The GAB was formally outlawed in 1941, following America’s entrance into WW2. Prior to that, it was a legal group, but it’s leaders were investigated by the House UN-American Activities Committee, and several leaders were either interned in concentration camps, or arrested on various felonies.
While at one point I did sympathize with the likes of Nazis and KKK members, I no longer do so, and find their view points disgusting. However, I do support their right to gather, to have political rallies and representatives, and to speak their hateful attitudes, as long as they don’t start breaking already established laws.
But that’s what they were. Calling the extermination camps “concentration camps” is a euphemism. Calling a concentration camp a concentration camp is not insensitive or a dysphemism: it is more accurate.
For the fucking Nazi’s, I’ll make an exception. The party should be banned permanently. I suspect a Constitutional Amendment would get bi-partisan support
Haven’t read all of the posts yet, but, war was declared on Germany, et al, not the party. Also, the Communists were pals with them, for a while, and the ACP wasn’t outlawed…IIRC.
The “First they came for…” quotation seems quite relevant here.
If you’re not willing to defend the absolute right of free speech even when people you don’t like are the ones being targeted, don’t be surprised when the day comes that YOUR free speech is stifled and nobody is left to speak up for you.
I’m not sure people remember the terrible personal cost there was in defeating the Nazis. Families in America put service flags in their windows with blue stars for each serving family member. A gold star indicated a family member that died in service to his country. You can imagine the powerful impact of those flags in neighborhoods. Its still a very raw wound for many families that lost relatives in WWII. I’d imagine feelings in the UK and France are just as powerful too.
Seeing the Nazis rise up again even in a tiny, insignificant fringe group is highly distasteful.
I would ban outright support of the historical Nazi party. I would ban their symbols and anything that can tie back to the German Nazis of old. If they want try an end run around the ban using loopholes, then that would have to be looked at for possible violations of the law too.
Freedom isn’t without restrictions and proper limits. Religious freedom is restricted. Speech is as well. I see no reason why we can’t completely ban the Nazi party as well. The only difference is the degree of limitation, but they are free to join the KKK if they want to try their hand in politics
What country do you live in, Yog? Because in the US, the constitution says, “Congress shall make no laws abridging the freedom of speech.” There is no clause, “except for speech we don’t like.”
Congress has tried to do this, but it’s always been ruled unconstitutional (eventually).
Because if you ban Nazis and Nazi symbolism, what’s there to prevent a ban on other political parties and their symbols?
(Freedom of religion is not restricted, either – you can join any religion you want).
Yes, you can. But religions are not allowed to do whatever they want, just because it’s part of their doctrine. Parents have been prosecuted for praying for their sick children, rather than taking them to a hospital. Mormons had to give up polygamy before Utah could become a state.
I think these guys are WORSE than historical nazis, most nazis were draftees basically a lot poor and uneducated. Certainly once WW2 was over they just wanted to move on and forget.
Modern nazis are educated and probably well off, they also have the advantage of the modern world and experience to show them their heads are up their asses, but they continue for profit.
Exactly. Nazis are, as near as I can tell, one of the homes of impotent teenagers who desperately want to be cool and sexy and dangerous. (Satanism’s another). I want neither banned, because those poor pimply assholes ought to have a way to feel cool and sexy and dangerous. If we take that away from them by banning them, then first thing is we validate their feelings of being dangerous, and second thing is we drive them underground, and third thing is we may drive the lunatic fringe among that lunatic fringe to violence.
We want them to be able to remain a part of society, because maybe they’ll see how ridiculous they are and grow out of it; if they don’t, maybe they’ll continue to treat it like a hobby.