in application to First Nations socio-political position, one could identify explicit and subtle ways in how Canadian society functions as a A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 216 structurally oppressive force over indigenous peoples in many contexts, which again does reinforce the extreme right wing ideology. Relating my theoretical lens in approach to research reinforces my perspective that the VRWE ideological frame of reference is reinforced by the schismatic design of Canadian society. In my experience I can see how VRWE are reinforced in their archaic and under-developed worldview by apartheid and other racist social policies in Canada, and USA. Racism, no matter its intention, has the same end result i.e. hegemonic and schismatic outcomes that abuse colonized, oppressed, and marginalized peoples. My insights into VRWETA in western Canada inform law enforcement, government, academic scholars, educators, non-profit organizations, and the general public about right wing extremist violent activity; both local incidents including hate crimes, assaults, bombings, and the promotion of hateful messages/information. It is my hope that local authorities and the general public will build bridges and develop a plan that is actually initiated in order to confront VRWETA in northern BC, specifically in Prince George, as it is the geographic central hub of the northern region. I have offered voluntary services to law enforcement, public school system, post­ secondary, corrections, MCFD, and to the public through media sources to educate people about the localized activity of VRWE. Even in my consultation with municipal, provincial, and federal governance and law enforcement it has only been after I work with media sources that these authorities have been pressured to respond to the majority of these reports. This is a structural response, or lack thereof, to local VRWETA that only further reinforces the underbelly of hate mongers’ violent ideology; this actually seems to contradict the direction of counter-terrorist directives of Public Safety Canada. It is my A “Former's” Perspective Daniel Gallant 217 recommendation that VRWETA in the north is handled extraordinarily in order to decrease the ongoing structural racism the north is trapped in, i.e. Highway o f Tears and local crimes motivated by racial hatred. Northern Responses to VRWETA It is my hope that people, including authorities, will recognize that these historically schismatic designs of Canadian society will further propel violent ideologies of the extreme right wing. A single community who pulls together can become socio­ political leader(s) in the development of a plan to prohibit messages that promote genocide and violence by articulating current legislation and pushing to develop and implement new policies pertaining to these matters. We know that the federal government has repealed Section 13 of the Human Rights Code; therefore it is my call to the provincial government of BC and to the community leaders in Prince George to step into a leading role in order to develop and actually implement an ongoing response to VRWETA in the north that seems to be a normalized and acceptable dimension of northern life. Through my insider knowledge of the VRWE network in western Canada, I can foresee that we will see a rise in VRWETA that will result in violent outcomes that could be pre-emptively deterred through the development of simplistic and effective counter measures in the community. This is the role that some FVRWE are taking in the new emerging culture of Formers who share a similar path to myself. This study identifies themes of disengagement and could provide insights into further work that could be developed to explore how and why people leave VRWE networks. The dominant Canadian ECMC does fall short of addressing issues of hate to A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 218 groups that are ‘othered’. This creates, or at minimum reinforces, apathy towards the most marginalized groups in Canada. This can also be seen as we look to the atrocities of the structural response to the Highway o f Tears (Carrier Sekani Family Services, 2014). These structural attitudes need to be informed in an effective manner that activates and results in transformation of social consciousness through education (2014). It is my recommendation that authorities, specifically in the north, develop and actually follow through with an initiative that facilitates a streamlined process to acknowledge and respond to VRWETA, which is not happening in an effective manner up to this point. This may include a development of a think tank that sets out to conceptualize a legislative framework that facilitates a further consideration of the rights of colonized, oppressed, and marginalized peoples. Calling FVRWE to Research and Scholarship It is my belief that literary autobiographic works of FVRWE will interact with concepts beyond the mere behavioral shift seen in disengagement processes. Elements of de-programming, exit, de-radicalization, and decolonization are included in the experiences of these individuals. We know that Amo Michaels’ (2010) autobiography is already included within American public schools as a curriculum aid; as it has been re­ published as a teaching aid edition (Lah, 2013). However, since the focus of my research is disengagement I can merely articulate that the four FVRWEs in this study maintain evidentiary stories that they have maintained disengagement from VRWETA. They seem to also have achieved degrees and contexts of de-programming, de-radicalization, and decolonization; this includes myself. