776
punch a cop (quokk.au)
top 33 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] SirMaple__@lemmy.ca 57 points 1 day ago
[-] Formfiller@lemmy.world 38 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Trump pardoned a bunch of cop punching guys. That means the government endorses this

[-] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 17 points 1 day ago

Very fitting that it's Fort Wayne. If you haven't had the displeasure of Indiana's second biggest city, it's not as bleak as Dayton, but honestly most people I know would rather be in Dayton. At least the heroin and post industrial desolation have resulted in an interesting place.

[-] MintyFresh@lemmy.world 16 points 1 day ago

I used to drive truck, and I was surprised to learn Indiana was the fucking worst! You'd assume it was some relatively unremarkable Midwestern state. But nooooo. It has all the racism, laziness, and cruelty of the south at it's worst, with none of the charm. I've never been to a place with lazier, mean spirited people before or since. Fuck Indiana.

[-] PeacefulForest@lemmy.world 3 points 9 hours ago

My sister-in-law is from Indiana. No one likes her.

[-] Horsey@lemmy.world 4 points 23 hours ago
[-] Chakravanti@monero.town 1 points 22 hours ago

The "songs" here are of zero humour nor with any respect left. NPH's Giggle and his kid have absolutely nothing here to taken from.

I've invoked Ledger's a dozen dozen to a solid blank sheet every time.

It's like it wants it to be a bit fucking riddickulous here. Funny there's no one who could live like that here til you see them start to move like zombie and it clicks to realize that he wasn't from here.

[-] Sam_Bass@lemmy.world 5 points 20 hours ago
[-] kbobabob@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 9 hours ago

Why is cops in quotes?

[-] yucandu@lemmy.world 26 points 1 day ago

What I have come to find to be the greatest and most effective and successful weapon that we can use, known to man, to combat such adversaries as ignorance, racism, hatred, violence, is also the least expensive weapon, and the one that is the least used by Americans. That weapon is called communication. - Daryl Davis

[-] kepix@lemmy.world 2 points 9 hours ago

in a world where mainstream media is owned by the same nazis, this isnt effective anymore

[-] BaldManGoomba@lemmy.world 2 points 16 hours ago

Daryl Davis is talking about a different time when the outward racists were holding their beliefs and weren't actively being violent towards others. Daryl Davis could easily have been killed as many people have before him. He only changed 20-40 minds directly he says maybe 200 indirectly. 1980s to 2000s was a different time. You can change an individuals mind in private if you foster a close connection with them. You can't stop Nazis and racists in power with words. Never has non violent protests worked without violent protests and back drops. From women's rights to nazi Germany. Power needs to be forcibly stripped from their hands and they need to fear the publics judgment to put their hate in the closet then when things calm down we can take the hate out of the closet and talk it out. But not until after they drop the reins of power. You can't help others root through their hatred when they are carting family's away.

[-] RecursiveParadox@lemmy.world 30 points 1 day ago

Sudden kinetic movements are also a form of communication.

[-] gramie@lemmy.ca 6 points 1 day ago

Let me know when you find a movement that is not kinetic!

[-] anugeshtu@lemmy.world 3 points 23 hours ago

Do you mean political, cultural or spiritual ones? 😉

[-] yucandu@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

Punches don't change minds. And sometimes you lose.

[-] ivanafterall@lemmy.world 5 points 23 hours ago

I think they meant interpretive dance.

[-] damnedfurry@lemmy.world -5 points 1 day ago

Yeah, the communication in that case is that you're letting the extremists know that your speech can't beat theirs, so you resort to violence. In other words, you're implying they're right and you're wrong.


It may feel cathartic and satisfy primal urges for retribution, but in the long run, 'punching Nazis' doesn't hurt the neo-nazi ideology, it helps it. Feeds the persecution complex, turns the guy you beat up who didn't physically attack you first into their martyr. Gives them more fuel to rally around and further radicalize them into wanting revenge.

Prioritizing a cheap, temporary thrill over real, lasting change for the better is ultimately self-serving, and not in service of your cause; ironically, it completely undermines it.

On a purely pragmatic/practical level, it's a bad idea, if your goal is to oppose Nazism.

Experts on extremism/terrorism etc. are all saying the exact same thing.

See for yourself: (emphasis added)

In the case of violent counterprotest tactics — e.g., punching Nazis — experts on extremism say it is likely only to aid the white supremacists’ cause.

The most commonly stated argument in favor of physically disrupting white-supremacist rallies is that society can’t give an iota of legitimacy to these groups. To allow them to spread their message of hate is to offer them a platform to recruit and to glorify their cause. What this logic leaves out is that it may well be the case that hate groups are better able to recruit and glorify their cause when they are able to engage in violence, regardless of how that violence starts, according to researchers in the field of countering violent extremism, or CVE.

