DES MOINES, IOWA — Progress Iowa today released Do the Right Thing, an online video featuring former Aryan leader and author of Autobiography of a Recovering Skinhead, Frank Meeink of Des Moines, Iowa. In the video, Meeink emphasizes the need to oppose the efforts of Bob Vander Plaats and the Family Leader in next week’s judicial retention election. Watch the video:
httpv://youtu.be/ruLZWW-VS_8
“They may have some really good slogans, but I know hate when I see it,” said Meeink. “If Bob Vander Plaats and the Family Leader win this battle again, what’s next? They’re going to come after our school boards, science, sex education, and women’s rights — that’s what’s next if we don’t do what’s right as Iowans.”
“The divisive messages coming from Bob Vander Plaats fly in the face of Iowa’s proud tradition of equality,” said Matt Sinovic, executive director of Progress Iowa. “Iowans face a stark choice this election: we can let Bob Vander Plaats continue to intimidate our judges for upholding the Iowa constitution, or we can stand up for David Wiggins and Iowa’s judges for ruling in favor of equality for all Iowans.”
Vander Plaats and the Family Leader have made removing Iowa’s Supreme Court Justices a top priority, ever since the court upheld the Iowa constitution by ruling unanimously in 2009 that all Iowans have the freedom to marry. The Family Leader has long standing associations with anti-gay hate groups such as the Family Research Council, who lists the Family Leader as a ‘State Policy Organization,’ and the American Family Association. They have also received significant funding from the National Organization for Marriage, a prominent anti-gay organization known for spreading ‘lies’ in order to promote their agenda.
Do the Right Thing was produced and directed by Kristian Day, of Modern American Cinema. To watch Do the Right Thing click here.
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About Frank Meeink
Frank Meeink became a skinhead at age thirteen. He roamed the country as a skinhead leader and Neo-Nazi recruiter with gangs that would beat people indiscriminately. By eighteen, he was doing hard time in an Illinois maximum security prison. While behind bars, Frank began to question his hatred, thanks in large part to his African-American teammates on a prison sports team. Shortly after being paroled and desperately needing work, a Jewish antique dealer showed him compassion and offered him a job. This led Frank to defecting from the white supremacy movement. The 1995 Oklahoma City bombing inspired him to try to stop the hatred he once had felt. He is a member of the group Life After Hate and has appeared on MTV, CNN, and other major television networks. His book Autobiography of a Recovering Skinhead was released world wide in 2010 by Hawthorne Books & Literary Arts. He most recently was on “Hard Ball with Chris Mathews” on August 7th, 2012 talking about the Sikh Temple shooting in Wisconsin.
Background on Bob Vander Plaats and the Family Leader
Confidential memos reveal strategies to fight same-sex marriage in Iowa
http://blogs.
Outside groups spend to oust Iowa justice who voted for gay marriage
http://www.omaha.com/article/
Religious leaders urge Vander Plaats to denounce American Family Association
http://globegazette.com/news/
Southern Poverty Law Center: National Organization for Marriage continues to spread lies about gays
http://www.splcenter.org/get-
Family Research Council: The Family Leader listed as a ‘State Policy Group’
http://www.frc.org/state-
The Family Leader is “in association with the Family Research Council”
http://www.thefamilyleader.
Southern Poverty Law Center: Active Anti-Gay Hate Groups (including the Family Research Council and the American Family Association)
http://www.splcenter.org/get-
Family Leader: Gay behavior is ‘personally harmful and societally harmful’
http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/
This story shows everyone that it does not matter if you are in a suit or shaved head racism comes in all forms. Vander platts and his organization is a racist organization its time we tell him to go away.
If you truly want to see hate tell a democrat that you are going to vote for Romney. Or read the blogs following the “Romney ad falsely claims that Jeep is moving mfg to China.” And some of the other blogs on this web site.
I couldn’t agree more. Mention the words Republican, Romney, or religion and watch liberals and democrats go bonkers.
Couldn’t the same be said of republicans? They seem to hate Pres. Obama and the democrates. I do believe the hatred goes both ways and that the teapublicans are the root cause. They are plain and simple evil.
I wonder if Vander Plaats has called Fred Phelps for help getting out his agenda on election day?
I am sure the Phelps clan would more than love to come up to Iowa and help out as they both want the same end result. Two peas in a pod!
I don’t know this guy or what he stand for but I do somewhat agree with him on principle. Religion has no business in our government. How can the claim to be a Christian when they have zero tolerance. I just do not want the religious right or the non religious left dictacting how I live. Now there is a contradiction for you.
Wanna see hate and racism, take a stroll a black neighborhood, whiteboy.
@as seen-that is a very true statement. Blacks are much more racist than white people. Mexicans and Asians are as well. It is all because of the leftist media telling them how oppressed they are all the time. At least most most Mexicans and Asians will work when given the opportunity.
yeah, i always go to a former skinhead when i want an insightful honest quote.
takes one to know one
You’re a skinhead? Huh, who knew.
Conservatives go to that little tramp Bristol Palin for advice on how to not get pregnant as an Unwed teen. I guess anythings possible.
She’s not a bad looking girl!