Books
Extremism wasn't something I ever thought I'd be writing about but here I am with two books about....extremism...
Read on
Walking Away From Hate:
Our journey through extremism
Co-written by Lauren Manning
As a troubled teen, Lauren Manning sought refuge online in the angry world of black metal music. When she met a recruiter who offered her the acceptance she craved, the doctrine of white supremacy supplanted the values of her middle-class upbringing, and Lauren traded suburbia for a life of violence and criminality on the streets of Toronto.
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Told from the viewpoint of both mother and daughter, Walking Away from Hate chronicles Lauren's descent into extremism, her life within the movement and her ultimate reconnection with the family she once denounced and the mother who refused to give up on her.
Surviving Extremism:
A Parent's Guide to Radicalization
Never in a million years did I think I’d become the poster-mom for parents of extremist children.
When my seventeen-year-old daughter was recruited into white supremacy, I struggled to understand where, as a parent, I’d gone wrong. Who were they and why had she chosen them over the love of her family? I waged war against an unknown enemy, a movement I’d never heard of, with beliefs far different from those Lauren had been taught. But how do you save your child when you aren’t even sure they want to be saved?
For parents whose children are embroiled in today’s ever-changing face of extremism, the challenges are greater and more varied than those I faced years ago. Hate and extremism are epidemic, widespread and rampant, especially among youth who are searching to belong, to find their identity, to be “someone.” Families are being torn apart by extreme beliefs…but it doesn’t have to be that way.
Based on my experience as a Family Support Specialist, as well as research and guiding principles from well-established organizations, this “parenting manual” offers information, practical suggestions and real-life examples to help you cope during this emotional, painful period. There are no easy answers…but there is hope.
You aren’t alone on this journey.
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