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 219 I recommend that more scholarship and studies be done through a variety of qualitative methodologies on the experiences of social change that FVRWE have experienced. Moreover, I encourage wherever possible that FVE engage and situate them in research in order to contribute to the direction of scholarship. Those who have proven to be longstanding FVE could provide insider perspectives that other researchers may miss. The issues of credible formers should be explored further. Experiencing Revolution On the CBC show Definitely Not The Opera, host Sook Yin Lee (Lee, 2013) interviewed Amo Michael[i]s who talked about his role as a racist thug. He describes how he has turned his life around and indicates that writing was the catalyst for the decrease of internalized self hate. He indicated that he welcomes, and understands that people scrutinize him (2013). This is a perspective both Amo and I share. Last year Amo was interviewed on CBC radio show called Metamorphosis (Syrett, 2012). A Jewish human rights activist who questioned Amo’s degree of change challenged Amo on this show. She indicated that if a person has truly changed from their hateful life they should go to prison for the crimes they have committed in the past, and then she would trust their proclaimed social change (2012). As indicated by Horgan (2005), FVRWE face scrutiny from society for being overtly racist and engaged with a political movement that promotes genocide, while also being scrutinized by society for not actually changing (2005). People often believe that I must be lying about my personal and social transformation; or that I am lying about my past. I often have people tell me they do not think it is possible for someone to change to such depth and degree, while stating I am far A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 220 too nice and laid back to have been so extreme. ‘Change’ does not describe the dynamic and degree of change that I have experienced. I attribute this change as liberation. I argue that I have experienced and embodied a true revolution. This is very different than when I used to believe I was performing revolution through violent extremist action. Today revolution does not take place within, nor result, in violence. Moving from a life of hate to a life of peace without the presence of explicit violence, while educating myself and others is a revolution. We are not stuck within the colonial box of the ECMC we can change (Bishop, 2002; Camus, 1991; Denzin, 2003; Denzin, 2010; Duran, 2006; Frankl, 1946; Freire, 1990; Freire, 2000; Gallant, 2010; Gallant, 2012a; Gallant, 2012d; Gallant, 2013d; Global, 2013; Horgan, 2009; Kimmel, 2000; Life After Hate, 2013; Leyden, 2008; MacAleer, 2013; Meeink, 2009; Michaels, 2010; Norwell, 2012; Singer, 2003; Sue, 2003; UN, 2011). Recommendations relating to themes o f disengagement It is my recommendation that government bodies could fund credible FormerVRWE to develop literature and resources that will serve several purposes; primarily to develop resources and tools, while also encouraging other active Violent Extremists (VE) to disengage from VETA. If disengagement leads to intelligence sharing it seems like a reasonable request of the Public Safety Canada to fund these sorts of projects that help create a wider understanding about VETA. We know that VETA is on the rise in NA. Since there is a lack of resources/services available to those who leave VETA, we should be developing these resources and tools (Simi, 2012; Blazak 2009; ADL, 2009; Simi et al., 2008; SPLC, 2009). A “Former's” Perspective Daniel Gallant 221 Public Safety Canada has partially funded this research. I am grateful for this as an opportunity for my research to be accessed as a resource of applied research on counter-terrorist-narratives. I hope the federal government continues to work towards establishing resources and tools. Utilizing people like myself and other FVE(s) who have clinical, academic, and first-hand-experience. I am willing to do all that I can in this life to work towards building safer communities. One of the resources I recommend in this study is that a development of literature, online resources, and video be developed that discusses the contradictions in VRWE belief structures, doctrine, and lifestyles. This would include developing a resource that looks at the VRWE doctrine through a critical lens. There are academic resources available to the public. There are other resources I have found that could/should be developed into a library, museum, and/or creative arts center in order to encourage Canadian values of human rights, multi-culturalism, democracy, and social change; all while increasing accessibility for educational resources on improving Canadian public safety. It is my hope that these identified themes can contribute to further consideration of more resources utilized for counter-extremist measures. