Final Connection Blog

I know that we haven’t talked about this in class yet, but I’ve been looking forwards to this. Is it okay to punch a nazi? I will argue that punching nazis is not okay by any stretch of the imagination. First of all, when, if ever, is it okay to punch anyone? I would argue that punching is never the preferred option, but it is acceptable in two scenarios. First, when you have already been attacked, and it is in self defense. Second, when somebody else has already been attacked and cannot defend themselves. This phrasing is crucial. It is not okay to attack somebody before they attack you, even if you see it coming. If you can see somebody aiming their gun at you, you are not allowed to shoot them first. What you can do, however, is get out of the way and avoid getting shot. When you utilize “pre-emptive self-defense”, which just sounds orwellian, you are actually the aggressor. There is a chance, no matter how small, that no violence or harm would come from the situation. By pre-emptively attacking, you are ensuring that there will be violence. Next, if somebody else is attacked, and they are able to defend themselves, you should not intervene. This simply causes an arms race where more and more people will get involved, maximizing the casualties and injuries. So let’s relate this back to Richard Spencer. In the video clip, Spencer was answering a question from a reporter when he is punched in the face. Spencer was not attacking anybody, especially not the man who assaulted him. There are some who argue that Spencer was peddling dangerous rhetoric, which will ultimately harm somebody. This fails my first condition, as Spencer has not committed any harm yet. Furthermore, it’s difficult to say what constitutes dangerous rhetoric, as it is the person who acts upon it rather than the rhetoric itself. Despite this entire blog, I still have way more to say in class. I can’t wait!