> Rene wrote:
>
> "Of course, since the 80's, skinhead has become
synonymous with
> neo-Nazi, not just in the UK & Australia but the
US & both Western
> Europe & Eastern Europe as well."
>
> Maybe synonymous by the media and/or the straight
world, but certainly
> not within punk circles. Living just outside of DC,
the home of
> Positive Force, I can tell you they are not even
close to all
neo-Nazis.
Even back in the context of the time/places I was mainly
referring to skinheads were not all Nazis - I would describe
most of the ones I came across as being apolitical, with a
tendency towards extreme racist views. There were some
"anti-Nazi" type skins who mostly came from the ska scene. As
the skinhead scene wore on in Australia through the eighties
it became more & more associated with racism & the
last hardcore (visible) survivors of the scene were
associated with org's such as the National Alliance. As far
as I'm aware there's no skinhead scene in Australia, Nazi or
not, although the look shows up occasionally as a style
statement. I was generalising because I felt I'd already gone
into a lot of detail for a topic of only tangential relevance
to the list topic. To be honest though, the only skinheads I
ever met that I liked were ex-skinheads. Without exception
every skin I ever talked to was an extreme racist by
anybody's definition. By skinheads I only mean skins who hang
out with skins - in the eighties the look was not uncommon
amongst inner-city boho's who generally made a point of
letting you know they were left-wing, anti-racist &
(hopefully) working class but these guys were not organised
in any way, didn't hang out together & I think belonging
to a gang, of whatever political stripe, is integral to being
a skinhead. Having a quiff & sideburns doesn't make you a
Tennessee truck driver. I have to admit though, it's been a
hell of a long time since I would have had the foggiest about
what goes on in punk circles. I didn't even know there still
are punk circles. I've got 1 or 2 of those Richard Allen
books but haven't read any. NEL churned out scores of novels
featuring youth "cults" of the 60's & 70's - heaps of
"biker" novels - I read a few of these when I was a kid -
also skins, "suedeheads" & bovver boys (close cousins of
original skins); & I can't recall what else. I recall the
biker books as being entertaining reads when I was an
adolescent & they may be worth a giggle now.
Rene, who doesn't want people to think he's prejudiced
against skinheads, especially peace love & anarchy skins,
with whom he shares certain spiritual ideals.
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : 09 Aug 2002 EDT