you know. we can and should talk about the paradox of tolerance and [link: the nazi bar story]. but i just keep thinking. those are very real projections of the future if you tolerate nazis being in your space until such a time as they make a fuss--which is, implicitly, tolerating a clearly-marked bomb until such a time as it has already exploded, on the off-chance it's a dud.

but the thing is, even if they don't make a fuss, allowing nazis in your space is violence. a nazi being in your discord server and having access to the members list and/or being able to see what people say is violence. a person wearing a t-shirt with an iron cross on it to your club meeting is violence. it is a threat. it is a statement intended to tell people they are unsafe.

a nazi being visible in a space and the implicit or explicit confirmation that the people in charge have not done and will not do anything about it is violence from them onto their jewish, romani, queer, etc. community members. it is at the very least permission of violence. it is at the very least standing aside and declaring open season.

refusing to take action to remove nazis may seem passive to you, but it is a statement. you're saying 'we'll allow people who want you dead near you on our watch and we won't do anything until they have already struck'. you're saying 'we care about rocking the boat more than you feeling safe or BEING safe in our space'. you're saying 'we value you as a community member equally to or less than the people who want you dead'. you're saying 'you cannot trust us. we will not protect you'.