From Germany: Neo-Nazi Rehab: How Do You Change The Mind Of An Extremist?

[pampango]

And it turns out that helping Neo-Nazis change their ways requires the same five principles (see the sidebar below) that work on Muslim extremist youth and others who end up behind bars for violent or hate-motivated crimes. The chief skill to teach them: Empathy.

“If you work with violent people, you can be sure at one point in their biography, they stopped having the ability to feel empathy for other people,” says Korn, who has worked with right extremists since she was a teenager. She said most Neo-Nazis her team of trainers work with in 10 of Germany’s 16 states come from abusive homes with alcoholism and other problems.

For example, she said a young Neo-Nazi recently told his trainer that the global financial crisis was caused by “Jewish bank executives." The trainer asked the young man to do research and back up that claim with analysis. He poked holes in the homework the young man did, proving his anti-Semitic assertion was unfounded. “We show when they are not well informed,” Korn said. “We keep on asking questions.” Similarly, an imam accompanies trainers in discussions with Muslim extremist youth and, with superior knowledge of Islam and a peaceful interpretation of the Koran, counters their assertions and backward notions.

Neo-Nazi leaders are often past the point of reform. But young men age 16 to 18 in the movement often find themselves socially trapped in their gangs and unable to control their violent responses. Korn’s program offers civic education discussions in democracy, human rights, gender and other topics.

While Germany has it share of ongoing problems with extremist communities, she worries about the right-leaning rhetoric coming from the political class in some Western European countries. ... “In Germany, because of our history, we have a more respected movement against extremism. I don’t see the same in the Netherlands, Denmark, or France,” she said. “In Germany, it’s not common to be educated and to have right wing, extremist opinions as freely as in those other countries.”

http://www.fastcoexist.com/1679670/neo-nazi-rehab-how-do-you-change-the-mind-of-an-extremist

If you catch the fascists when they are young, perhaps there is some hope for them.

[loyalsister]

1. American History X is one of the best cautionary tales I have seen

Some of it is probably a little too raw for kids, though.
I did see a series of interviews where one guy who had actually had the American History X experience and was working with youth to steer them away from racist beliefs, etc.

It was part of a similar proactive movement that has been going on in the US for a few years. It targets entire communities.

Not In Our Town http://www.niot.org/

I learned about it when a neo-nazi parade\rally was scheduled here.