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Self-described Nazi becomes first person jailed in Australia for performing outlawed salute

https://lemmy.world/post/21780460

Self-described Nazi becomes first person jailed in Australia for performing outlawed salute - Lemmy.World

Summary Jacob Hersant, a self-described Nazi, was sentenced to one month in prison, becoming the first person in Australia jailed for performing an outlawed Nazi salute. Convicted in Victoria for making the salute outside a courthouse in October, Hersant’s act followed new legislation banning the gesture. Magistrate Brett Sonnet justified the sentence, citing Hersant’s intent to promote Nazi ideology publicly. Hersant’s lawyer argued that his actions were nonviolent and claimed they were protected as political expression, stating plans to appeal the ruling on constitutional grounds.

Nov 8, 2024 at 2:28pmWeb
Show threadFlying SquidNov 8, 2024

I have a reason to post a Riker after what happened in the U.S. on Tuesday! Oh god, it’s better than therapy…

Show threadshortwavesurferNov 8, 2024
I don’t like Nazis for sure, but I also don’t like people being jailed for expressing their views and speech. So my thought would be to get like two or three hundred protesters together and all go to that courthouse and make that salute and make them arrest every one of them. If the court system wants to waste their own time and tons of taxpayer money, prosecuting people for free speech, then let them do so. Kind of like Iran using $2,000 drones to cost Israel $2 million missiles.
Show threadVictoriaNov 8, 2024
I’m sorry, since when was being a nazi in public in any way tolerable? We aren’t talking about “I don’t like cereal” here, the nazis were arguably one of the darkest times of our history. Trying to revive it is absolutely not acceptable.
Show threadshortwavesurferNov 8, 2024
Never give the government power that you would not want turned against you because governments change. I vehemently disagree with their cause, but I would also vehemently defend their right to express their opinion.
Show threadchingaderaNov 8, 2024
This is the right take, and the fact that these people aren’t seeing it is insane.
Show threadshortwavesurferNov 8, 2024
Never expect what you know does not exist.
Show threadWolframNov 8, 2024
No, fuck off with your take. That is free speech taken to a literal extreme. Allowing free speech to this extent encourages fascist and Nazi movements to flourish. Nazis should feel uncomfortable or unable to express these views.
Show threadshortwavesurferNov 8, 2024

Eco warriors should worry about being imprisoned for going to demonstrations. These are the kinds of things that can happen when you give your government power to jail people they do not like.

Edit: What happens if Australia’s equivalent of Donald Trump gets in office and enact the policy mentioned above?

Show threadWolframNov 8, 2024

Despite free speech supposedly legally allowing protests and demonstrations there is still a real risk of being imprisoned.

My point is even “free speech” is not total free speech in the United States for example. There are still compromises in free speech so we may preserve order. Allowing free speech to that extent lets these movements flourish.

Show threadshortwavesurferNov 8, 2024
I absolutely agree. But we as a society need to be very careful because we cross some divides at our own peril. Today it might be Nazis making a salute. Tomorrow it might be journalists writing oposing views.
Show threadTimeSquirrelNov 8, 2024
Not every country has such a paranoid view of their government as Americans do. Some systems function a bit better when the people want something done.
Show threadshortwavesurferNov 8, 2024
Wasn’t it Australia that I read about basically having concentration camps in 2020 for the pandemic? All I’m saying is that you do not question your government at your own peril.
Show threadThis is fine🔥🐶☕🔥Nov 8, 2024

They were not concentration camps, people arriving in Australia were asked to isolate for 2(or maybe 3) weeks.

At least look things up before giving political hot takes. And while you’re looking things up, try to understand what paradox of intolerance is.

Show threadbarsoapNov 8, 2024
Fascism is not an opinion, it’s a crime.
Show threadshortwavesurferNov 8, 2024
Who decides what is and is not a crime? Does a crime need a victim? It does the victim have to be physically harmed in a crime for it to be considered a crime.
Show threadbarsoapNov 8, 2024

Go ahead, go outside onto the streets, and proclaim “I want lots of people murdered. The more we murder, the better. We really should get started now, what are you waiting for” and see where that’s going to end, even in places like the US. Then realise that showing the Nazi salute expresses that exact same thing.

There’s no such thing as non-criminal fascism. Thus advocating for it is advocating for, condoning, approving etc. of crimes which is a crime literally everywhere, rightfully so.

