Indiana Anti-Immigrant Bill Reflects A "Quiet Awakening" of Racists

Update: Anarchists in Bloomington and elsewhere are organizing an emergency assembly against S.B.590.

Indiana is one of the latest states to attempt to pass an Arizona-style anti-immigration bill: S.B. 590, a bill which codifies racial profiling by police and mandates English-only State documents. Despite being met with significant protest from community organizations, educational and religious leaders, the Indiana Farm Bureau, and even a handful of judges and politicians (including Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller), the bill passed an Indiana Senate Labor panel by 8 to 1, and now moves to an appropriations committee. By continuing to move forward with this bill in spite of public opposition (and a likely federal injunction), Indiana is reasserting its proud racist traditions.

Not surprisingly, the white supremacist crowd is praising the bill as a "comprehensive attack on immigration, multiculturalism, and political correctness," and calling for a "quiet awakening". This call to action seems to reflect a growing trend of racist activity in Indiana . In an effort to bring this underground "awakening" to light (and hopefully put it back to sleep), the following is an overview of the major places and players in Indiana.

The capital of Indiana, and center of the anti-immigrant bill debate, has had KKK members in control of many of its government offices. These include the Indiana General Assembly, the City Council, the Board of School Commissioners and even the mayor's office. Former Mayor John L. Duvall and former Governor Edward L. Jackson were both open Klansmen. One current Indianapolis racialist group, "Hoosier Nation" (which sometimes goes by the Indiana Council of Conservative Citizens or the Indiana Tea Party), has organized anti-immigrant demonstrations opposing the DREAM Act, a demonstration against the Hollywood film Machete, a demonstration against an Al Sharpton speaking event, and attempted to attend the failed 2011 American Renaissance racist conference, which was shut down by Anti-fascists. Their leader, Matt Parrott, wrote the book "Hoosier Nation," an unapolagetically racist book which uses a misguided sense of culture and separatism to promote its fascist agenda. Other members include Brian "Jake" Jacobsen, who runs "Radio Free Indiana," which has hosted the openly racist Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpiao, and the notorious racist Jaenelle Antas:

Jaenelle Antas   Alias:Tristania

Address: 7823 Ella Dobbs Ln, Indianapolis, Indiana 46227

Phone: 317-379-8871 305-923-9400Birthday: 12-23-1984

Jaenelle Antas is an Indianapolis-based racist who organizes with "Hoosier Nation," runs the white power bookstore Lighthouse Literature, and has made over 4500 posts on the nazi forum Stormfront.org.  In 2007-2008 she was the assistant to the chair of the Indiana Libertarian Party and now works with the Council of Conservative Citizens, Hoosier Nations and Indiana Tea Party. She is a Holocaust denier and the main US contact for Nazi sympathizer David Irving, having served as his personal assistant and tour manager during his 2010 US speaking tour, which was disrupted and shut down in nearly every city where he tried to speak. "Well-behaved women rarely make history".

Matt Parrott, Jaenelle Antas,
Paul Fromm and others at
American Dark Age Meetup

Both Jaenelle Antas and Matt Parrott of Hoosier Nations recently attempted to attend the white supremacist 2011 American Renaissance conference run by notorious racist Jared Taylor until it was shut down by anti-fascists for the second year in a row. Even though most conference goers backed out, an emergency American Dark Age shadow conference was organized at the last minute over facebook where Hoosier Nation members associated with other notorious racists including Paul Fromm and Andrew "Yeoman" White of Bay Area "National" Anarchists pictured here shaking hands.

Bloomington is known for being a liberal stronghold in Indiana, but in the past few months has seen a string of hate crimes. In November, 54-year-old Ellettsville resident and Indiana University employee Mark Zacharias was arrested for several racist attacks on Jewish student centers where windows were broken with rocks and concrete, and Hebrew texts were removed from libraries and thrown in toilets. In response, thousands of Bloomington residents wore blue to show solidarity with the Jewish community. Another IU student, Clay Hicks, recently spoke to Fox59 voicing his support of racist store owner Gary Dewester, who is in the news for refusing to stop selling racist "kolored kids" and "darkie" brand soaps out of his Noblesville shop.

Indiana is also home to the Vinlanders Social Club (VSC), primarily based in Indianapolis and Knightstown. The VSC is a renegade skinhead crew co-founded in 2003 by Eric "The Butcher" Fairburn, who at one point had active crews in 20 different States. Brien James, formerly of the Hoosier State Skinheads, is reportedly still active with the VSC, holding gatherings out of his home in Indianapolis at 2507 English Avenue. Many VSC members have committed numerous violent hate crimes, including an 2007 attack on a homeless man, and more recently, a VSC probate and Pennsylvania Correctional Officer, who murdered his wife and kids in 2009. The Vinlanders were once known for wild partying, fighting and "odinist rituals;" however, criminal allegations, "racial impurities" and infighting have led to the group's slow decline.

(Vinlanders who attended a 2005 gathering: (top row, from left) Nate Sliter, Adrian Petty, Jason Gregg, Eric Busetti, Timothy Dumas, Eric Fairburn, Brien James, Jason Gall, John Carr and Adrien Apodaca; and (bottom row, from left) "Big John," Bryon Widner, "Chad," Kevin Kislingbury and Scott Burris.)

