Fight fascism, not fascists.
In the "punch Nazis" era this probably sounds like betrayal to some people, but seriously: what are your values? Do they include "hurt people who I have judged to have a certain identity or who have certain beliefs?" I hope not. I hope it also doesn't include "use violence and punishment as first-line responses to all social and political problems."
#nazis #liberals #fascism #process #politics
1/
If fascist things are being done, stop them from being done. If that requires hurting the doer, then hurt them. This is not the same as "punch nazis." I realize this makes me a hypocrite because I have enjoyed many videos and accounts of white supremacists being punched for saying hateful shit. At the same time, I think the USA First Amendment applies even to (much of) the shit they spew.
If a person has demonstrated consistent resistance to changing their behavior in response to reasonable and nonviolent interventions, then stopping their violence might require counter-violence. I don't think this is as common as some people think it is.
2/
If the fascist actions can be stopped without violence, then do that. Always. Of course this means looking down the road a bit, but stay away from "use violence to prevent all fascism going forward" because that's how genocides, pogroms, and "how did my loving collectivist government turn into repressive totalitarian regime?" happen.
Hate the game, not the player, or something like that. Take care you don't become a monster when you're fighting monsters.
#fascism #radicalism #resistance #nietzsche
3/
Another Nietzsche quote: "Mistrust all in whom the urge to punish is powerful."
Even if they have "antifa" in their profile.
It is tiring and a little alarming to see what appear to be calls for violence as the "obvious" response to problems that have nonviolent solutions with a higher likelihood of success, and toward people because they've been identified as fascists, rather than because of any harm they have caused.
#fascism #radicalism #resistance #criticalthinking
4/
This is fascist thinking, I believe: identify a group of people and authorize or at least self-excuse all violence toward them, regardless of their individual actions. This is the reasoning behind antisemitism, islamophobia, anti-trans ideology, etc.
"But this is different! Fascists are actually hurting people!"
Yes, that is exactly what fascists believe.
#process is everything, or close enough that the difference usually doesn't matter.
Edit: I was being a little slappy with "fascist thinking" above: thinking this about fascists is not necessarily fascism, I don't think (though it would take many words to explain and I'm not sure I'm right). It's a pretty big problem, however, especially if people who think like this are ever in charge of anything big. This kind of thinking, I believe, can lead to systems that cause as much suffering as fascism (see Soviet Union) and sometimes to actual fascism, as well.
/fin
@Illuminatus I'm laughing out loud (no, literally) in the living room, hoping I don't wake up my daughter upstairs.
OK, a more serious response: I personally don't think pacifism and "just loving everyone including those who have no problem hurting or killing others no matter how much they are loved" will work. I don't advocate that. I don't know what the best path forward is, but I am thinking it is maybe similar to the Confucius story where he was asked how kindness should be repaid. He said with kindness. Then he was apparently asked how cruelty should be repaid. He said with justice.
Proto Himbo European
Seiðr