Oh boy · 6:59am Jul 18th, 2020
Oh boy. That was my reaction while scrolling through a couple comments sections' about the recent issue about free speech and potential Nazism in the fandom. I'm gonna keep this short, as I have both little knowledge on the specific subject and politics in general. Just a general opinion post I guess.
I tend to be a pretty understanding person, but the limits of that are being pushed pretty hard by people supporting or condoning Nazism, even as a joke. Letting offensive jokes off scott free lets real Nazis fester and grow unopposed, plus they're potentially hurtful to people that have direct experience with Nazism or people related to them.
You can go on and on about free speech and how people should be allowed to let whatever sound come out of their mouth they they want, but that doesn't erase the potential damage, both short term and long term, that it can cause. I know this is something that people learn in grade school, but apparently it needs to be repeated: don't be offensive and spread hate speech, even if you're on the internet where it's easier to get away with it.
Your words do have an effect on people, and you can't just say whatever you want because oh free speech, and you can't let others say whatever they want because oh free speech.
I slightly get the perspective of you guys that are doing these jokes in response to people telling you to stop, but that does not make it okay. Not at all. Just, when you're next deciding to condone or support Nazism whether directly or indirectly, even if you don't believe it helps Nazis (in which case you'd be wrong), just picture in your mind a child who lost a grandparent and who's other grandparent was permanently injured by the Nazis, and picture them reading all these blogs and comments talking about how it's just a joke, and hang your head while you think about them crying.
Yeah, this is a very different approach then most people are making when opposing Nazi jokes (perhaps the wrong one), but one, I think it's good to have more different reasonings as to why Nazi jokes are bad, and two, I honestly am not knowledgeable enough on politics to make a good explanation that would convince anyone as to why it'll have a bad effect on the community For that I refer you to this blog. And that's about all I have to say. Please, just stop with these bad, offensive, inconsiderate jokes and stop letting Nazis run wild through the community and making it a worse place.
people need to learn what freedom of speech is it means the government cant silence you
NOT DIRECTED AT YOU IM SPEAKING IN GENERAL BELOW
also freedom of speech does not mean freedom of consequences
if you walk up to a black person and call them a N word you deserve the broken nose you get in response
if you go around waving the nazi flag or the confederate flag you deserve to get punished for it those are symbols of hate and you are treating others poorly when you wave them around
but sadly people cant under stand this
I disagree, comedy destroys a movements ability to recruit. Almost nobody wants to take nazi views seriously because they are so laughable ridiculous. I think you'll find a majority of the "nazi bronies" arent facist, they are the free speech boys . And even if there is a nazi, i disagree with them, i pity them, but i support there right to voice their opinions.
5313092
They are laughably ridiculous, but comedy isn't just gonna shut them down. Also aceina put it well in the comment below.
5313201
I agree with some aceina said. But you cant attack someone physically for things like that. You can ostracize them and make sure others know what they've done, businesses can refuse service. But two wrongs don't make a right.
5313224
I can respect that. I was referring to the general idea of it, and why joke Nazi art is a bad thing
5313330
Just because someone says something you do not like does not mean you can just force them not to say them. The same thing applies to you as well. Free Speech is an absolute, and if you seek to take your enemys speech away, you can hardly complsin when they seek to take yours. Art is just another version of speech and, to me, the same applies.
5313344
True but like you said, I can speak out against and shun them. Also idk what country you live in, but in Canada there are laws against hate speech, so not necessarily. As for them trying to take away my speech, the difference is I don't condone or say hate speech, so there are far less grounds on the opposing side.
5313360
As a free speech spoi boi I am obligated to disagree with hate speech laws. After all it would be easy to extend 'hate speech' into 'anything that disparages the Party". And
5313372
"Speech that attacks or disparages a person or group of persons on the basis of origin, race, nationality, ethnicity, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or disability."
I don't think that can be extended to a party.
5313393
It depends on where you get the definition, as it doesn't have a definition that has been widely accepted into the lexicon. A lot of people simply define it as 'discrimination based on a singular trait or attribute'. Others use the american 'protected classes' as the metric, but I think you could see my point.
5313407
Are you sure it doesn't have widely accepted definition? And I see your point, but have countries extended hate speech to disparaging their party? If not then your point is moot.
5313492
Maybe they havent. But im saying its easily justifiable to move from "racist insults are bad" to "insults are bad". And i do not think we'll like the outcomes. Im wary of any government opressing the speech of anyone. Even those who i disagree with i.e Authoritarians mainly
5313849
I feel like that's too black and white of a conclusion. There's a good balance that can be achieved, and has been achieved in some places. Even if you don't believe it can work out for a country, it can certainly work for an online community.