Jeff L. Thigpen Register of Deeds

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

An Emotional Apology: Wayne Wood, Former Unit Leader Nazi Party

Cameron Kent breaks a major story tonight on WXII.....

Wayne Wood, former Nazi, was a part of the caravan that went to Morningside Homes. He went to the car where another Nazi was pulling out guns.

"As he got the trunk open I grabbed a shotgun and my thought was not to shoot anyone but to make them stop shooting".

Wood had a shotgun and he claims he intentionally fired into the air. In 1979 footage Wood was smiling with a cigarette in his mouth. But said, "I always smiled when I was scared. It was my self defense mechanism." He said he was firing for the sake of his own life. Wood said he acted out of survival. He said he saw a man who was lifting his hands as if to pray (Dr. Michael Nathan) and then he dropped.

Wood said he thought to himself, "Oh my God no, please no. I think at that point I realized people were dead. It all just went wrong for everybody and I can only thank God that I survived. "

After two trials, and found not guilty, but he said it didn't make it right:

"What I did was very stupid to went in the first place and I was wrong. I can't justify what I did except I was scared to death and I reacted out of that fear-out of fear for my life. But what happened was wrong and it should have never have happened."

After Nov. 3rd, he later became a born-again Christian and left his hate behind. He said he had not talked for 26 years (out of fear and attempts on his life), but he is coming forward now because he wants to apologize to the wife of Dr. Marty Nathan. He said he is near death and said he does not want to live the rest of his life with the weight of what happened. He then looked directly into the camera....

"Because I'm going to look in this camera and say to that woman (Dr. Marty Nathan) please forgive me. I didn't know it was going to happen and I'm telling you the truth because God has laid it upon my heart. I don't want to die with this truth inside of me. Its eating me up."

"I have no reason to come here and lie. None..."

**********************************
I believe this is a major step forward in the cause of truth and reconciliation for Greensboro in relationship to November 3, 1979. We should offer a prayer for Wayne Wood and his courage to come forward after 26 years. His testimony tonight is an example of one seeking a common humanity and we should respond with compassion in support of his effort.

8 Comments:

  • Cameron Kent did well to seek out this story, but where were the tough questions? Cameron's been reporting on this story for at least 25 years, since the first trial. Wasn't there anything he thought the public should know besides "how do you feel, Wayne?" I'm hoping there's more in the can, and this was just a teaser.

    WXII also cannot let go of the term "shootout" - it rolled off both Wanda's and Cameron's lips like butter, and was featured in their graphic. I have attended many press conferences where it's been discussed why that term is controversial. It seems responsible for a news outlet to at least acknowledge that the term has been the subject of some debate, and that some say "massacre" or "shooting" -- especially reasonable since the legal definition of a massacre is when 5 or more people are killed.

    He also committed the unforgivable sin for a reporter in this stage of the story: called the Commission the "Project". I'm sorry, it's really just not that complicated. Project. Commission. Project. Commission. Is there a hum in his earpiece? We've been over and over and over this, and it's a real gaffe for Cameron since he knows most of the people involved and what their roles are.

    Watching the mainstream media's coverage of this issue has made me realize how error-infested and carelessly slanted much of our news must be. Our local reporters, in particular, seem to lack the simple ability to listen to what someone is telling them and repeat it accurately.

    That said, it is hopeful to see the apology. It's hard to argue with a dying man's wish for reconciliation -- even for white City leaders as wretchedly stubborn as ours. At least they will have to hesitate before they speak meanly or derisively about this now. Ironic how petty, cold, and uncaring their views come across when you stack them up next to those of a former Nazi.

    By Blogger Chewie, at 11:00 AM  

  • I agree with Chewie in part, but I appreciate that someone came forward on the Klan side and expressed some remorse. The harder questions may come with time.

    I saw the interview and I think Kent was surprised that the guy actually apologized. I almost think he was taken off guard by his comments after the interview run.

    Regardless, I see some progress. That gives me hope on T&R process.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 1:33 PM  

  • There was no money in textile manufacturing then. There is no money now. The jobs were marginal, had been for years. And where are they now? All gone. China, Bangladesh, Thailand, Pakistan, India. All gone.

    And into this dying industry a bunch of college-educated, emotionally-tortured, guilt-ridden white kids came in the 1970's to redeem the worker.

    But who was oppressing The Workers? What was the source of their suffering? Free trade? Globalism? international competition with slave labor countries? Nope. Not to our Maoists. All they could see were fantastic evil men in three piece suits, like demons, gathering in the darkness around these Maoist saints and their Workers, conspiring, killing, rubbing their little piggy capitalist hands together.

    Could they see the already painfully obvious? That an entire culture was dying as jobs evaporated? No. Any suffering was all the fault of those Evil White Christian Men. Predators, anti-semites, all of them.

    And so, lacking all understanding of business, politics, human relations, culture and civilization, they followed the moth-eaten scriptures of a murderous Chinese megalomaniac, Mao who had already killed some 20 million Chinese peasants and brought Mao's war to the USA, to Greensboro.

    Projecting their revolutionary fantasies on the imaginary Greensboro world they created from their Maoist philosophy, they started a war and killed several people, themselves included. Andwith their death and suffering, they had achieved their Maoist apotheosis.

    Now Gods and martyrs, they no longer needed The Workers of Greensboro, and could return to their natural realms: academia, agitation and inspirational speaking in safer, more congenial climes, preaching to thousands of colllege boys and college girls over the years.

    Their Jesus-like wanderings among The Workers could be abandoned just as the rock was rolled away from the tomb and they were lifted up to take their rightful place in the leftist pantheon.

    And what about the chaos they brought to Greensboro and the lives destroyed? They revisit, every few years, like fundamentalist tourists to the Temple Mount, to reminisce, refill the sacred oil lamps, and relight the flame. Then they leave.

    And what about Greensboro textile workers, The Workers they fought to liberate? Well, the world has continued turning, the factories have closed, the jobs have disappeared in their course. What little work remains has been taken over by millions of scab workers from Mexico and Central America.

    Do we hear even a solitary Maoist word about the lost jobs? Do we hear even a single Maoist voice raised about imported scab labor? No. And we won't.

    For the struggle in Greensboro was never about the workers but about the suffering, the redemption and the apotheosis of the Maoists. They do not want to get rid of scab workers all across the south. Indeed, our Maoists welcome them because these workers bring what the Maoists need, what they crave: more poverty, even lower wages, and more racial strife and confflict.

    For this is what they feed on. they are not Gods, but ghouls who create and live off the suffering of others, then leave when they are sated.

    Now that they have achieved Godhood in the hivemind of the left, they no longer need the workers of Greensboro, just some temple acolytes to keep their Maoist memories dusted, the eternal flames lighted, and periodic hymns raised to their nobility and sacrifice at Ceremonies of Truth and Reconciliation -- ceremonies whee they again seek to stir up hatred andd animosity to feed from using words like "massacre" and "shootout" and teaching The Workers to keep hating.

    As millions and millions of jobs continue leaving this country, as over ten million scabs spill over our borders to drive wages for what jobs remain down to a sub-poverty level, all we hear from our Maoists is a gentle sighing in the breeze as they chant in unison "Remember the Greensboro Massacre." Remember, and hate.

    By Blogger didymus2000, at 10:05 AM  

  • Ok...

    By Blogger Jeff L. Thigpen, at 2:47 PM  

  • Chewie gives a thoughtful take on the media. I agree that Cameron Kent could have done more with the piece.

    I think we all agree that the langugage used in all circles presupposes assumptions that should be questioned and the "shoot-out" and "massacre" language is a core example.

    In general, the civil trial has still not been appropriately reviewed in the way the criminal trial has been in the media. I hope the both will be fully reviewed and aired through the Truth and Reconciliation process.

    For example, Attorney Lewis Pitts perspective should be more fully explored and compared to the criminal trial.

    Ok Elle, you can give your input...

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    By Blogger Jeff L. Thigpen, at 9:17 AM  

  • I want to add I'm glad Cameron Kent did the piece. Wood came to the studio to do the interview and I think Kent was a bit surprised by his comments. As I said in the TR testimony, we are all "learning individuals and institutions".

    By Blogger Jeff L. Thigpen, at 9:21 AM  

  • My personal feeling - based on facts gathered second-hand - is that Wood indeed had more to say, but WXII wasn't ready to air that kind of story. It may be no reflection on Kent at all, as even his best work is subject to the whims, fears, and fluff-love of his bosses.

    As usual, Elle said it better than I ever could.

    By Blogger Chewie, at 12:32 AM  

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