“On the one hand, I don’t think these expressions should go unanswered,” David Schanzer, director of the Triangle Center on Terrorism and Homeland Security at Duke University, said of the recent white-supremacist gatherings. “But you’re essentially giving them exactly what they want when you try to confront them directly.” That’s because these groups’ efforts to recruit and mobilize supporters rely on a very specific strategy that benefits greatly from violent conflict.

In the U.S., explicitly white-supremacist groups know they are vastly, vastly outnumbered by everyone who hates them — their paltry numbers being an easy thing to forget in the age of social media and especially so this week, in the wake of a real-life white-supremacist murder. So their only hope for relevance is to maximize every potential bit of media coverage. And the best way to do this is to create media moments: scary, evocative images like the torch photos from last weekend, but also as many violently photogenic confrontations with counterprotesters as possible. Producing violence is an underlying, often unstated, goal of many white-supremacist protests and gatherings.

When violence does break out, videos of it race through the internet’s white-supremacist underbelly, serving as incredibly valuable PR material. It doesn’t matter who gets the better of a given confrontation: When the Nazis get punched, it’s “proof” that anti-fascists or liberals or [insert minority group] or whoever else did the punching have it in for “innocent white Americans just trying to protest peacefully.” When the Nazis punch back, it’s proof that their enemies are, to borrow a word from alt-right parlance, “cucks” who are easily bested in the streets. Even when white supremacists lose street fights, they win the long game.

This sort of tactic, said Jeffrey Kaplan, an academic researcher and the author of a number of books on terrorist movements, “is a constant in terrorism or any form of asymmetric warfare,” whether the group in question is jihadist or white supremacist or whatever else. Kaplan, who is an incoming professor at King Fahd Security College in Riyadh, summed up the extremists’ logic like this: “Our numbers are paltry, we are despised by our countrymen and we couldn’t get a date for the life of us, but any action that has enough impact to strike at the heart of the enemy by getting media coverage is a major triumph.” Violent confrontations allow extremists to make a tantalizing offer to the angry, disillusioned young men — they are almost entirely men — whom they hope to groom to become tomorrow’s haters and killers: We are part of a movement to change the world, as you can see from this latest video that movement is working, and you can be a part of it.

Schanzer laid out a fairly straightforward alternative: Counterdemonstrators should respond assertively, vociferously, and in far superior numbers — but at a distance from the extremists themselves. This tactic both prevents the sort of violent conflict American hate groups want, and has the added benefit of drawing at least some media and social-media attention away from the smaller hateful gathering and toward the much larger counterprotest.

“Violence directed at white nationalists only fuels their narrative of victimhood — of a hounded, soon-to-be-minority who can’t exercise their rights to free speech without getting pummeled.” “I would want to punch a Nazi in the nose, too,” Maria Stephan, a program director at the United States Institute of Peace, told him. “But there’s a difference between a therapeutic and strategic response.”

Even former white supremacists admit punching Nazis plays right into their hands, gives them exactly what they want:

...when mouthpieces for white supremacist ideology are physically assaulted on camera, it becomes a powerful validation of their victimhood complex: in their minds, plain evidence that white people are indeed under attack, and motivation to spread a call to violent response with renewed zeal. This “punch felt round the world” was a great boost to the “alt-right” cause. If you aid and comfort neo-Nazis, which is exactly what punching them in the face does, you are no better than they are. Real life isn’t a fucking Quentin Tarantino movie.

When I was a neo-Nazi skinhead over 2 decades ago, I got beat up as often as I beat anyone else up. It never made me any less violent. In fact, we used to pile into vans and drive from Milwaukee to Chicago for the thrill of brawling fellow devotees of romantic violence like the guy throwing the punch in this video. We lived for violent opposition. We thrived on it. Violence of any sort, no matter how it may be rationalized, is the bread of hatred. We put mustard on that shit and gleefully gobbled it up and clamored for more.

Back in the 1930s, there were gangs of communists who routinely brawled the Nazi brownshirts in the streets of Germany. Their contemporaries would have us believe that if there were more communists who brawled harder than they did back then, that the Holocaust wouldn’t have happened. As a former neo-Nazi, I can attest to how important it is to have violent opposition in order to maintain the hatred necessary to hurt people. The communist gangs helped Hitler’s National Socialist party come to power not only by galvanizing their own members, but more importantly by serving as a crucial ingredient in the overall atmosphere of fear and loathing that led the German general public to look to the Nazi party for order.

