Further Proof that It Isn't Hard to Trick a Bonehead

We're currently working on other projects right now (some related to the blog, some completely unrelated) but we couldn't not allow our readers the pleasure we had upon reading this article:

Neo-Nazis tricked by T-shirts

By REUTERS

Last Updated: August 10, 2011 7:22am

BERLIN - Festival goers at a nationalist, right-wing concert in Germany were taken by surprise when souvenir T-shirts they were given had a 

secret anti-far right message that emerged only after being washed.

The slogan on the shirts first read “hardcore rebels” along with a skull and nationalist flags. But once washed the slogan turned into a message from a group offering help to right-wing extremists break away from the neo-Nazi scene.

“If your t-shirt can do it, you can do it too — we’ll help you get away from right-wing extremism,” reads the slogan on the shirts after their first washing.

The anti-far right shirts were handed to 250 people at a “Rock for Germany” concert in Gera by organizers after they had been donated anonymously. They were provided by EXIT, a group which helps people disassociate themselves from the far-right.

Festival organizer Gordon Richter of the far-right NPD party said the stunt was a waste of money.

“It’s kind of pathetic that anyone spent money for something like that,” Richter told Reuters. He said many who got the Trojan horse shirts thought it was a creative idea.

Bernd Wagner, founder of EXIT, said the t-shirts were designed to reach their main target group: right-wing extremists contemplating getting away.

“We wanted to raise awareness about our programme, especially among the young and less committed,” Wagner said.

(Reporting by Kalina Oroschakoff, editing by Paul Casciato)

Another fun fact. If you want to catch a bonehead, all you really need is a cardboard box, a stick, a long string, and a trail of M&M's (though as proud Canadians we suggest you use Smarties instead).

That said, this was brilliant. Considering the number of people we know who have left the movement over the past number of years, in some part due to this blog (hey, don't shoot the messenger boneheads, as we've been told this by some of the people who have contacted us) we hope it will pay dividends.  If one person can break away with the help of EXIT, it really is money well spent.