Ex-Ku Klux Klan member finds forgiveness from former victim

Tommy Tarrants, president of the C.S. Lewis Institute in Washington, used to live a very different life. He was a member of the Ku Klux Klan who terrorized black families and Jewish students in his native Mobile, Ala.

Tarrants spent time in prison for his crimes. While in prison, he found the true meaning of God. According to the Houston Chronicle, he recently found forgiveness from a former victim, Stan Chassin, while giving a speech in Mobile:

After Tarrants finished his speech, he asked for questions. Chassin hesitated. Then he stood.

'It's hard facing you,' he told Tarrants.

Chassin recounted the story of how Tarrants had grabbed him by the throat at school, calling him anti-Semitic slurs.

A few others in the audience were worried, at first, what Chassin might do — getting even after all these years for the long-simmering aggression.

As Chassin's voice got stronger, he grew calmer. As he spoke, he saw a look of pain on Tarrants' face. . .

Chassin recalled how a few weeks earlier, sitting in synagogue on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, he had heard the voice of God.

'God told me,' Chassin said, 'You have to forgive him for what he did to you.

'And then, for all the hatred and disgust you felt toward him, you have to ask Tommy,' Chassin's voice was breaking now, 'to forgive you.'

The hall fell silent.

Quietly, Tarrants answered: 'I appreciate you being so gracious and forgiving. I'm very grateful, Stan, for your having the courage to come and share your forgiveness.'

Tarrants turned to the audience: 'Isn't it amazing,' he went on softly, 'what God can do? God spoke to him.'

Chassin walked forward and held out his hand to shake.

The two men embraced.

Tarrants wrote a book about his changed life, called The Conversion of a Klansman.