The recent upheavals in the social media landscape caused by the megalomaniac Musk have fanned the flames of respectability politics. People are rightly alarmed at the rising rates of hate speech on Twitter. At the same time, there are groups of people who argue that free speech needs to be encouraged and that we should engage Nazis in discourse and treat them fairly. I ask – Just Why? First, this viewpoint falsely equates the right to “free speech” in the US and the right to “say anything you want”. Yes, the constitution does give citizens the right to “free speech”, but it does not mean what most people think it does. The constitution allows you to criticize the government or people in power. It does not mean it is okay to call for the extermination of Jewish people because you need to “express” yourself.
Your freedom of expression stops when you are using your expression to oppress others through hate speech and threats of violence. Beyond that, what is the value of letting Nazis propagate their hate speech to society? Moreover, how does engaging with Nazis online work to change their stance on human rights and the status of non-white people as humans? I do not need to read the hate speech to know people exist with these ideologies (it is not informing me). I have never seen white supremacists persuaded to change their ideation based on conversations and reason. Allowing hate speech to flourish does not work towards ending hatred.
Ironically a lot of the discourse in online spaces discourages people from talking about harmful acts committed by white supremacists and institutional racism and encourages love and forgiveness. This stance is mind-boggling. How does remaining silent about the violence committed against you help anyone ever? How does remaining silent about the violence you witness being committed against others help anyone? The silence of victims is encouraged by those who are made uncomfortable hearing about the facts of abuse. Those privileged to never think about white supremacist violence do not want to know about the violence that white supremacy enacts daily. It makes white people uncomfortable to know about victims’ pain. This is also an act of power that oppresses victims. Once more, silence on the part of witnesses is the same as being an actor of violence and hate.
The claim of free speech and the call for civil discourse is a complex form of gaslighting. First, it claims that the hurt caused by violent rhetoric is negligible or nonexistent. The notion that “words cannot hurt” is farcical for anyone who grew up in a violent household or has been called names and threatened physically. Words can debilitate children and cause harm in adults whose psychological well-being can be threatened through prolonged verbal threats and attacks. Some people have been led to suicide through verbal online bullying.
Second, asking for civil discourse is delusional. Just because Nazis may not use vulgarity and speak in metaphors eluding to violent ideas does not make their discourse civil. The appropriate reaction to hate speech and verbal violence may or may not include vulgarity and verbal attacks against Nazis. Rage is an appropriate response to groups of people who want to genocide the marginalized. Calling out Nazis is an appropriate response to Nazis. Shutting down hate speech and threats of violence is appropriate. We do not need to hear the Nazis out. They do not respond to reason. They are not going to read something and change their minds.
melungeon mullins 