[us politics] You know, I'd be a lot more comfortable with people who advocate punching Nazis and guillotining rich people if they didn't seem to think that being hesitant about such actions was, in itself, a terrible thing
and I feel like a certain amount of the people I see talking like this are teenagers, which explains the extreme black/whiteness, but is also troubling
and, like, there was this thing I saw going around tumblr a couple of months ago, where people had the idea that since only a few corporations produce the most harmful waste, the best thing to do is kill the CEOs of those companies and that'll solve everything
I have thoughts on this, as a person who defaults to Nazi punching and is aware that there need to be some serious consequences to corporations acting in incredibly destructive ways.
It's okay to not want to punch Nazis personally and realize regulation is better than guillotining some execs and believing that fixes a systemic issue.
Ful a d at times illegal action may be required to fix shit. But it's not for everyone and there are numerous ways to make a more just world.
My issue is with moderates and both siderism that ends up always favoring the powerful and the oppressors by equating violence used by each side as the same
and, to be quite honest, I don't want to live in a world where violent revolution is anything less than a last resort. I like civilians not dying horribly. I like not dying horribly. I know that some things must change and that may affect my life, but I like living in an orderly, non chaotic, non killing in the streets world.
I'm not going to stop anyone from doing anything, and I'm not going to judge people for doing what they feel they need to do, even killing if it's a complicated, desperate enough situation
but don't ask me to be part of your revolution, unless there's a place in it for, IDK, posting blog posts or stuffing envelopes or something like that, because I am not a brave, revolutionary sort of person
I think the call for the guillotine is mostly (mostly, not entirely) hyperbole from people who just want to make clear how strongly they feel about the situation, but who'd probably panic if the guillotine actually came out
the punching nazi thing... I am strongly in support of, even though I have no idea if I, personally, would have the guts to punch a nazi if the opportunity presented itself. I think there's a lot to be said for making it very clear to them they can't just trot around in public pretending their normal, acceptable participants in political discourse
there is no room for discussion and 'disagreement' with people who hold those kind of beliefs, and making them afraid to parade them in public is worthwhile (and has definitely made an impact)
but there was a post going around that was basically "why you should punch Nazis" and the answer to the question of what you should do if you accidentally punch someone not a Nazi was "run" which I felt was kind of callous. Like, if you're unwilling to accept the consequences of possibly cold-cocking an innocent person, maybe don't do it
This may be an unpopular opinion, but I guess what bothers me the most aside from the "if you're not punching people you ARE the problem" rhetoric is the "discussion and compassion never solves anything" which has been disproven over and over. In the sense that it might not work for Richard Spencer, but LOTS of these people are radicalized youth and
there is that, too. yes, people can change, they have in the past. no one person in particular has to help them change, but giving up on people doesn't help
no, that's not helpful either, but treating their views as if they're a valid position on a spectrum where compromise is possible isn't acceptable either. Sure, talk to them, but make sure it's from a position of 'your views are moral anathema and here's why'
Do NOT invite Richard Spencer to comment on things, do not interview him, do not treat him as if he has any valid or defensible views on anything, just point out what a piece of filth he is and how morally indefensible his views are
It's okay to not want to punch Nazis personally and realize regulation is better than guillotining some execs and believing that fixes a systemic issue.
At the same time force
My issue is with moderates and both siderism that ends up always favoring the powerful and the oppressors by equating violence used by each side as the same