Neither US political party is Nazi. The unthinking demonization of 'the enemy' lies at the heart of this problem.
Clearly too many of us have become fond of identifying ourselves through membership in Party X. Shaping my world view around a political agenda by wholeheartedly embracing their entire platform is unnatural and illogical. But to take the next step and label nonparty folk as unbelievers and infidels creates a problem that's impossible to fix through rational discussion, much less leading to the design of workable policy. At best it's bad policy.
But party-based exclusion really isn't politics. It's just gangsterism.
It's probably an opinion because it's not provably true. There is no mainstream Nazi party today so I don't understand how your example is meaningful or relevant.
Anyways, if you're in the U.S., I assume you're referring to the Democrat party as the party of demonization? They are the party whose members are most likely to be involved in demonization of other groups. Here's some examples:
There are literal nazis running for Republican seats. There are literal nazis in the Republican party. The Republican party hasn't distanced itself from bigoted statements and lackluster "both sides" handwaving about nazi lynch mobs. If you vote Republican you vote for a party that either actively supports nazis among their own or knowingly tolerates them.
No, I'm not being hyperbolic. Do you know why people say Charlottesville was a nazi protest? Because there were literal, flag-waving, swastika-adorned nazis chanting anti-semitic, racist and bigoted slogans. The same protest that involved a nazi (or nazi "supporter" if that's more to your taste) charging into a crowd with his car and killing a human being.
This isn't tribalism. I'm not even American. I'm German. The post-beerhall NSDAP were "plenty of fine people" too and nobody took them serious when they talked about killing the jews, leftist, homosexuals and other "undesirables".
Yes, "not all" Republicans are nazis, but the party has politicians who are either literal nazis or sympathise with nazis. Do you know what people who are not nazis do when they find out their group is being invaded by nazis? They kick them out and make it unmistakably clear nazis aren't welcome.
Why? Given how much US socialist groups condemn each other or infight, it doesn't seem Nazis would be unique to purity check competing parties or treat them like traitors.
Yes, and they've excommunicated him from the party as well as every other Nazi sympathizer. The Democratic Party had KKK members too in the past. Is it fair to call them a neo-Nazi Party too?
I've seen plenty of people, these last few days, using those exact same acts of violence to label every Republican a Nazi. It's been hard to avoid on social media. I've seen an equal number insisting that the definition of Nazi is crystal clear and anyone who suggests otherwise is covering for Nazis.
Thing is, the latter never seem to aim their ire at those who are actually stretching the definition of Nazi to tarnish their political opponents. It's always aimed at those who observe this happening and criticise it.
I read it. Unfortunately you haven't even read the definition on wikipedia. Please do.
Also, by reciting slogans, almost ubiquitously used in all neo-nazi groups/parties, isn't helping your argument. A little history lesson wouldn't hurt. I understand you are not one of them, but your opinions have the opposite effect.
So you're actually agreeing that someone waving a swastika and calling for the extermination of jews can be considered a Nazi, yet you choose not to do it, just to spite those lefties that annoyed you in the 2000s?
And, specifically, they annoyed you with their use of slightly-hyperbolic rhetoric, used to underline their contention that the Republican strategy of racial division and incitement of culture wars may create fertile ground for a resurgence of staples of the fascist ideologies? And that, if we continue down this path, America may some day start electing strongmen playing on feelings such as xenophobia?
Are you being serious? The Nazi party is based on doing horrible shit to minorities. That's the ideology, that's what the leadership believed and that's the reason why people joined them.
This is what happens when the established parties refuse to do anything about it and don't even address the issue seriously, instead immediately labeling people who see the problem as "Nazis." The obvious conclusion from this is that these people are inevitably supporting parties that see this is an issue.
There are no concentration camps, sure, but there are people - a lot of people - who do not consider their political opponents somebody worth treating with respect, civility and basic human decency, and engage their arguments instead of shutting them up and excluding them from participation in public (or even private) life as much as possible.
From there to physical violence is but a small step, and this line has been crossed and continues being crossed in modern US politics all too often. Surely, we are nowhere near where Weimar Republic has been in 1930s, but unfortunately, a lot of people looking at the same direction and try to delegitimize their opponents and promote the idea that they should be not argued with, but deplatformed, assaulted and suppressed.
And yes, I am aware that comparing people to Nazis is part of doing the above, so we need to be extremely careful with it. But I think we can condemn people who purport to dehumanize their opponents without falling into the same trap.
Putting the BNP alongside the US Republican Party is a bit controversial. I'm not sure American politics permits a fair comparison to the BNP (a party that were taken to court before the last general election because their rules essentially didn't permit black people to join) - the Klan are essentially a terrorist/paramilitary organisation. Is there an American Nazi political party?
Indeed. The NPD is stupid enough to be a true wink-wink Neo-Nazi party. To be legally safe in Germany, you can still advocate all the same bigoted policies, you just have to disassociate yourself from the actual Hitler worshipers, and very slightly modulate your rhetoric which incites racial hatred.
I'm not speaking of the people who show up in public wearing Nazi paraphernalia and carrying Nazi flags. That's so easy any idiot can correctly identify them as that is exactly how they wish to be identified. I'm speaking of the people who show up in public with signs supporting free speech, unity, and love for all people that are then screamed at by idiots in masks labeling them as Nazis. Before they are beaten while police stand by and watch.
Simply because they have a different point of view.
Or any politician that openly disagree with certain politicians that have been in office for quite some time. It's a known tactic that has been in effect for a long time now. If you find yourself losing a debate, compare your opponent to Hitler.
Perhaps in this case we don't need metaphorical Nazis because American politics now has real people pushing an Americanized version of the Nazi agenda?
People have been screaming that the Republican party is the Nazi party since the days of Reagan. So far history has held this up to be absolutely not true. Forgive me if I'm a bit incredulous and give Trump the benefit of doubt until proven otherwise.
Here's another way to look at it:
"I know you've taken it in the teeth out there, but the first guy through the wall. It always gets bloody, always. It's the threat of not just the way of doing business, but in their minds it's threatening the game. But really what it's threatening is their livelihoods, it's threatening their jobs, it's threatening the way that they do things. And every time that happens, whether it's the government or a way of doing business or whatever it is, the people are holding the reins, have their hands on the switch. They go bat shit crazy."
-Moneyball
I don't understand how people who can understand and believe in things like quantum and multiple realities think that the only outcomes our world are strictly binary: Nazism or Progressive Liberalism.
Clearly too many of us have become fond of identifying ourselves through membership in Party X. Shaping my world view around a political agenda by wholeheartedly embracing their entire platform is unnatural and illogical. But to take the next step and label nonparty folk as unbelievers and infidels creates a problem that's impossible to fix through rational discussion, much less leading to the design of workable policy. At best it's bad policy.
But party-based exclusion really isn't politics. It's just gangsterism.
reply