Jonathan Greenblatt, director of the Anti Defamation League (ADL) said his organization believes youth are easily "swept up into a hate movement" in an Opinion piece published on USA Today in 2022, highlighting the story of Damien Patton as an example of how young people are being influenced by their circumstances.
“Damien’s story is a reminder how virtually anyone – particularly young people – can be swept up into a hate movement given the right conditions and circumstances,” Greenblatt wrote in the article. “At ADL, we believe that no one is born a violent extremist. But people can be led down that path, especially young and impressionable youth like Damien.”
“If we are to interrupt and stop this vicious cycle, we need more people like Damien to step forward,” he said. “We also need legislators to enact meaningful reforms that will prevent disinformation and hate from running rampant on social media.”
According to an op-ed written by Cincinnati Enquirer reporter Meredith Perkins, young boys falling behind in school and having trouble in social situations has contributed to the radicalization of shooters such as Thomas Matthew Crookes, the shooter of the assassination attempt of Donald Trump.
"In a culture that discourages men to talk about their feelings, isolated teenagers can find a warm welcome in alt-right and incel communities online, who tell them their struggles are entirely the fault of women and racial or religious minorities," Perkins wrote.
Sarah Daly, a criminologist, according to the Enquirer said, "teenage boys may benefit from finding other in-person outlets and interests to find healthy friendships, such as clubs or gaming groups."
"Different online groups that attempt to attract and radicalize new members may target specific men, but all races, ages, and genders are vulnerable to online radicalization for any cause," said Daly.
Other young people have been radicalized by stressful circumstances, including Damien Patton, whose troubled upbringing led to his involvement with white supremacist groups as a minor, who he aligned himself with after feeling alienated and alone. He felt safer as a member of the group, Greenblatt wrote in the USA Today piece, which led to his involvement in the shooting.
The Anti-Defamation League is an anti-hate group that advocates for legislation and community education to reduce hate crime activity in the U.S.