[-] brbposting@sh.itjust.works 1 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago)

I’d been feeling like the only one who wasn’t bloodthirsty on here, and I get it y’all, just feels so defeatist (if I had to choose a single word)

I’m an optimist okayyy

[-] RecursiveParadox@lemmy.world 12 points 1 day ago

All fair points. Let me rephrase:

Take your combined allied forces, invade where they live and hold power, and wipe them out in a large scale war. 'Cause that seemed to be the only thing that's worked so far.

If you, personally, get to punch a NAZI along the way, that's just a bonus.

[-] damnedfurry@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

invade where they live and hold power

This is not a thing in 2025. There's no singular stronghold where all the baddies are, such that you could eradicate them in one shot. Not to mention:

'Cause that seemed to be the only thing that’s worked so far.

Has it actually worked, though? Because here we are, talking about the same issue still existing today, nearly a century later.

[-] RecursiveParadox@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago

Upvote for you because you are engaging in good faith, making salient points (even if I don't agree with all of them) and I'm being hyperbolic.

The reason for my rhetoric is because people in the US (and Germany and here in the Netherlands ...fuck man all over Europe) are not, in fact, collectively resisting fascists. At least not to the degree they/we need to.

Punching a NAZI, calling back to WWII is a tactic to get people to wake the fuck up before there's nothing left to wake up to. I sincerely do not believe that civil engagement works anymore. Shaming, shunning, and if the need arises/opportunity presents itself, violence are the only ways to reach the fully propagandized. But that doesn't mean your path is a valid one to discuss sincerely.

[-] yucandu@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Punching a NAZI, calling back to WWII is a tactic to get people to wake the fuck up before there's nothing left to wake up to.

You sure it's not just more of these tactics?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Research_Agency#Timeline_of_the_Internet_Research_Agency_interference_in_United_States_elections

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/russia-troll-2020-election-interference-twitter-916482/

I sincerely do not believe that civil engagement works anymore.

Daryl Davis has converted over 100 KKK members. We should all be following in his footsteps.

[-] baines@lemmy.cafe 5 points 1 day ago

when the nazis are at your door for your train ride make sure to politely communicate that you don’t like trains

[-] damnedfurry@lemmy.world 2 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 20 hours ago)

hurr durr when you say unprovoked violence in response to words is a bad idea, that means you think actual physical aggression should be opposed with nothing more than words

No. This is an idiotic straw man. Shame on you.

It's not even that unprovoked violence against extremists doing nothing more than speaking isn't as effective as other methods, it's that it literally helps them. You are making negative progress when you do that. Even the extremists themselves have made this obvious, as I cited. With social media as prevalent as it is today, how negative that progress is is only accelerating. For every video they see of one of 'our guys' getting socked in the face while they're just standing there or speaking, their recruitment grows.

But I guess that little spurt of dopamine you got from taking the swing is just so much more important, huh?

Selfish foolishness.

[-] baines@lemmy.cafe 2 points 10 hours ago

yea those totally non violent world wars were so effective

‘other methods’ lmao

extremists are making progress because rich fucks are funding it and had this shit planned out for over 2 decades

we’ve ran out of time, we already have the brownshirts assaulting peaceful protests

good luck with whatever you’re doing but not for a moment do i think you’ll be successful

[-] yucandu@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

How about 10 years before that, when they're just thinking of it?

[-] faythofdragons@slrpnk.net 2 points 23 hours ago

Preventative maintenance? In my America?

[-] baines@lemmy.cafe 0 points 22 hours ago

too late you have 6 months at best

[-] littletranspunk@lemmus.org 1 points 18 hours ago

I'm also a former neo nazi and I only would have changed from being a Nazi quicker with persistent, impactful violence against me.

I'm saying, even to my former self, rock Nazis shit, make their insurance consider dropping their ass, make them well known to their dentists, give the funeral home directors a sudden surge in business.

Had I had my shit rocked resulting in broken/missing teeth, insurance dropping me for high risk, and legitimate worry that I didn't pick out a plot or casket yet would have switched me much faster than nonviolence or less violent action.

ROCK. THEIR. SHIT.

  • if done correctly, either way, they won't be a racist anymore
[-] masquenox@lemmy.dbzer0.com 0 points 23 hours ago

That's one gigantic rant just to demonstrate you don't know what the hell you are talking about.

[-] damnedfurry@lemmy.world 1 points 20 hours ago

You're calling a well-documented and cited debunking of the naive assumption that unprovoked assault on strangers expressing harmful/extremist views is an effective tool against the spread of those views a "rant", because you're absolutely desperate to classify the threat to your narrative it as an irrational/emotional response, so you can then rationalize ignoring the inconvenient truth.

