Which Scenario, if Either, Would Make You Feel More Threatened or Unsafe?

[Rival]

"Our Nazis are more refined and dignified."

The Confederate flag is a US phenomenon. Who in Europe uses this?

 

[Father Heathen]

The Confederate flag is a US phenomenon. Who in Europe uses this?

How did the confederate flag become part of the conservation?

 

[Rival]

How did the confederate flag become part of the conservation?

The link DS posted when describing the phenomenon included it. I'm not saying there aren't NS groups in Europe, but I would argue that they're not the same phenomenon as what's happening in the US. I spent a lot of time around NS and whilst it exists on both continents, they're not happening for the same reasons. I think it's reductive to lump them all together. I was asked if I would be afraid of a certain kind of Nazi with certain connotations I associate with US Nazism that I don't see as a threat where I live. I see other forms of it, but not the skinhead phenomenon. There are much tougher laws on this in the UK and if you walked around like those guys you wouldn't last 5 minutes. Nobody would be afraid, they'd just call the police and have you arrested or more likely have their mates beat you up. This kind of thing is incredibly serious. We don't have the free speech laws that would allow it. Many countries here ban holocaust denial and so the kinds of fora I was on would be unreachable unless you're savvy. So I have never encountered these types in my life. If I did I'd write them off as nutjobs and walk by.

If it were Azov, I'd be more concerned.

 

[☆Dreamwind☆]

Personally, I would just stand aside and watch the fireworks fly! Fash vs. Commie street fights are legendary. Lol

You take betting pools on who wins don't you?

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

You take betting pools on who wins don't you?

Actually, no. I don't believe in gambling.

 

[☆Dreamwind☆]

Especially carolers.

It's a little known fact that if you successfully banish roving carolers from your lawn, new ones will instantaneously spawn out of thin air. Best to give them their figgy puddin and wassail and get it over with.

@Saint Frankenstein It was a joke

 

[Revoltingest]

"Our Nazis are more refined and dignified."

But when they organize, watch out!

 

[Revoltingest]

It's a little known fact that if you successfully banish roving carolers from your lawn, new ones will instantaneously spawn out of thin air. Best to give them their figgy puddin and wassail and get it over with.

I thought they arose from leaves on the ground.

 

[☆Dreamwind☆]

I thought they arose from leaves on the ground.

So that's how they do it? Sneaky little-

 

[Viker]

Suppose you are alone or almost alone in a store, on a street, or on public transport, perhaps late at night. You then see two or three people enter the same place, all wearing similar T-shirts.

In the first scenario, their T-shirts bear swastikas, and they have shaved heads and perhaps one or two Nazi tattoos.

In the second scenario, their T-shirts bear the communist symbol of the hammer and sickle or Che Guevara's visage, and perhaps they have one or two tattoos of communist symbols.

Which scenario, if either, would make you feel more threatened or unsafe?

The Nazi punks, of course. I would be most concerned if they were to engage me in conversation and found out about my trans identity. I could be at risk of an assault.

I live in an area of America where the commie punks would likely be more at risk than myself (in the least from being mocked). I haven't seen groups of what were called Rebel or Confederate Hammerskins since the early/mid nineties. Neonazis tend to hide themselves as well, these days.

BTW, in the early nineties I had a red shirt with CCCP regalia and visages of Marx and Lenin, because of capitalism, of course. And to celebrate the collapse of the Soviet Union.

 

[Secret Chief]

Although generally speaking roving packs of them aren't usually out in public searching for peace and quiet.

The BNP (British National Party) once decided to send several coachloads of their members and supporters to our fair city in order to have a peaceful and quiet parade, coincidentally intending to go through a predominantly black neighbourhood. We formed a very vocal and forthright welcoming party, jollying them along and making various suggestions. The police intervened frequently and finally curtailed the march before it reached their intended goal. We escorted them back to their coaches and bid them farewell with typically stout Northern banter. ****s.

