The 23-year-old French man was attacked while providing what his supporters said was security for a protest against an appearance by hard-left MEP Rima Hassan at an event in Lyon. 'Hatred that kills has no place in our country,' the French president said on Saturday.
They didn’t release the victim’s name initially.
Why?
Because he was more than aligned. He marched with the groups. He did the salutes. He was at the front of the parades carrying flags. He was a known neo-nazi.
I’m against violence. Stating facts is not condoning violence. Quentin was not an innocent choir boy, he was not ambushed in the manner that was originally reported, he was not left for dead; he refused to go to hospital after the fight and didn’t call the emergency services until some time later.
None of that is a reason for lynching. Arguing that just opens the way for similar arguments in the opposite direction.
Justifying violence has that weird effect of justifying violence. It’s always a lose-lose game. But I have zero hope that fans of Rima Hassan (of all people) will ever understand that, but most likely they’ll suffer the consequences of that stupidity.
Here’s why I tolerate violence towards fascists (and nobody else, including child molesters, serial rapists, etc.)
Fascists condone violence against groups they fear. That includes you and I, as people who are not fascists.
Fascist rhetoric is insidious and makes sense to a lot of people, because a lot of people like their thinking done for them.
Fascists, left unchallenged, will gradually take over large enough sections of society to gain power. We’ve seen this happen many many times in history, not just in Nazi Germany. We’re seeing it in real time now.
Words are not enough to dissuade the fascists, nor are prison sentences. Hitler wrote Mein Kampf in prison. Fascists have stock answers to terminate thought on every issue. They ignore nuance and play to their supporters’ prejudices.
Fascists need to be afraid to be fascists, that is the only way to suppress them. Tolerating them leads to them taking power. Unlike sex offenders/serial killers/fraudsters etc who do what they do for individual reasons, the fascist’s goal is to twist the social narrative and seize power through othering of groups who will eventually be exterminated. Criminal sanctions are too difficult to bring to bear on fascism, as they (fascists) aren’t hindered by prison sentences, in fact they often play the victim and use their “persecution” as evidence that their chosen outgroup (Jews/immigrants/Tutsi/whatever) is controlling the legal system.
The answer? They need to be afraid to be fascists, shunned by society and in fear of their personal safety if they attempt spread their message. It’s critical for us all to perpetuate this fear. By punching Nazis, or tolerating those that do, at the very least.
But naturally Stalin’s approach is the only way to handle Nazis
Gee, I couldn’t imagine why people get angry at Nazis. Make Nazis afraid again! Democracy and peace must be saved.
So mudering someone is just getting angry? Fascism has won when this is the dominant logic. You’re thinking and speaking like an ICE agent.
He wasn’t murdered. He was beaten up.
The far right has been active in France for a long time, and non violence was never able to stop the movement.
Sometimes, you have to fight back, and I’d argue that violence is warranted against overt Nazis.
Mussolini would love you. Too bad he was busy hanging upside down.
Mussolini hated democrats and pacifists. So no, he would have not loved me. But you 2 would get along just fine.
They wouldn’t, because Birdwing would be defending democracy by killing fascists
Killing unarmed “fascists” on the streets of France today is a crime and will ensure record voting on far right parties. Your notion of human rights is sickening, and when values so important as those get so distorted left and and right, there’s not much hope for democracy to last.
But we’re not at war, France is a democracy still. Murder is still murder.
Don’t put it in quotes like it’s in doubt. He chose to be a neo Nazi. This is the outcome of that choice. Apparently he also died because he refused to get help.
But you are free to continue to defend fascists if it makes you feel good.
They dont need a reason to lynch vulnerable minorities. We’re not opening the door, we’re culling the murderous scum before they act first.
Preemptive popular courts, charming.