The Orange County Register reported on the SCI summit on extremism, “Global Solutions in the Age of Homegrown Violent Extremism,” covering some of the conversations around white supremacist violence, radicalization and recruitment, and paths forward for addressing homegrown extremist violence. The OC Register quoted SCI Director Dr. Erroll Southers, who said:
“We cannot arrest our way out of this problem…The successful programs, in countries like Germany and the United Kingdom, involve a range of approaches, from prosecution to counseling and everything in between. It depends on where the individual is on the radicalization pathway. Can we involve that person’s family members, friends or co-workers? Can we counsel them out of this mindset?”
Panelist Mohamed Ahmed, founder of Average Mohamed (pictured above, right), spoke about approaches to countering extremist messaging. The OC Register reported:
“If you use the words ‘radical Islamic extremism,’ you’ve lost me and you’ve lost my community,” said Mohamed Amin Ahmed…Ahmed says when he speaks to young people, he uses the word “intolerance” instead of “terrorism.”
“Our children are fatigued by that word,” Ahmed said. “As soon as I say it they think ‘he’s going to tell us we’re bad people.'”
Read the full article.
