George Burdi
Encyclopedia
George Burdi, also known as George Eric Hawthorne (born 1970), is a Canadian musician
who initially became known for his role in White nationalist organizations. He led the Canadian branch of the World Church of the Creator, which formed an allegiance with the now-defunct nationalist organization Heritage Front
. In addition, Burdi was involved directly in the white power music scene, performing with the band RaHoWa. Burdi was convicted of assault causing bodily harm
, and was sentenced to one year in prison. Upon his release from prison, Burdi openly renounced racism
.
movement through the father of his then-girlfriend. He became an active White nationalist at the age of 18, and by the age of 21, was the leader of the Canadian branch of the World Church of the Creator. During this period, he wrote a number of articles for the Church of the Creator newspaper, Racial Loyalty, using the name "Rev. Eric Hawthorne" (including the January 1992 cover story, "Enter the Racial Holy War"). He has been credited with helping to secure the survival of Creativity
after the death, in 1993, of its founder Ben Klassen
.
"Reverend George Eric Hawthorne" in honour of the novelist, Nathaniel Hawthorne
, Burdi formed the racist skinhead
band RaHoWa in 1989. The band's name was derived from the phrase Racial Holy War. RaHoWa was arguably the single largest hate-rock band throughout the 1990s, and is still respected in some white power circles.
Burdi was the founding president of Resistance Records
, which was the distributor for his band, and other White nationalist bands. The company also operated a web site, and published a magazine, Resistance, which covered the white pride music scene.
, on May 29, 1993, after a RaHoWa concert which was picketed by Anti-Racist Action
protesters, Burdi and the leader of the White Nationalist Heritage Front
, Wolfgang Droege
, led their supporters on a march to Parliament Hill
, and eventually to the front of the Château Laurier
hotel. As the White nationalists marched, they chanted sieg heil
, made racist remarks, and gave Roman Salutes
. Burdi directed the group, and gave media interviews.
At Parliament Hill, Burdi and Droege addressed their followers with the express purpose of trying to raise the emotional pitch of the evening. Burdi then led the White nationalists to the Chateau Laurier. Once there, Burdi charged across the street to confront the protesters.
One of the victims of that charge was Alicia Reckzin, who was struck on the head while running from Burdi's supporters. When she fell, she was kicked several times on her right side; Reckzin later reported having seen Burdi kick her in the face. Reckzin later left the anti-racist movement in favor of the white pride movement.
In 1995, as a result of the violent confrontation, George Burdi was convicted of assault causing bodily harm
, and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment. Burdi appealed both his conviction and the sentence, but on February 14, 1997, the Court of Appeal for Ontario upheld the lower court's 1995 decision (O.J. No. 554 No. C21788/C21820), and Burdi began his sentence.
Upon completion of his sentence, Burdi - who maintains to this day that he did not personally assault Reckzin - announced that he had seen the "error" of his ways, and then renounced racism, yet has made attempts as of late to get closer to the movement again. He sold Resistance Records to Willis Carto
; Carto in turn sold the company to William Luther Pierce
of the National Alliance.
. In 2007, Novacosm recorded a new version of "Ode to a Dying People", which Burdi had previously recorded with RaHoWa and released on the band's 1995 album, Cult of the Holy War.
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
who initially became known for his role in White nationalist organizations. He led the Canadian branch of the World Church of the Creator, which formed an allegiance with the now-defunct nationalist organization Heritage Front
Heritage Front
The Heritage Front was a Canadian neo-Nazi white supremacist organization founded in 1989 and disbanded around 2005.The Heritage Front maintained a telephone message line with a different editorial each day. The voice on the hotline was Gary Schipper...
. In addition, Burdi was involved directly in the white power music scene, performing with the band RaHoWa. Burdi was convicted of assault causing bodily harm
Assault causing bodily harm
Assault causing bodily harm is a statutory offence of aggravated assault in Canada. It is committed by anyone who, in committing an assault, causes bodily harm to the complainant...
, and was sentenced to one year in prison. Upon his release from prison, Burdi openly renounced racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
.
Background
Burdi came into contact with the White nationalistWhite nationalism
White nationalism is a political ideology which advocates a racial definition of national identity for white people. White separatism and white supremacism are subgroups within white nationalism. The former seek a separate white nation state, while the latter add ideas from social Darwinism and...
movement through the father of his then-girlfriend. He became an active White nationalist at the age of 18, and by the age of 21, was the leader of the Canadian branch of the World Church of the Creator. During this period, he wrote a number of articles for the Church of the Creator newspaper, Racial Loyalty, using the name "Rev. Eric Hawthorne" (including the January 1992 cover story, "Enter the Racial Holy War"). He has been credited with helping to secure the survival of Creativity
Creativity (religion)
Creativity is a nontheistic, ethnocentric religion founded in 1973 by Ben Klassen with the publication of the book Nature's Eternal Religion and was later expounded upon in the books The White Man's Bible, and Salubrious Living...
after the death, in 1993, of its founder Ben Klassen
Ben Klassen
Bernhardt "Ben" Klassen was an American religious leader who founded the Church of the Creator with the publication of his book Nature's Eternal Religion in 1973...
.
RaHoWa
Using the pseudonymPseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
"Reverend George Eric Hawthorne" in honour of the novelist, Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American novelist and short story writer.Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in 1804 in the city of Salem, Massachusetts to Nathaniel Hathorne and the former Elizabeth Clarke Manning. His ancestors include John Hathorne, a judge during the Salem Witch Trials...
