Imagine living a life under the mantra “We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children.” Author Christian Picciolini lived that life, rising to the top ranks of the American skinhead movement. He’s long since turned his back on his violent, racist past and tells the story of his journey in the autobiography “Romantic Violence.”

We visit Lawrence’s Fish and Shrimp (2120 South Canal) and talk about his years as a skinhead and how he now works to fight racism with his non-profit group “Life After Hate.”

His life as a skinhead was brutal and violent (“We would just indiscriminately fight people that we didn’t like, if people looked at us wrong”), and he’s comfortable sharing his stories in the hopes that his history serves as a cautionary tale.

And remarkably, as we talk about some really heavy stuff, we manage to eat some AMAZING fried seafood.

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