I didn’t realise Godwin’s Law didn’t predate the internet.
The internet is what allowed for interminable discussions.
You know who else allowed for interminable discussions?
What would Hitler think of this thread?
Not Hitler, that’s for sure.
So wait a minute, there are people who attend white power rallies, sig heil proudly, and wave swastika flags who claim to *not *be nazis? Why it would take quite a stupid person to try that. I mean, that is legendary levels of stupid. Thanks Godwin, but those people are nazis even without your permission.
Godwin’s Law is about emotions. That’s it. It’s an observation that when a discussion has gotten to the point where the participants are comparing each other to Nazis, either directly or by proxy, it’s beyond the point of reasoned debate and is in the realm of pure name-calling.
It doesn’t even have to be Nazis. Stalinists would work as well, or “tankies”, if you want to refer to latter-day Stalin supporters who agree with Stalin’s penchant for crushing peaceful protests using tanks. In the right forum, calling someone a “liberal” or a “conservative” could be equivalent; it just has to be a conversational grenade which thereafter makes the conversation about it and not the ostensible/original topic. Godwin’s point is, once someone’s throwing grenades, it’s over. It’s just anger from then on out. The debate portion of the thread is long over.
(Unless, of course, the people involved can see that the grenade-thrower is just a troll or other interloper who doesn’t reflect the actual emotions of the people involved. Shouting “NAZI!” in a crowded debate isn’t likely to permanently derail the debate, only pause it long enough to eject the unruly one.)
No one ever said calling a Nazi a Nazi is needless and counterproductive hyperbole. So thank you Mr. Godwin.
So you agree that the people who say “HEIL TRUMP!” are Nazis?
If it goose steps like a duck and “sieg heils” like a duck …
You never spent thanksgiving with my family in the 80s.
This thread is worse than Hitler.
<Naive foreigner> There are people saying this without irony and in all seriousness?!
How long did it take for someone to mention Hitler?
You know who else hated threads like this???
…Stalin. It was Stalin. Mao said he really wasn’t bothered.
Depends if the game was on or not, we weren’t fans of Tom Landry in my house.
It’s almost as if they got the idea somewhere that people who believe the things they believe are bad people.
Yeah, I remember the time that Landry invaded Poland. Talk about calling a blitz!
I think it had more to do with the sudden painful realization that “we know who you are” and there are repercussions.
Nazis are getting fired from their jobs. Nazis are being disowned by their families. Nazis who hoped to hide in anonymity after attacking someone with a metal pipe are being found and identified on the internet. The sick fuck in the car attack was busted right away and held without bail.
I guess the posturing and “blood and soil” false courage, the Hitler slogan shirts and guns and ubermacho bullshit was just that. Bullshit.
If they sieg heil, wear Hitler slogan shirts, wave Nazi flags, and yell about killing jews, blacks, everyone, all their denials now are seen for what they are - cowardice.
They went to Charlottesvile Virginia looking to start shit and thought there would be no repercussions? Guess again.
People are tired of their shit.