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant Conclusion (Photo: Gallant, 2014) 222 A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 223 FVEs are creating a new emerging global cultural phenomenon. Through my AEG study of the disengagement process from VRWE I, and three other FVRWE, tell our stories of how and why we left VRWE action/groups. This study analyzed stories through a theoretical lens of liberation that articulates a well defined need for decolonial contexts of pedagogical processes and curriculum. As an educator, social work practitioner, researcher, and political activist who have found a path of liberation from normalized right-wing-doctrine within the ECMC of North American society; I articulate how the experiences of FVRWE can benefit society through education. I discovered healing from VRWE through experiences of liberation within postsecondary-studies, oppressed First Nations cultures/people on paths of decolonization, and self-reflective transgressions of sufferance, which have now become existential guides to meaning/purpose. Focusing on the common themes of disengagement from VRWE, FVRWE can offer lessons of how to heal a racist mind/being. These lessons are now offered to VRWE, ECMC, educators, and social service providers who come in contact with FVRWE. These identified themes of disengagement from VRWETA provide an opportunity for the development of resources for those who have disengaged, who are disengaging, and who will disengage from ideologically violent worldviews. As a FVRWE, researcher, counselor, educator, and contributor to counter-terrorist narratives I can see that the development of several deliverable resources that support and encourage disengagement from VE could benefit public safety. If funding were made available for further research; the development of resources for FVRWE, future formers, and disengagement/exit/de-radicalization programs; and to government, policy makers, and A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 224 law enforcement in order to assist effectively in responding to domestic VETA/VRWETA; this would increase public safety. The more society fosters and supports disengagement, this study reflects we will not only decrease the acts of VETA, but also increase law enforcement intelligence on these homegrown organizations, groups, and individuals. Up to this point it has been impossible for me to meet other FVRWE(s) with the exception of the newly established social network Against Violent Extremism (AVE, 2013). Transforming our collective consciousness is possible, and is available to us. Funding sources like the Kanishka Project are invaluable for establishing seminal resources. It is my recommendation for the interests of every Canadian that resources that focus on counter-extremist/terrorist narratives are developed as resources. Building deliverable resources available to Formers and to active domestic extremists would encourage social change while increasing law enforcement intelligence. This would result in building safer communities for our diverse multi-cultural nation. Spirit o f the Knife Returns (Story) Throughout my university career, which I started at age twenty-six, with a grade seven education, my interest in watching and listening to storytellers led me to the Weaving Words Aboriginal Writing Festival. I attended the event two years in a row. Maintaining an anonymous presence at the festival was the most natural engagement for me. Sitting quietly in the sidelines. Listening to others’ stories, connecting and relating to them, while on my own. Previous to attending the University of Northern British Columbia, where this writing festival takes place annually, I had attended the University of Alberta. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 225 While at the U of A, an invitation from my cousin led me to a reading by First Nations writer Richard Van Camp. While listening to Richard I felt compelled to talk with him, but did not do so. Afterwards my cousin Zach and I went to the bookstore and bought a copy of The Lesser Blessed. I enjoyed the book. Years later at the Weaving Words festival at UNBC Richard Van Camp was one of the annual readers. I found him funny and entertaining. He engaged my spirit in a way I had never known before. During one of my courses at UNBC, in the First Nations Studies program, we had a guest speaker in class. This was on the first day of the Weaving Words Aboriginal Story Telling Festival. Garry Gottfriedson, a renowned Secwepemc poet, came and read some of his poetry to our class. It was intimate and raw. It was about the streets of East Van. I could smell, see, taste and touch the words and phrases he read out about some comers and alleys in the lower east side. Lower is such a good way to describe that area of Vancouver. It is hard for me to know and remember that as a child I was alone on the streets on the lower east side. It was like I was back on the streets of East Van when I listened to Garry read. It took everything in me to not break down with shattered tears in class. Immediately after Garry was done reading, my feet carried me to retreat in the washroom. Tears streamed down my face. Finally someone in the university spoke my language. I was compelled to talk to Garry, but did not do so. Instead my introverted retreat sewed my lips shut. My fear crippled me. I had no idea what the fear was about. It was apparent that it was simply overwhelmingly a response of fear to Garry’s words. Perhaps the fear of returning there to the streets, or the fear that other children, will endure similar experiences. