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Everyone agrees with that. The problem is with the semantics of that statement i.e. who is a Nazi and who decides who is a Nazi? Anyone can call anyone a name a

Everyone agrees with that. The problem is with the semantics of that statement i.e. who is a Nazi and who decides who is a Nazi? Anyone can call anyone a name and then ban them for being that. That doesn't mean the person in question actually is that thing. This is why instead of names we should use verifiable actions IMHO. Are you calling for acts of violence against people of another race y/n? Are you attacking and injuring people y/n? Are you destroying public or private property and entering into acts of vandalism y/n? Are you telling people they are worth less because of some attribute they can't control like skin color, sexual orientation, etc y/n? We can pretty much all agree on this stuff. It just gets problematic when you start throwing labels around and basing policy of off that, because everyone has a different idea of what some label means. For instance, Nazis were a socialist workers party who preached a large and benevolent social welfare program, but many socialists or social democrats would be offended if we called them Nazis even though there is much overlap in many of their particular policies. The same is true of conservatives who could also be broadly labeled as Nazis since they may tend to be more nationalist as were the Nazis. Again its just a flawed way of thinking about the issues IMHO.

JohnStrange 9y ago
This is nitpicking. If somebody shows a Hitler greeting and uses swastikas and other well-known derived symbols, then he is a Nazi. There is absolutely no problem spotting them or distinguishing them from nationalist conservatives. For a start, Nazis are not promoting representative democracy. Nazis were a socialist workers party who preached a large and benevolent social welfare program That must be the understatement of the year. You're either trying to rewrite history or are very uninformed. The Nazis conspired to overthrow the government long before they gained any widespread popularity, that's why Hitler rightly went to prison. The SA was roaming the streets, beating up and even killing Jews and political opponents. They were very dangerous and spread terror wherever they showed up. Of course, socialists and social democrats would be offended to be called Nazis. They literally went to prisons and Concentration Camps because of their socialist views.
- jfaucett 9y ago
  > If somebody shows a Hitler greeting and uses swastikas and other well-known derived symbols, then he is a Nazi. I agree. I don't see where I was claiming anywhere that if someone openly proclaims to be something, we shouldn't take them at their word for it. My issue is mainly with people being labeled as something when they are not themselves claiming to be that thing. > That must be the understatement of the year. You're either trying to rewrite history or are very uninformed. I don't see how insulting me adds anything here. I got my undergraduate in German Studies and have lived in Germany my entire adult life. I suppose I could have been clearer in my statement in that the Nazi party was only in part built on the principles of a large social welfare state [1]. I thought that was clear since I also mentioned the very nationalistic [1] part of the Nazi party. Anyway, I don't really know what you're claiming other than general agitation at a claim I didn't make. I pretty much agree with you. 1. https://www.scrapbookpages.com/DachauScrapbook/25Points.html https://www.scrapbookpages.com/DachauScrapbook/25Points.html
  - JohnStrange 9y ago
    Yes, you should have been much clearer and yet you weren't. My comment was not an insult, it literally meant what it said.

JohnStrange 9y ago

This is nitpicking. If somebody shows a Hitler greeting and uses swastikas and other well-known derived symbols, then he is a Nazi. There is absolutely no problem spotting them or distinguishing them from nationalist conservatives. For a start, Nazis are not promoting representative democracy. Nazis were a socialist workers party who preached a large and benevolent social welfare program That must be the understatement of the year. You're either trying to rewrite history or are very uninformed. The Nazis conspired to overthrow the government long before they gained any widespread popularity, that's why Hitler rightly went to prison. The SA was roaming the streets, beating up and even killing Jews and political opponents. They were very dangerous and spread terror wherever they showed up. Of course, socialists and social democrats would be offended to be called Nazis. They literally went to prisons and Concentration Camps because of their socialist views.

jfaucett 9y ago
> If somebody shows a Hitler greeting and uses swastikas and other well-known derived symbols, then he is a Nazi. I agree. I don't see where I was claiming anywhere that if someone openly proclaims to be something, we shouldn't take them at their word for it. My issue is mainly with people being labeled as something when they are not themselves claiming to be that thing. > That must be the understatement of the year. You're either trying to rewrite history or are very uninformed. I don't see how insulting me adds anything here. I got my undergraduate in German Studies and have lived in Germany my entire adult life. I suppose I could have been clearer in my statement in that the Nazi party was only in part built on the principles of a large social welfare state [1]. I thought that was clear since I also mentioned the very nationalistic [1] part of the Nazi party. Anyway, I don't really know what you're claiming other than general agitation at a claim I didn't make. I pretty much agree with you. 1. https://www.scrapbookpages.com/DachauScrapbook/25Points.html https://www.scrapbookpages.com/DachauScrapbook/25Points.html
- JohnStrange 9y ago
  Yes, you should have been much clearer and yet you weren't. My comment was not an insult, it literally meant what it said.