Why The ‘Punching Nazis’ Logic Leads To Punching More Than Nazis
If a beating is meant to punish or deter racists, then we’re giving the authority of judge, jury, and executioner to whoever sees themselves fit to exact justice on whomever they find criminal.
A not insignificant portion of the population seems to think so. Antifa and their ilk have repeatedly demonstrated a willingness to use preemptive physical aggression as a tactic of protest. This violence is justified via the “It’s okay to punch Nazis” meme that has won the endorsement of a significant number of people on the Left. If you haven’t noticed the prominence of this sentiment, then you just haven’t bothered to look:
Note: These publications aren’t endorsing the behavior. They just illustrate the popularity of the Nazi-punching discussion.
I believe that punching individuals for their beliefs is wrong, no matter how evil those beliefs are. White supremacists are bad people, but you can’t just go around attacking them. I devised a thought-experiment to elucidate just how insane this mindset really is. Warning: The following content is based on a counterfactual, and I categorically reject the conclusions drawn.
If a beating is meant to punish or deter racists, then we’re giving the authority of judge, jury, and executioner to whoever sees themselves fit to exact justice on whomever they find criminal.
A not insignificant portion of the population seems to think so. Antifa and their ilk have repeatedly demonstrated a willingness to use preemptive physical aggression as a tactic of protest. This violence is justified via the “It’s okay to punch Nazis” meme that has won the endorsement of a significant number of people on the Left. If you haven’t noticed the prominence of this sentiment, then you just haven’t bothered to look:
- The Guardian: “The ‘punch a Nazi’ meme: what are the ethics of punching a Nazi?”
- Salon: “The new national debate: Is it ever OK to punch a Nazi?”
- Vice: “We asked an ethicist if it’s OK to Punch Nazis in the Face”
Note: These publications aren’t endorsing the behavior. They just illustrate the popularity of the Nazi-punching discussion.
I believe that punching individuals for their beliefs is wrong, no matter how evil those beliefs are. White supremacists are bad people, but you can’t just go around attacking them. I devised a thought-experiment to elucidate just how insane this mindset really is. Warning: The following content is based on a counterfactual, and I categorically reject the conclusions drawn.