It's always OK to punch a Nazi.

December 31, 2018 8:24 AM

Keeping an eye on the Far Right: Hannibal is a head of a right-wing German nationwide underground network with direct connections to State Authorities.
Meanwhile in Mayfair a dinner that brought Europe's far right together.

A report says that Far-right groups across Europe are 'using Islamist techniques to recruit followers.
Rise of the Right
These 5 Countries Show How the European Far-Right Is Growing in Power and other cases from across Europe.
Britain's most influential far-right activist is operating in the Balkans where the The ‘Natural Family’ Franchise Goes Global.
Some ask if Netanyahu Is Risking Israel’s Interests by Riding the European Nationalist Tiger.
From 2011 Who’s Afraid of the European Radical Right?
The Far Right has established itself at the center of European politics, while scholarship is predominantly “neutral”, most scholars remain hostile to the far right itself (but increasingly sympathetic to its voters).
The New York Review of Books discusses How to write about the Right.
(Previously.)

posted by adamvasco (7 comments total)

Metafilter: It's always okay to punch a Nazi.*

*Although I think we need one caveat: It's not okay to punch a Nazi if the Nazi is likely to fall onto a non-Nazi bystander.
posted by Mr. Excellent at 9:07 AM on December 31, 2018 [7 favorites]

Thanks for this post. In the last link (NYRB) I find Mark Lilla's argument unpersuasive, but revealing in terms of how he sees the world (and the role of his own writing therein).
posted by Morpeth at 9:12 AM on December 31, 2018

It's not okay to punch a Nazi if the Nazi is likely to fall onto a non-Nazi bystander.

If I'm the bystander, I hereby grant anyone permission to punch the nazi anyway. Not only is it worth my own discomfort, but I probably deserve it because why didn't I punch the nazi?
posted by Ragged Richard at 9:31 AM on December 31, 2018 [31 favorites]

We could start a new religion, the punchthenazis.
posted by chavenet at 9:43 AM on December 31, 2018 [1 favorite]

Reminds me of that scene in Blues Brothers, where it's OK to force the Nazis to jump into the river.

Oh yeah ... and that Seattle thing, back in August! Seattle nazi one-punch

Any Nazi abuse theme sites out there?
posted by Twang at 10:54 AM on December 31, 2018 [2 favorites]

Mod note: Folks, if there's nothing to engage with here beyond literally just the phrase in the title, please just pass it by as a been-there-done-that; if you want to engage with the links please do.
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 11:21 AM on December 31, 2018 [6 favorites]

It’s interesting that even mefi’s reaction to this post is so trite.

It’s an interesting time in Europe, the old certainties are certainly shifting and a new politics is emerging that goes beyond the old paradigms.

Movements like Brexit and the Gilet Jaune are hard to quailify on the old patterns and cut both left and right.

On this basis old ideas seem increasingly redundant as we move forward, while cries of fascist this and Nazi that seem increasingly naive and redundant to what is really happening that passes current understanding.

To my mind things are only getting started. Though to my mind the next 50 years in European politics will be nothing like the last 50.
posted by Middlemarch at 8:32 PM on December 31, 2018 [4 favorites]