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 226 The following year both Garry and Richard were reading again at the festival. I was excited. After one of the readings the crowd converged to a local campus coffee shop. As we all stood in line Richard was standing there with several of his peers. He looked at me and smiled. I gave him a responsive forced half smile. He looked down towards my crotch. My first thought was “what the fuck are you staring at?” Then he looked in my eyes while pointing at my pocket, “Hey, that’s a nice knife you got going on there.” “Thanks,” I replied. “Can I take a look at’er?” I pulled the fold up blade out of my pocket. I handed it to him. “Whoa, look guys!” He showed the knife to his friends. “It’s a camo knife, ohhh, so cool!,” he said with utter excitement. I could not tell if he was fucking with me or if he was being genuinely nice. “Can I open it?,” he asked. “Ya man knock yerself out.” Richard slowly pulled the blade of the knife open, with a huge energetic smile. You could feel his enthusiasm illuminate the room. “Whoa! Man! That’s the coolest thing ever! Look guys! The blade is camo even. Awesome knife man! Are you a hunter? My uncle is a hunter even. Whoa! This is so awesome!” A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 227 My heart was pounding. I was building up to an uncontrollable desire to punch him in the face. My heart felt like it was trying to jump out of my chest with every beat in order to reach out and smack him in his lips. He folded the knife up and handed it back to me. “That’s a wicked cool knife man. I want one like that someday. It would make a great gift for my uncle.” I had never felt so patronized as I did in that moment. It felt like he knew about me. That he identified my knife in public to teach me a lesson. “Why the hell was I packing a knife at school for, anyways. What the hell was I afraid of. Was it necessary? Why the fuck was this son-of-a-dB bugging me.” Him and all his friends ordered their drinks and left to the large table nearby. I was so relieved when they walked away. They were all laughing and joking at the table. I felt like they were laughing at me. Everybody knew. They all knew Daniel was crazy. He packs a knife at the university, does he think he is tough or something. I got my tea and left. I split like lightening. I got about thirty paces down the hall. I stopped dead in my tracks. A voice spoke inside my head: “You have to stop packing knives Daniel. You need to look at your fear son.” I took a deep breath in, and released all my pent up energy in a single exhale. My fight was gone. It felt like I was going to cry. I knew my fear had to be relieved through letting go- A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 228 Letting go is not an easy task. Usually it comes with a lot of tears and intrusive self­ destructive thoughts. I feared in that moment that someone would try to hurt me if I put my knife away. Besides what’s the point in owning a knife unless you carry it with you. The voice of knife spoke again. “Give it away to Richard. He is the one who just called you on your bullshit. You’re in university and your life is different now. Why the hell are you carrying the streets with you here in these hallways. Let it go. Give it away. That’s the Cree way. Face your fears son.” I marched over to Richard while he sat at the table, they were all laughing and joking around. I slammed the knife down in front of him. It felt like the sound travelled through all the halls in the university. The entire school went quiet and glared at me. They all had seen me. Everyone knew. I felt busted. “This is for you,” I said. I spun around immediately, and stepped away one foot in front of the other before Richard could respond. “Hey! Hey man, thanks, but what is this for?” I side-stepped and spun around while walking backwards. “It’s for you man. It’s my gift to you. It’s yours now” Then I saluted him and walked away. “Whoa guys look! This knife is so awesome! Look!” I could hear his bullshit as I walked away. Reluctantly that night I slipped into another one of Richard’s readings. I had to. The guy pissed me off so bad and got under my skin that there was no choice but to face the demons inside me. The festival ended that night. