The Dialogue: Readers Respond to the 30th Anniversary of the Murder of Mulugeta Seraw

“Skinheads never went away. They cleaned up, grew their hair back out, switched to suits and got busy integrating law enforcement, the military, and politics.”

(Abby Gordon)
By WW Staff

Last week, WW wrote about the 30th anniversary of one of the bleakest moments in Portland history: The murder of Ethiopian immigrant Mulugeta Seraw by racist skinheads ("It Happened Here," WW, Oct. 31, 2018). WW took a look back at the crime, spoke with Seraw's uncle, and followed the thread from what happened in 1988 to the political brawls that have escalated in Portland streets this year. Here's what readers had to say.

Joan Bowyer, via Facebook: "I remember this so well. It happened close to my home. So sad."

Julie Larson, via Facebook: "I was a new mother, worrying about the world I was bringing a child into."

Jorge Carolinos, via wweek.com: "The people attracted to extremist politics are always stupid. In the late '80s, seeing a skinhead in their uniform resulted in disgust by everyone, literally everyone, no one liked skinheads, dressing up skinhead was the most obvious thing ever, they were hated and wanted to be hated.

"This 'your neighbor [could be a racist]' thing is abject nonsense and typical of liberal 'we are all guilty of something.' WWeek's constant defense of antifa political violence makes this essay a joke and its authors a laugh."

Viva la Resistance, in reply: "Skinheads never went away. They cleaned up, grew their hair back out, switched to suits and got busy integrating law enforcement, the military, and politics."

Nkenge Harmon Johnson, via Twitter: "Please continue to highlight those hurt by the vicious racists who seek to dominate our public square and ruin our communities."

Babckcok123, via wweek.com: "Just putting the perpetrators in jail doesn't end hate. Taking on the organization behind it has more of a far-reaching impact. Hopefully the same tactics can again be used against other hate groups."

Katie Robinson, via Facebook: "That was a very cold and dark day in Portland. That was the day the new Nazis grew their hair out and became invisible."

Kristi Jo Stephens Coultas, via Facebook: "My friend was friends with the people who killed him. It made him look at himself and change his ways."

Jeff Meadors, via Facebook: "I remember this very clearly. Southeast Portland was full of skinheads. They would recruit at my high school in Milwaukie. A lot of people I know got caught up in it."

Vince Mertz, via Facebook: "The more things change, it seems the more they stay the same."

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