, Burdi formed the racist skinhead
Nazi-Skinheads
White power skinheads are a white supremacist and antisemitic offshoot of the skinhead subculture. Many of them are affiliated with white nationalist organizations....
band RaHoWa in 1989. The band's name was derived from the phrase Racial Holy War. RaHoWa was arguably the single largest hate-rock band throughout the 1990s, and is still respected in some white power circles.
Burdi was the founding president of Resistance Records
Resistance Records
Resistance Records is a record label owned by Resistance LLC, a society closely connected to the National Alliance. It produces and sells music by neo-Nazi and white separatist musicians, primarily through its website...
, which was the distributor for his band, and other White nationalist bands. The company also operated a web site, and published a magazine, Resistance, which covered the white pride music scene.
Reckzin incident
In OttawaOttawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, on May 29, 1993, after a RaHoWa concert which was picketed by Anti-Racist Action
Anti-Racist Action
The Anti-Racist Action Network is a decentralized network of anti-fascist and anti-racists in North America. ARA activists organize actions to disrupt neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups, and help organize activities against fascist and racist ideologies. ARA groups also oppose sexism,...
protesters, Burdi and the leader of the White Nationalist Heritage Front
Heritage Front
The Heritage Front was a Canadian neo-Nazi white supremacist organization founded in 1989 and disbanded around 2005.The Heritage Front maintained a telephone message line with a different editorial each day. The voice on the hotline was Gary Schipper...
, Wolfgang Droege
Wolfgang Droege
Wolfgang Walter Droege was a Canadian white supremacist, neo-Nazi and founding leader of the Heritage Front.-Early life:...
, led their supporters on a march to Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...
, and eventually to the front of the Château Laurier
Château Laurier
The Fairmont Château Laurier is a landmark hotel in Downtown Ottawa, Ontario located near the intersection of Rideau Street and Sussex Drive designed in the Châteauesque style.-History:...
hotel. As the White nationalists marched, they chanted sieg heil
Nazi salute
The Nazi salute, or Hitler salute , was a gesture of greeting in Nazi Germany usually accompanied by saying, Heil Hitler! ["Hail Hitler!"], Heil, mein Führer ["Hail, my leader!"], or Sieg Heil! ["Hail victory!"]...
, made racist remarks, and gave Roman Salutes
Hitler salute
The Nazi salute, or Hitler salute , was a gesture of greeting in Nazi Germany usually accompanied by saying, Heil Hitler! ["Hail Hitler!"], Heil, mein Führer ["Hail, my leader!"], or Sieg Heil! ["Hail victory!"]...
. Burdi directed the group, and gave media interviews.
At Parliament Hill, Burdi and Droege addressed their followers with the express purpose of trying to raise the emotional pitch of the evening. Burdi then led the White nationalists to the Chateau Laurier. Once there, Burdi charged across the street to confront the protesters.
One of the victims of that charge was Alicia Reckzin, who was struck on the head while running from Burdi's supporters. When she fell, she was kicked several times on her right side; Reckzin later reported having seen Burdi kick her in the face. Reckzin later left the anti-racist movement in favor of the white pride movement.
In 1995, as a result of the violent confrontation, George Burdi was convicted of assault causing bodily harm
Assault causing bodily harm
Assault causing bodily harm is a statutory offence of aggravated assault in Canada. It is committed by anyone who, in committing an assault, causes bodily harm to the complainant...
, and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment. Burdi appealed both his conviction and the sentence, but on February 14, 1997, the Court of Appeal for Ontario upheld the lower court's 1995 decision (O.J. No. 554 No. C21788/C21820), and Burdi began his sentence.
Upon completion of his sentence, Burdi - who maintains to this day that he did not personally assault Reckzin - announced that he had seen the "error" of his ways, and then renounced racism, yet has made attempts as of late to get closer to the movement again. He sold Resistance Records to Willis Carto
Willis Carto
Willis Allison Carto is a longtime figure on the American far right. He describes himself as Jeffersonian and populist, but is primarily known for his promotion of antisemitic conspiracy theories and Holocaust denial.-Influences on Carto:...
; Carto in turn sold the company to William Luther Pierce
William Luther Pierce
William Luther Pierce III was the leader of the white separatist National Alliance organization, and one of the most important ideologists of the white nationalist movement. Pierce originally worked as an assistant professor of physics at Oregon State University, before he became involved in...
of the National Alliance.
Renunciation of racism
Burdi has publicly stated that he has renounced White nationalism, and is currently a member of the multi-racial band NovacosmNovacosm
Novacosm is an eclectic alternative rock band, fronted by former white racist and World Church of the Creator minister George Burdi. Novacosm was founded in 1998, subsequent to Burdi's decision to leave the white power scene in 1997, and began looking for new artistic and spiritual outlets.Before...
. In 2007, Novacosm recorded a new version of "Ode to a Dying People", which Burdi had previously recorded with RaHoWa and released on the band's 1995 album, Cult of the Holy War.
External links
- Ontario Court of Appeal
- Present at the Creation Interview with Burdi by the anti-racist Southern Poverty Law CenterSouthern Poverty Law CenterThe Southern Poverty Law Center is an American nonprofit civil rights organization noted for its legal victories against white supremacist groups; legal representation for victims of hate groups; monitoring of alleged hate groups, militias and extremist organizations; and educational programs that...
. - Novacosm band website
- IFILM about George Burdi and Novacosm
- A racist no longer: Ex-white rights fan just wants to be a rock star 25 January 2001 article from TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
's Now Magazine. - I am not my DNA recent interview from Acid Logic.
- Interview With Burdi
- Leaving Racism Behind Video Interview. George Burdi talks about leaving hate behind.