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 229 A year later, I attended the festival again. Both Richard and Garry were there. The opening event was a number of First Nations poets from all over Canada. Garry was reading that day. I needed to attend this one for sure. Garry’s readings brought me to places I did not want to go. But I knew those places needed to be re-visited again. Being haunted by the streets every day of my life is a curse, intrusive memories and grotesque recalls are continuously summoned. But during Garry’s picturesque poetic description of the real world seemed like a healing time to visit those horrible spaces. As I walked in and sat down, Garry glanced over at me. Immediately he jumped up from his seat in the auditorium and quickly came over to where I was sitting. He plopped down beside me. “Hey, I want to talk to you. I been trying to get to you for two years in a row now. So after the reading make sure you don’t run off like you usually do immediately after. Ok?” I smiled, “Ya, you bet. I will stay in my seat till you’re not busy afterwards. Just don’t forget about me waiting” “I won’t, k. I gotta go talk to those people over there before my reading” I sat there in tears. Finally someone had seen me. It was a relief. It had been several years since someone seen me, and made the action to approach me. The last time that had happened was with Gary Moostoos and Jerry Goodswimmer, in Edmonton (Gallant, 2012a). I felt validated in my existence from the one simple fact, Garry saw me and had articulated that he wanted to talk to me. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 230 We hung out and chatted for several hours. Then he asked for a ride to his hotel room. As we drove down the university boulevard, a hill that is stretched over four kilometers of a sloping downward grade, our conversation got deeper and deeper. Soon our conversation shifted to our histories of childhood abuse. We were in to some pretty dark details. Then Garry talked about the healing properties of writing. I knew what he was talking about. We talked about how our writing helped us and why we initially started to write in our lives. We talked about how later in life the red road led us to further healing, and helping others. He was shocked to hear that Cree culture influenced my life. Then he asked, “Do you got any of your writing with you?” “Ya, of course I do. I write everyday in class. Otherwise I could not sit in class if I did not write poetry. I couldn’t process the social work bullshit without my poetry,” Garry smiled. “OK! Grab your bag. Come up to my room and read me a few pieces. Then I will give you some feedback” I had my backpack on and ready to go. We went up to his hotel room. My heart pumped fear because I had never read my work out to anyone before. We were in his room. He dimmed the lights. Set me up at the table. He laid on the bed, on his back. His hands were clasped together, his fingers on top of his chest. His eyes were closed and he said, “Read the first one.” I recited my poem: A Letter to Matthew. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 231 “Ok. Good! Read the next one.” I read my poems about prostitutes and one of the serial killer’s in BC. “Ok. Next!” I read my poem about gossip. “Ok. Good. Now read the first one again” I recited it one more time. I was feeling anxious to hear his feedback. Intuitively I knew it was going to be good feedback, but my fear and self-talk screamed that he would not like my writing. I had never read my poetry out to anyone before. I had been writing since my first psych ward stay when I was fourteen. Now thirty-six-years-old and reading poems out loud for the first time. “You have an important voice. Here is what we are going to do. At Christmas time you are going to come stay with me. You will spend the holidays with me for three weeks. We will edit your writing and build you a manuscript” I was smiling ear to ear. I was found. I was seen. I was heard. My whole life was spent trying to be heard, and now, it was coming. I was going to have a loud voice. We agreed that we would both commit to this offer. “There is one stipulation,” he said. “You have to call me every week until Christmas time. Otherwise I know you will not come” I smiled. I knew in that moment he saw me. All of me. He understood me. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 232 The writing festival continued the next day. Garry went home. Then on the last day of the festival I attended the last event, alone. Richard Van Camp was going to be reading at the wrap-up for the festival. I was pumped. As soon as the reading was over I rushed off to the washroom. When exiting the restroom Richard said, “Hey! I wanted to talk to you. But you keep vanishing every time I turn around. You’re like a ghost ‘ir sumthin.” I laughed, “My friends on the rez used to sing a Stompin’ Tom Connors’ song every time I would walk in out of the blue: I am the wind.” Richard and I cracked up. Our bellies laughed. It was like standing there with one of my Cree cousins from the rez when I was a kid. Relaxed and real. I felt at home with Richard. “Hey I wanted to thank you. Hold on, I brought something for you.” He ran over to his bag and a group of people surrounded him. “Hold on a few minutes. I just gotta talk to this guy before he disappears on me again.” Funny enough, it was about three seconds before my feet were gonna high tail it outta there. He came and sat with me. He handed me a folded cloth. It was dark blue. Then he pulled it away from me when I went to grab it. “This is spiritual tobacco. It was a gift