- British National Party - Wikipedia

 

[Debater Slayer]

I live in an area of America where the commie punks would likely be more at risk than myself (in the least from being mocked). I haven't seen groups of what were called Rebel or Confederate Hammerskins since the early/mid nineties. Neonazis tend to hide themselves as well, these days.

What do you mean they would be more at risk? Would an openly communist person be at risk of getting physically attacked in your city? And if so, in what percentage of states do you think this would be the case?

 

[Viker]

What do you mean they would be more at risk? Would an openly communist person be at risk of getting physically attacked in your city? And if so, in what percentage of states do you think this would be the case?

The anti communist sentiment has always been strong in the South and the Midwest. More than likely they would be relentlessly mocked. But there are still people who actually hate communism and communists around.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Would an openly communist person be at risk of getting physically attacked in your city? And if so, in what percentage of states do you think this would be the case?

Not to be overly terse, but one need only look at the districts where Trump won. And God help anyone walking around sporting a Black Lives Matter shirt.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

It's a little known fact that if you successfully banish roving carolers from your lawn, new ones will instantaneously spawn out of thin air. Best to give them their figgy puddin and wassail and get it over with.

@Saint Frankenstein It was a joke

It's cool. Lol. I wouldn't bet, just watch the entertainment.

 

[Father Heathen]

The link DS posted when describing the phenomenon included it.

Right, but he was talking about Nazis openly displaying Nazi insignias in public. Of course European Nazis would be less likely to fly the confederate flag (although apparently some do: This Is Why You're Seeing The Confederate Flag Across Europe)

I'm not saying there aren't NS groups in Europe, but I would argue that they're not the same phenomenon as what's happening in the US. I spent a lot of time around NS and whilst it exists on both continents, they're not happening for the same reasons. I think it's reductive to lump them all together. I was asked if I would be afraid of a certain kind of Nazi with certain connotations I associate with US Nazism that I don't see as a threat where I live. I see other forms of it, but not the skinhead phenomenon. There are much tougher laws on this in the UK and if you walked around like those guys you wouldn't last 5 minutes. Nobody would be afraid, they'd just call the police and have you arrested or more likely have their mates beat you up.

While no one would be arrested in the U.S. for wearing Nazi symbolism alone, they would certainly attract a lot of hostile attention, likely ending in assault (Like this:

although I don't condone violence aside from self-defense.) Hence when they do make public appearances, it usually as an organized rally (strength and security in numbers). I think a key difference between European and U.S. Nazis - aside from being able to arm themselves - is that the political climate here as definitely contributed to a significant rise in such activity. Europe as a whole is less conservative (albeit more restrictive in regards to speech) and thus such activity is more subdued.

 

[Father Heathen]

I think Nazis committing violence would more likely be of the domestic terrorism sort rather than just looking for random fights in the streets.

 

[LuisDantas]

Communists are barely even a significant voice in politics these days.

Neonazis and various other flavors of fascists and fascistoids are however a very real and urgent problem both for politics and for civility, including physical safety of everyday people.


That is definitely true - and very well documented - here in Brazil. So much so that "communist" has become a boogeyman word for generic insults by the far right; they do not feel any need to worry on whether anyone truly is a communist.

 

[Firenze]

In the first scenario, I would feel like they needed to feel unsafe around me....

 

[libre]

To my knowledge nobody has ever felt threatened in an immediate physical sense when they find out I am a communist.

The people I've met from post-soviet countries or east bloc are generally fairly tame in their criticisms. If they disagree with my views they typically aren't offended by them, as they have met many communists before and there isn't an outrage factor. If they consider the perspective to be foolish, dangerous, etc. they still generally characterize the views as Utopian or idealistic more than anything imminently threatening.

It is however more common for the children of former soviet citizens or east bloc emigres to be very indignant and upfront in condemning my views in a more feisty way, which I have come to respect as their way of honouring their parents lived experiences, while I still disagree with anti-communism.