[anbende]

It's not that there aren't ideas that are important, it's that violence is really really awful. Punch someone in the face for holding, for example, a racist view, and what happens? He becomes more entrenched in his view. And more angry. And more violent. What doesn't happen? His racism is never ever 'punched away'. So what was the point of that? Maybe it sated the punchers anger, but it made the situation unequivocally worse.

One thing that it is important to distinguish is holding an idea versus acting on it. The fascists were acting on their views, not merely holding them and talking about them. And violence may demand violence. And action, passing laws that enslave and oppress, that may demand violence too in some circumstances. But speech, even organized speech, demands speech not violence. It may demand a LOT of speech. But it does not demand violence.

If a person is willing to use violence to silence an opposing view that is being non-violently spoken, then that is the worse thing in my view. This includes the violent suppression of racist and sexist and other discriminatory views. Though I detest those positions, I detest violence more.

Now, inciting people to violence. Calling people to violence. I do believe that that is a different issue. And one that I do not know how to deal with.