given to me from the six nations. It was grown by my friend. She honored me. Now I am honoring you. You gave me a gift. Now I am giving you a gift. That’s our way.” A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 233 I interrupted him. “Richard. Can I tell you something first?” His eyes looked into my curiously, “Yes, of course. Go ahead” I continued, “You know last year when you gave you that knife. I was mad at you. Real mad.” Richard’s pupils dilated huge, “Whoa. What? Why? What did I do?!!” Then I explained to him what had happened for me. “I have to tell you the story. You made me look at myself by being yourself. You are genuine. So was I. It was an internal clash for me. That day I learned something from you. You helped me. By simply being your beautiful self. I did not understand till awhile later. You gave me a gift and that’s why I gifted you your knife. You helped changed my life.” I was choking back the tears. But my eyes could not hold them back. My right eye poured out tears down the outside of my cheek. I looked in Richard’s eyes, “Thank you” I said. Richard’s eyes were welled up and he softly said, “Thank you. That is some real powerful stuff.” His eyes then pushed the tears to the edge of his eyelids. The only thing holding back the waterfall of cry was the upward curve of his eye lashes, “That’s beautiful. Mussi-cho” A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 234 He handed me the tobacco. Then his shoulders flung back, his backbone instantly straightened, his eyes wide open and then his open hands moved upward in excitement. Then he went on to say, “Now I gotta tell you what I was going to say to you when I brought you these sacred seeds. The knife you gave me. It’s in a sacred place now. I had the knife in my pocket. I carried it everywhere because I knew it was looking for it’s home. Did you know? Knife has a spirit eh? I have even heard stories that there are knife people.” His eyes were smiling. “This is so cool. What you told me really fits. This is so important. Knife has a spirit. Everything does. And that’s why we are here. That is why you are important to me. Now I got to tell you. Your knife. My knife. She is with medicines now. I was with my friend and he was looking for his knife. He was so upset. No one ever goes into his medicine bag. But somehow his knife went missing. No one ever touches his things. He even lives alone. So no one touches his stuff. Ever! Weird eh?” Some things just happen for reasons beyond our understanding. People are put on our paths. Richard continued, “So I pulled the knife out of my pocket. My friend said “ahhh cool. But the knife has to be sharp. My medicines are tough.” So I opened the knife. I stroked the knife on my thumb to see if it was sharp. And holy man! It was ever sharp. We nearly became blood brothers. You know! Like in the old indian movies. So my friend said: “perfect!” Richard smiled. A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 235 “So that’s where your knife is. With the medicines. So now I understand why that knife is where it is. But I need to know something. Where did you get the knife?,” Richard asked. I told him I was teaching a young First Nations guy to hunt. “I met him in school. He was in a heavy metal band and they played a lot of concerts in Canada and all over the continent. Their band, Giybaaw, always came into contact with white supremacists because of the type of heavy metal fans that went to the shows. And some of the bands were Nazis. So they asked me for help cuz I know about that stuff, eh? Then the next thing I know we became such good friends. I took him up north to teach him how to hunt. I realized I needed a pocket-knife. So we stopped at an old gas station in the middle of nowhere and I picked that knife. It had a perfect edge and beautiful tip.” Richard smiled and stood up. He put is hands out to the sides and waved me in for a hug. “I thank you Daniel. You’ve honored me with your story. Mussi-cho nechi” I hugged him and quietly said, “hiy-hiy. You honored me today too.” I continued on with my day. I was so grateful. Life was going where it was supposed to be going. The spirit of the knife told me this. Three and a half months later I went to Garry’s. We hit the work hard. We edited over a hundred poems in nine days, while we developed the manuscript. I also wrote many new poems. It was beautiful. Ten to sixteen hour days for nine days straight. We even did eight hours of work on Christmas day. After we were done we talked about the experience together. De-briefing all of our emotions and spiritual gratitude for having our paths intersect. I told him how much the A “Former’s” Perspective Daniel Gallant 236 Weaving Words festival meant to me that year, and why. I told him about the story with Richard and I. Garry’s eyes filled with tears. He shook his head as his neck shivered, “You know what?!” I looked at him confused. “Your knife is with my medicines.” We looked at each other in shock. We both knew in that moment, these paths of the red road were healing trails. This was the spirit of the knife at work. This is what medicine means. Knife has a healing spirit, with an edge. 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