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June 20, 2015 at 4:59 pm #817749
JTBParticipantIf you haven’t already seen the reports about a man wearing a nazi arm band at the ferry building last night, here’s the story nazi?
It doesn’t seem he was looking for a confrontation since he only scowled at the photographer taking several shots. I’m not at all suggesting it would have been appropriate to challenge the guy in a confrontational manner, but it is interesting that evidently everyone chose to ignore him. Of course, every situation has to be assessed by the tone and circumstances so I appreciate it’s hard to determine if there were any other reasonable options for by-standers in the building.
While I think it would be counterproductive to create or play into a confrontation, I also think it might be worthwhile to try and politely engage the guy. Something like “hey man, I see you have a swastika; what’s that about?” He might say something about 1st amendment rights which of course is right. In any case, I’d like for him to have to explain himself even if I had to listen to some nasty stuff.
There was a small group of Volksfront people staging a counterprotest to a demonstration in Olympia against excessive use of force by police several weeks ago. Both side were reportedly ready for a physical confrontation and the much smaller number of neo-nazis were quickly run off. So for a number of reasons, I think people might put some thought into how they might react if they find themselves in situations like at the ferry building.
June 20, 2015 at 5:44 pm #825082
herongrrrlParticipantJTB, I had exactly the same thought. I’m not sure I’m brave enough to start that conversation, but I hope if I’m confronted with a similar situation in the future I will be. I think approaching situations like that with curiosity rather than confrontation has the most potential for a productive outcome. I wouldn’t expect to change someone else’s mind, but I might learn something about their perspective that helps me deal with less overt forms of extremism I encounter.
June 20, 2015 at 6:24 pm #825083
JoBParticipantI am all for engaging people in conversations..
but in well lit places with a lot of other people present and an exit strategy in place…
i have seen simple questions escalate into confrontations too many times to ignore the possibilities.
June 20, 2015 at 7:52 pm #825084
JanSParticipantI say, if you’re willing to wear the armband, for whatever reason, you must be willing to discuss it in an intelligent manner honestly. If they can’t do that, they’re just itching for a confrontation. You have a belief? Be willing to explain it, stand up for it, be honest about it.
June 21, 2015 at 6:32 am #825085
julie98106ParticipantI would have kicked their ass.
June 21, 2015 at 7:03 am #825086
julie98106ParticipantSince when is genocide against Jewish people acceptable or worthy of debate? What is wrong with people? Grow some balls West Seattle.
June 21, 2015 at 7:04 am #825087
JanSParticipantJulie98106…excuse me, but…your opinion…we all have them…no need to be nasty about it…
June 21, 2015 at 6:43 pm #825088
wsn00bParticipantComplete loser and grade-A terrorist. I see no difference between this dirtbag and an ISIS member.
June 21, 2015 at 10:05 pm #825089
JeannieParticipantI don’t think I could have resisted saying something. My partner’s dad was imprisoned as a slave laborer at several Nazi death camps, and many of his immediate family were murdered. Yes, we have to be careful these days, as these nuts might have guns. But what would you do if you saw someone in full KKK regalia?
Not that we’re going to change these creeps’ minds. Some are just itching for an argument. But I did have fun knocking over a LaRouche sign about a year ago. The LaDouches have every right to support their man (he’s still alive?), but their usual sign, a photo of Obama with a Hitler moustache, is more than I can tolerate. I told them my mom had to flee the Nazis in 1938, I told them about my partner’s dad, and I said that they may not like Obama, how how dare they compare him to Hitler. They looked like deer in the headlights. I then knocked over their stupid sign and walked away.
June 21, 2015 at 10:09 pm #825090
JeannieParticipant“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”
June 21, 2015 at 11:54 pm #825091
PatrickKeymasterIt has been brought to our attention that the contents of this thread have been reposted elsewhere without our knowledge or permission.
Please know that we are looking into the matter.
June 22, 2015 at 3:09 am #825092
angelescrestParticipantThank you, Julie. I agree with you absolutely.
June 22, 2015 at 5:01 am #825093
pelicansParticipantI am watching CNN right now and the show is “Anne Frank’s Holocaust.” My grandfather had two ships sunk from beneath him and was horribly maimed by German attacks on the supply ships he was on making runs to Mermansk, USSR. My alcoholic father suffered from what we now know were the effects of his father’s PTSD. In a way, I still suffer from the after-effects of that long-ago war.
That said, I will defend with all my might the right of this man to wear that arm band and to think his own thoughts, however repellant they may be. We fought our wars, for the most part, for his right to believe what he wishes.
June 22, 2015 at 5:57 pm #825094
JoBParticipantI am afraid i am with Pelican.
I agree that we need to do everything we can to prevent the kind of abuses groups like this perpetrate… we need to speak out.. and keep speaking out.
but if we don’t stand up for his right of free speech it won’t be long before we lose ours.
June 22, 2015 at 5:59 pm #825095
JoBParticipantbtw peeps.
speaking of the “free” in free speech..
it extends to linking
not to stealing content by copying it and posting it elsewhere..
June 22, 2015 at 10:47 pm #825096
JanSParticipantmany speak of tolerance, but in reality, many do not practice it…
maybe he was wearing the armband for reaction only. You don’t know if you don’t engage with him, or anyone. To ASSume often doesn’t work out too well…
June 22, 2015 at 11:09 pm #825097
miwsParticipantJan, I was thinking along those lines, in that maybe it’s a social experiment. That thought didn’t come to me until maybe a day after JTB started this thread.
But, I don’t strongly suspect any possible scenario over another.
Mike
June 23, 2015 at 3:26 am #825098
JTBParticipantEdmund Burke said “The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”
I don’t know if Burke had to worry about being accosted by a weirdo with a gun but I do think folks today have understandably become guarded about interacting with passers-by and strangers of uncertain intentions. Personally, I would have had to overcome any number of reservations about sitting down and striking up a conversation with the (maybe) nazi.
But it doesn’t have anything whatsoever to do with intolerance or disputing his right to wear the swastika. It has entirely to do with my belief that I want that person do know how I feel about the blatant image. Perhaps there might be some worthwhile exchange beyond that, perhaps not. But at the very least, I’d like him to know someone cares enough to say something about it. There’s all the stuff about what might happen through respecting someone rather than ignoring them, but that’s situational and hard to predict. I don’t expect to change the guy’s world view. I’d just like him to at least be uncomfortable about sporting that image in public.
Of course, as JoB pointed out it is necessary to consult one’s inner alarm mechanism and have a sense of how to keep safe before approaching someone like this.
June 23, 2015 at 6:45 am #825099
JanSParticipantmost definitely, JTB…I carry a big stick…er…cane…with a nice handy handle that , of course, would not work against a more evil weapon. I do understand what you’re saying, and if I was alone, not sure if I would approach him on my own. But…if we continue to ignore, it is sometimes seen as agreement/acceptance with what he is non-verbally saying…
June 23, 2015 at 7:15 pm #825100
JoBParticipantHe has a perfect right to wear what he wants in public
but in doing so he also opens himself up to public comment
June 24, 2015 at 3:16 am #825101
maplesyrupParticipantYou all realize that he wants to provoke, right? He’s looking for attention just like your run of the mill internet troll, only I have to admit he has more guts. Just ignore the fool.
June 24, 2015 at 3:36 am #825102
JanSParticipantI have said in the past about others (esp. online – like Ann Coulter)…ignore them and maybe they’ll just fade into oblivion…yeah….maybe that’s the ticket…
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