Another Indiana racist is Joe Knaack of Hebron, IN. Years ago, he was kicked out of Boon Grove high school for defecating in a fellow students locker. Later, he was incarcerated in Lake and Jasper County jails, and was sent to rehab at Rosecrance for his addiction to Percocet. Now, he is on the streets claiming to be a member of the Aryan Brotherhood. Joe is employed as a photographer for an appraisal company (perhaps Capital in Munster) and can be frequently found at Cultural Cuts(10923 Miami Street Crown Point, IN 46307) with his close comrade and stylist, Edwin.

Joseph (Joe) Knaack
Address: 588 S. 600 W., Hebron, Indiana, 46341
Phone: 219-742-9728
Email: jknaack@ivytech.edu

Joe hangs out with his closest "brother" and supposed Russian "leader" Stephan Kozikowski, who works at Qdoba Mexican Grill (2710 LaPorte Ave Valparaiso, IN) and gives tattoos at his house.

Stephan Kozikowski
Address: 3473 Salem Ct, Michigan City, IN 46360
Phone: 219-879-6520

Tom Metzger is another well-known white supremacist who lives in Warsaw, Indiana. Metzger was a member, and eventual Grand dragon (in California), of David Duke's KKK: a third era KKK that was both revolutionary and Catholic. He is known for starting a group called "White Aryan Resistance" (WAR), the "klan border watch," and his numerous attempts at electoral politics (winning the Democratic Party nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives in San Diego and serving as a precinct worker for Republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater). Most recently, he ran for office in the 2010 third congressional district getting less than .1% of the vote. Metzger has also faced several lawsuits and incarceration

On November 7th, Chicago-area nazis in the group "Illinois United," attempted to hold a barbecue on the border of Indiana and Michigan. The event was organized by Ron Ruhl, James Logsdon(Creativity Movement) and Eli James(Christian Identity) and was to include a cross/swastika burning. While their events are usually sparsely attended, this event was cancelled entirely due to infighting and mistrust within their ranks (according to John Alexander of Blood & Honour / C18), although the organizers reportedly blamed it on "bad weather." After many years of watching his friends become informants, victims of violent attacks, or imprisoned (and having his teeth knocked out in prison because of his racist beliefs), James Logsdon still continues to attempt to recruit up new members, specifically targeting vulnerable populations (such as pedophiles and teenagers) and rednecks (like Brian Moudry) for white activism.

Jason Lenz, of Portage, Indiana, started the group "Stormtrooper Skinheads" with Matt Abney (who was kicked out of the Kentucky KKK). They tried attending the Mokena IL Nordicfest gathering, the 2010 Midwest Volksfront gathering and the failed 2010 "White Pride World Wide" march. They also tried organizing a rally in San Pierre, IN, recruiting attendees from stormfront.org, but failed, due to their poor reputation and mistrust. The Stormtrooper Skinheads' website paradoxically (and confusingly) informs visitors, "I Get The Last Laugh!! Guess What You Want To Be Nosey (sic)? Your IP Address Has Been Recorded For Going To A Known Racist Website So Back The Fuck Off You Dumb Mother Fucker!!" Days after the failed San Pierre rally, public records showed Jason Lenz was arrested while he was hospitalized after destroying the bathroom's smoke detectors in order to smoke, one of the many times he's been in the Porter County jail.

Here's a few other known white supremacists all over Indiana:

• Dozens of names and addresses of other Indiana-based Nazis were recently released including Bryan Minnick(Bloomington), Chad Scolley(Hebron), Colin Hemmer(Greewood), David Sutton(Indianapolis), Emily Heeb(Fort Wayne), John Franklin(Indianapolis), John Gibson(Indianapolis), Lee Feldmann(Evansville), Matthew Deweese(Indianapolis), Mitch Edwards(Indianapolis), Teresa Boone(Anderson), Tim Chriswell(Pleasant Lake), Tyson Blake(Munster), Dale Bowman(Pekin), Thomas Walsh(Highland), and Chad Sink(Lane Monticello)
• Portage-based nazi Renae Rachelle DePerio(pictured here with Volksfront Chicago Paul Alfich) and her husband Nate Sliter, who was kicked out of the Outlaw Hammerskins (OHS), Hoosier State Skinheads(HSS) and and Vinlander Social Club (VSC).
• Rob "Ufilas" in Goshen, who consorts with Chicago Volksfront people.
• 20-year old NSM member Samuel Eben who lives in Lafayette.

Rumors are also surfacing that Andrew Yeoman, of the Bay Area National "Anarchists" (BANA), a third positionist white supremacist organization, is attempting to set up a chapter in Indiana. If they do show up, they'll be treated the same as BANA was on May Day last year.

From politicians pushing anti-immigrant laws like S.B.590, to their street-level counterparts in KKK and skinhead crews, Indiana's history of racism is unfortunately still present. In answer to this "quiet awakening's" call to action, we need to continue to organize and confront encroaching fascism at all levels. If you know any additional information on any active Indiana white supremacists or want to get involved in eliminating these groups please contact us at southsidechicagoara at hushmail dot com.