It's literally what they want. If you do this, you are their ally. That's the reality.

[-] masquenox@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 19 hours ago

You’re calling a well-documented and cited debunking

Absolutely none of your (supposedly) "well-documented" peace-police bullcrap can hide the actual truth.

Do tell... why is all your sources so obsessed with protecting the feels of neo-nazis, eh? Do any of these sources of yours show the same kind of concern with how dystopian capitalism "plays" into the hands of leftists, or how white supremacist violence "plays" into the hands of movements like antifa or BLM?

No?

I wonder why that is, liberal?

this post was submitted on 04 Oct 2025
776 points (99.0% liked)

Lefty Memes

6092 readers
1598 users here now

An international (English speaking) socialist Lemmy community free of the "ML" influence of instances like lemmy.ml and lemmygrad. This is a place for undogmatic shitposting and memes from a progressive, anti-capitalist and truly anti-imperialist perspective, regardless of specific ideology.

Serious posts, news, and discussion go in c/Socialism.

If you are new to socialism, you can ask questions and find resources over on c/Socialism101.

Please don't forget to help keep this community clean by reporting rule violations, updooting good contributions and downdooting those of low-quality!

Rules

Version without spoilers

0. Only post socialist memes


That refers to funny image macros and means that generally videos and screenshots are not allowed. Exceptions include explicitly humorous and short videos, as well as (social media) screenshots depicting a funny situation, joke, or joke picture relating to socialist movements, theory, societal issues, or political opponents. Examples would be the classic case of humorous Tumblr or Twitter posts/threads. (and no, agitprop text does not count as a meme)


0.5 [Provisional Rule] Use alt text or image descriptions to allow greater accessibility


(Please take a look at our wiki page for the guidelines on how to actually write alternative text!)

We require alternative text (from now referred to as "alt text") to be added to all posts/comments containing media, such as images, animated GIFs, videos, audio files, and custom emojis.
EDIT: For files you share in the comments, a simple summary should be enough if they’re too complex.

We are committed to social equity and to reducing barriers of entry, including (digital) communication and culture. It takes each of us only a few moments to make a whole world of content (more) accessible to a bunch of folks.

When alt text is absent, a reminder will be issued. If you don't add the missing alt text within 48 hours, the post will be removed. No hard feelings.


0.5.1 Style tip about abbreviations and short forms


When writing stuff like "lol" and "iirc", it's a good idea to try and replace those with their all caps counterpart

  • ofc => OFC
  • af = AF
  • ok => OK
  • lol => LOL
  • bc => BC
  • bs => BS
  • iirc => IIRC
  • cia => CIA
  • nato => Nato (you don't spell it when talking, right?)
  • usa => USA
  • prc => PRC
  • etc.

Why? Because otherwise (AFAIK), screen readers will try to read them out as actually words instead of spelling them


1. Socialist Unity in the form of mutual respect and good faith interactions is enforced here


Try to keep an open mind, other schools of thought may offer points of view and analyses you haven't considered yet. Also: This is not a place for the Idealism vs. Materialism or rather Anarchism vs. Marxism debate(s), for that please visit c/AnarchismVsMarxism.


2. Anti-Imperialism means recognizing capitalist states like Russia and China as such


That means condemning (their) imperialism, even if it is of the "anti-USA" flavor.


3. No liberalism, (right-wing) revisionism or reactionaries.


That includes so called: Social Democracy, Democratic Socialism, Dengism, Market Socialism, Patriotic Socialism, National Bolshevism, Anarcho-Capitalism etc. . Anti-Socialist people and content have no place here, as well as the variety of "Marxist"-"Leninists" seen on lemmygrad and more specifically GenZedong (actual ML's are welcome as long as they agree to the rules and don't just copy paste/larp about stuff from a hundred years ago).


4. No Bigotry.


The only dangerous minority is the rich.


5. Don't demonize previous and current socialist experiments or (leading) individuals.


We must constructively learn from their mistakes, while acknowledging their achievements and recognizing when they have strayed away from socialist principles.

(if you are reading the rules to apply for modding this community, mention "Mantic Minotaur" when answering question 2)


6. Don't irrationally idolize/glorify previous and current socialist experiments or (leading) individuals.


Notable achievements in all spheres of society were made by various socialist/people's/democratic republics around the world. Mistakes, however, were made as well: bureaucratic castes of parasitic elites - as well as reactionary cults of personality - were established, many things were mismanaged and prejudice and bigotry sometimes replaced internationalism and progressiveness.



  1. Absolutely no posts or comments meant to relativize(/apologize for), advocate, promote or defend:

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS