Courageous Conversation with Sean Gillespie

414 West Fort Grounds Drive,Coeur d'Alene ID 83814

12 March, 2022

Description

HREI invites the public to visit with former neo-Nazi Sean Gillespie this weekend for a courageous conversation. The Human Rights Education Institute (HREI) invites the public to visit with former neo-Nazi Sean Gillespie this weekend for a courageous community conversation. Gillespie has renounced his racist past and reaches out to communities and young people to speak about his experience and journey to redemption through forgiveness. Gillespie was sentenced in April of 2005, at just 21 years old, to 39 years in prison for firebombing a Jewish temple and later trying to send a racist letter to the congregation. He threw a Molotov cocktail at Temple B’Nai Israel which caused minor damage to a brick wall and a glass door, was captured on a security videotape. The letter, which lengthened his sentence, was read in court and expressed hatred toward the Jewish people and a desire to spark a racial holy war. When asked what Gillespie, a Spokane, Washington native, wishes to accomplish by visiting with members of the north Idaho community, he shared, “My goal is to demonstrate that hate does not belong in our northwest communities and that redemption is possible, despite obstacles in our way. Together Idaho and Washington can show the greatness of diversity and power of uniting our neighbors against bigotry.” HREI Board President Colonel Mark S. Coppess, United States Marine Corps (Ret.), stated “We are excited for HREI to have this opportunity to showcase the personal story of a human rights learning process in our community. Education is a life-long journey and we are grateful for Sean Gillespie’s courage to share some of the steps on his path with us. The Courageous Conversation with Sean Gillespie will be held this Saturday, March 12, from 1:30-3PM at the Human Rights Education Institute located at 414 West Fort Grounds Drive in Coeur d’Alene. This is a FREE event.