I grew up in rural Texas and went off to college to become a professional, so I never had any contact with the skinhead types beyond the normal TV news coverage that makes them all look like Hitler fanatics thirsting for minority blood.
Recently I ran across a forum on the web where a discussion on skinheads was underway, and was suprised to learn that most of the posters were in fact anti-racists. Upon investigation, it turns out that the term "skinhead" covers a very large variety of groups that spawn mostly from common interest in style of music and clothing, with politics not necessarily a strong factor. Random violence plays a theme in some, but not all of the groups. Interestingly enough, the primary influence for the original skinheads in 1960's England was the Jamaican "rude boy".
I find the whole phenomenon fascinating. I've never been a follower, so it boggled me to think that large numbers of kids would attach themselves to a sub-culture that is defined largely by style of dress and music.
I thought their whole scene revolved around a politics / ethnic angle, but apparently that's true only in some groups. Others are extremely anti-racist, to the point of actually demonstrating against and attacking racist groups. Many for example belong to the Anti-Racist Action group (ARA) that gets a lot of press lately.
There is a wikipedia article that attempts to summarize the skinhead concept, it is heavy sledding because of all the pop culture / style references. If you have the fortitude to slog through it, maybe you will understand better than me.
If people fragment this easily over freakin' clothes styles and music, no wonder uniting large groups over substantive issues is basically impossible.
Well, some of my preconceived notions were stood on their head. Ya learn something every day....
Skinhead - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Learned Something New: Many Skinheads are Anti-Racist
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