Editor's Addendum: The following views of Dr. Howard Brand are his own. The league recognizes that there are good Skinheads, too; it is unfortunate that these positive movements don't get press.

By Dr. Howard S. Brand, DSW, Ph.D.

The intimidating look favored by male Skinheads is instantly recognizable: a shaved head or closely cropped hair; jeans; thin suspenders or braces; combat boots; a bomber jacket, sometimes emblazoned with Nazi insignia; and tattoos of Nazi symbols and slogans. For security reasons, Skinheads sometimes adopt a less conspicuous look, by, for example, letting their hair grow out. Most Skinhead gangs range in size from fewer than 10 to several dozen members. To those devoted to the movement, being a Skinhead is a full-time way of life and not simply adherence to a fashion. Skinhead activities dominate the social life - and the domestic life - of gang members: they often live in communal crash-pads and stick to themselves when out in public. The girls usually have Skinhead boyfriends. Neo-Nazi ideology combined with the gang lifestyle provides Skinheads with a seductive sense of strength, group belonging and superiority over others. Invocation of Viking imagery offers the Skinhead a perception of himself as a racial warrior. The Skinheads glorify Hitler and aspire to create his vision of a world-wide, pan-Aryan Reich.

These strands - a sense of power, of belonging, of destiny - combine to create the appeal the Skinhead movement holds for disaffected youngsters. Skinhead violence differs little from one country to the next. When on the prowl, they seek out members of hated groups and attack them. While their means of attack varies, Skinheads take special pride in using their boots as weapons. Vandalism is another Skinhead specialty: they scrawl racist graffiti and desecrate Jewish synagogues, cemetaries and memorials to the Holocaust. While some Skinheads have been known to use drugs, virtually all drink. Heavy beer consumption often precedes incidents of Skinhead violence.

A major aspect of Skinhead life is their devotion to bands that play white power "oi" music, a hard-driving brand of rock and roll whose lyrics pound home a message of bigotry and violence. No other means of communication - neither the spoken nor written word - compares with oi music's influence on their outlook and behavior. Music is the Skinhead movement's main propaganda weapon and its chief means of attracting young recruits into its ranks. Skins maintain universal ties through their music, distributing recordings internationally and organizing concert tours and music fests that feature both domestic and foreign bands. Record labels devoted to white power music produce and market recordings, and informal networks of enthusiasts exchange bootleg cassette tapes. The artwork on the jackets of Skinhead recordings is characteristically devote to racist and violent images. Concerts range from performances in local hangouts to international festivals that attract Skinheads from neighboring countries. At these festivals, swastika-emblazoned banners decorate the bandstands while Skinheads, arms outstretched, shout slogans like "Sieg Heil" and "White Power." In whatever context the bands play, the event often degenerates into a free-for-all of slam-dancing and scattered fist-fights.

Also central to the Skinhead scene are their magazines (commonly called skinzines or zines), usually crudely written newsletters that focus on Skinhead bands and their recordings. The zines promote Skinhead ideology and advertise services popular among Skins such as tattoo parlors, clothing stores that sell Skin fashions, and oi music distributors. In addition, they announce concerts and other events of interest to Skinheads everywhere. Zines are published sporadically, and it is not unusual for some to fold after a few issues and for new ones to crop up. The zines serve as a vital link between Skinheads in different countries. The publications generally maintain friendly relations internationally, carrying usually favorable reviews of foreign bands and detailing - with some delight - the exploits of their counterparts abroad. The most commonly used propaganda items among Skinheads around the world are printed and sold by an American neo-Nazi, Gary Lauck of Lincoln, Nebraska, who publishes in 12 languages. Lauck supplies huge quantities of cheap colorful stickers bearing swastikas and incendiary slogans like "Deport Race-Mixers" and "Polska Na Zawsze Ziemia Aryjska!" ("Poland Will Forever Be Aryan!"). He also publishes a neo-Nazi tabloid (in many languages) which he markets to Skinheads and non-Skinheads alike.

Copyright 5760/2000 By Dr. Howard S. Brand, All Rights Reserved. Property of The Jewish Defense League.