News:

Look, I haven't mentioned Zeus, Buddah, or some religion.

Main Menu

The Ballad of St Tommy

Started by Recusant, May 30, 2018, 11:14:53 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Davin

Quote from: Sandra Craft on June 07, 2018, 10:49:10 PM
Quote from: Davin on June 06, 2018, 09:24:15 PM
Quote from: Tom62 on June 06, 2018, 07:27:04 PM
My thoughts about Nazi's, Alt-Right and Antifa are similar like the views described in this article.

QuoteThe initiation of extralegal street violence by self-appointed judges in masks is ethically wrong, legally wrong, and in the case of Antifa, tactically idiotic. (I can think of nothing more likely to contribute to Donald Trump's reelection than roving bands of masked, violent leftists attacking not only Nazis carrying swastikas in the streets, but journalists covering protests, or crowds at Ann Coulter or Milo Yiannopolous speeches.) It is an easy call for me to denounce Antifa members who participate in or endorse extralegal violence. That does not contradict my simultaneous judgment that Antifa's stated end of resisting fascism is laudable. If they showed up in force to protest Nazi rallies, but refrained from initiating the use of force, using it only lawfully in self defense, I would have nothing but praise for them.

Like how similar? If the Nazi's and the alt right weren't violent you, "would have nothing but praise for them"?

My understanding of Tom's post was that he's opposed to any group using violence in protests unless it's in self-defense.  And as incredibly satisfying as it must be to punch out a Nazi, I agree with that.  Fortunately for Antifa, fascists as a group seem inclined to give others a reason to react in self-defense.
I don't support violence except as a last resort either, but I also do not support a person or group that often uses violence and intimidation as one of their main tools. I think it's unfair to Tom62 who does support such a person and a group to interpret his statement and quote that way because that creates the appearance of a contradiction. Between supporting a group that often uses violence and then saying that he would like Antifa if only it didn't use violence. Which is why I ask questions, to be fair to them before coming to conclusions.
Always question all authorities because the authority you don't question is the most dangerous... except me, never question me.

Tom62

Don't worry, I'm don't have any sympathies at all for the Alt-Right, Nazis or the Alt-Left (Antifa included). Basically I'm against any form of extremism. Politically speaking I'm a libertarian with some views that lean to the green and left (like animal rights, anti-pollution, pro-life, etc.) and some views that lean a bit more to the right (like small government, anti mass immigration, border safety, freedom of speech).
The universe never did make sense; I suspect it was built on government contract.
Robert A. Heinlein

Dave

Quote from: Tom62 on June 09, 2018, 09:00:03 AM
Don't worry, I'm don't have any sympathies at all for the Alt-Right, Nazis or the Alt-Left (Antifa included). Basically I'm against any form of extremism. Politically speaking I'm a libertarian with some views that lean to the green and left (like animal rights, anti-pollution, pro-life, etc.) and some views that lean a bit more to the right (like small government, anti mass immigration, border safety, freedom of speech).

Would have thought "freedom of speech" lived in the liberal middle ground - go more than couple of steps right or left and it evaporates.
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74

Tom62

Quote from: Dave on June 09, 2018, 09:18:08 AM
Would have thought "freedom of speech" lived in the liberal middle ground - go more than couple of steps right or left and it evaporates.

That is probably true. However, in recent times even the moderate conservative- and centrist people have be very careful with expressing their opinion in some western countries (like here in Germany), due to the new censorship- and blasphemy laws ("sold" to the public as anti-hate crime laws). The left doesn't seem to have many problems with it.
The universe never did make sense; I suspect it was built on government contract.
Robert A. Heinlein