the vast majority of people I see online, arguing for "free speech" - when you cut right down to it, will eventually reveal that their agenda will lead to abridging others' speech.
The one argument (that I think dates back to WWII, but is probably far older) that seems to be ignored in all these debates is that it's a logical fallacy to tolerate intolerance. And to that end, it's incumbent on everyone to either argue from an honest position, or to work very hard to root out when someone is arguing from a dishonest position, and if that dishonesty conceals intolerance, you have to stop giving them the benefit of the doubt.
In the case of fascism - (capital-F and lower-case-f), it's already been demonstrated repeatedly (with great loss of life and material progress), that this kind of intolerance must be stopped early and often.
These are not "new ideas which must be explored". Nor are they "consciences yearning to be free to think what others dare not". They want to kill you. And often for some invented reason like: your skin contains too much melanin. Often the invented reason is only to justify: because you're living on land I want to steal; but as long as I can con people into believing they're part of some "master race" or "god's chosen" - that excuse will do.
If shutting down fascism makes me an "internet bully" then, give me your lunch money, wimp.
>>In the case of fascism - (capital-F and lower-case-f), it's already been demonstrated repeatedly (with great loss of life and material progress), that this kind of intolerance must be stopped early and often.
This is your political bias coming through I think. I assume you self identify as "left" as such you easily see the extreme harm that comes from fascism, but I bet you do not view communism and socialism as being equally dangerous. They are.
The danger to society however is not Fascism, but is Authoritarianism / Totalitarianism. That is what needs to be combated with arguments, and education. Fascism is a type of Totalitarianism, but lets identify the root cause of the problem and fight it. Lets oppose all forms of Authoritarian control over people, not just the economic "Right".
Education is really the key, an educated society generally, and naturally wants to have more liberty, they trend more libertarian. This is why one of the first things a Authoritarian society does is limit education to only those groups that the people in power believe will be loyal to their Authoritarian power structure.
My biggest issue with your comment is you have not defined what "shutting down fascism" looks like. You can only defeat (truly defeat) an oppressive dogmatic ideology like fascism with logic, reason, and education. You might be able to temporarily suppress it with guns, violence and "internet bulling" but all you are doing is covering up a festering wound.
Change your tacit, Oppose Authoritarianism, Support education (not schooling), support teaching people how to think critically, support rigorous debate.
DO NOT support censorship, curbing of freedom, violence (i.e Punch a Nazi), or even bullying, that will never defeat ideologies like Fascism, and in some ways to strengthen them
The one argument (that I think dates back to WWII, but is probably far older) that seems to be ignored in all these debates is that it's a logical fallacy to tolerate intolerance. And to that end, it's incumbent on everyone to either argue from an honest position, or to work very hard to root out when someone is arguing from a dishonest position, and if that dishonesty conceals intolerance, you have to stop giving them the benefit of the doubt.
In the case of fascism - (capital-F and lower-case-f), it's already been demonstrated repeatedly (with great loss of life and material progress), that this kind of intolerance must be stopped early and often.
These are not "new ideas which must be explored". Nor are they "consciences yearning to be free to think what others dare not". They want to kill you. And often for some invented reason like: your skin contains too much melanin. Often the invented reason is only to justify: because you're living on land I want to steal; but as long as I can con people into believing they're part of some "master race" or "god's chosen" - that excuse will do.
If shutting down fascism makes me an "internet bully" then, give me your lunch money, wimp.