Show threadTurnpikeRangersNov 8, 2024
“I don’t like Nazis” “We should get 300 people to give the Nazi salute outside a courthouse”. Shut the fuck up. Shut the fuck up. Shut the fuck up. I say this with all the sincerity in my heart, you are a moron and you are part of the problem. You are contributing to the rise of alt-right and fascist leaders around the world. There is zero leeway in this argument, everything Nazi related is bad and none of it should be tolerated.
Show threadshortwavesurferNov 8, 2024
Yes, and I think that you should be one of the people who shows up outside the courthouse and does it. Not because you are a Nazi, but because they will arrest you and you’re making a point.
Show threadThis is fine🔥🐶☕🔥Nov 8, 2024

You’re a dipshit who doesn’t understand how the world works.

Oh what’s that? I’m being mean? This is what you’re going to do next?:

Asswipe.

Show threadchingaderaNov 8, 2024
This is not the correct way to do this.
Show threadshortwavesurferNov 8, 2024
Because it works and shows the foolishness? Yeah.
Show threadproleNov 8, 2024
What foolishness? Removing Nazis from civilized society?
Show threadshortwavesurferNov 8, 2024
No, trying to enforce unenforceable laws, if a bunch of people went and did this and made the state arrest and prosecute all of them, it would be an extreme burden to the taxpayers unless they just didn’t decide to prosecute the cases. The point would be to punish unenforceable laws economically. Here in the United States, a form of that would be to protest absolutely every traffic ticket that you ever receive on purpose. Even if you did wrong and you know it, The point is that it wastes their time and energy that they could be using for real issues on trivial shit.
Show threadMisterFrogNov 9, 2024

300 Nazis outing themselves and going to prison to (hopefully) be rehabilitated with counseling?

Don’t threaten me with a good time.

(I am aware the prison system is not super fantastic in Australia, but we’re miles ahead of the US, and some of this 300 may actually be dissuaded. And also, they’re Nazis, so. If you believe your fellow human beings are animals, then you don’t get free speech, sorry.)

Show threadFlashMobOfOneNov 8, 2024

Good.

It was a mistake letting Nazis and others practice their terrorist views in public. Freedom of expression is not and never should be an absolute right.

Show threadMangoNov 8, 2024
It’s pretty absolutely bullshit to be jailed for wrongthink and a hand gesture. That’s some Winnie the Pooh shit.
Show threadchiliedoggNov 8, 2024
Tolerance is a social contract. Those who deny it to others aren’t protected by it.
Show threadMangoNov 8, 2024
Do you just rape a girl because it’s intolerance when she tells you no?
Show threadDoomsiderNov 9, 2024
Man, that is some seriously fucked up shit to say. Not only did you miss the point, you pointed out you are a massive incel. Have fun defending Nazis.
Show threadMangoNov 9, 2024
I don’t care that he’s a Nazi. I care that what I consider to be his inviolable rights have been violated. His political shit should be as free to express as any other. Imagine it Trump goes and makes it illegal to indicate yourself as a Democrat. Wouldn’t be surprised if he did that after seeing your attitude, because I’m sure you’re more reasonable than him and doing it anyhow.
Show threadRice_DaddyNov 9, 2024

Tolerance of intolerance is not a path to freedom. Choosing to do nothing will only mean that rights and freedoms will be destroyed. Call this the lesser of two evils if you must.

If you let intolerance fester, it will grow and take control, then it will start hurting and squeezing others. It’d be foolish to sacrifice freedom in the name of freedom.

Show threadMangoNov 9, 2024
So why do you think I should tolerate this? Why is your intolerance excused?
Show threadValmondNov 9, 2024

Tolerate what exactly? Not following the law? Tolerate the law that is in favour of freedom and democracy?

Edit: you font discuss in good faith so just forget it.

Show threadMangoNov 9, 2024
I do not tolerate a law that is NOT in favor of freedom.
Show threadValmondNov 9, 2024
You’re just a bad faith baiter lol
Show threadMangoNov 9, 2024
I’m not. You’re just the kind of person who parrots lines like that without any regards to it’s meaning.
Show threadValmondNov 9, 2024

mY inViOlAbLe riGhTs to be a nazi!

Do you even listen to yourself? Or are you just trying to stir up hate so that you can feel prosecuted?

Show threadMangoNov 9, 2024

Yes, people have a right to identify how they like, think what they like, and communicate what they like so long as that communication isn’t a threat on another individual or cause a panic.

I’m not a Nazi, but that guy is and you’re obviously persecuting him.

Show threadValmondNov 9, 2024
Is it should be.