The Second 'Former'  
    
     T.M.Garret was born in Germany in 1975. His father died when he was 8, and his mother was uninvolved, an alcoholic. 

   Garret became "important" at age 13, "the Nazi kid." At 19 he joined a skinhead band and traveled Europe. 

   He became a Klan member and eventually leader. Over the Internet he learned from American contacts that: Jesus was white, blond and not a Jew, that blacks were beasts of the field, and that exterminating non-whites would hasten Jesus' second coming. 

   Garret had the sense to read the Bible and learn for himself...the truth. Jesus taught love, even for enemies. 

   He moved his family about 100 miles, renting from a Muslim immigrant family from Turkey. They became the "somebodies" for Garret. 

   The owners invited him to dinner, offering their special, fish soup. He was troubled about refusing, but finally said, "I don't like fish soup." 

   The woman smiled, removed the soup, and the rest of the evening was all kindness. Garret was so moved he shed tears, and felt "small and wrong."

   Today he says, "Hateful ideology is based on love...for something. Ignorant hate is all consuming, and it's hard to leave it." 

   He has helped dozens of men leave their extremist groups, exposing them to multi-racial churches and civil rights museums.

   "They had no idea," he says. "It's okay to hate the ideology, never the human being."  

Tomorrow: From church youth to hater to former

       Jimmy