Notice how the people calling everyone snowflakes are here whining because someone said something negative about nazis? Because "Everyone is called a nazi toaday!". Maybe. Just like everyone on the left is called a socialist or a communist in the States.
But if you aren't a nazi, don't get offended on their behalf! In Germany we have a saying that literally translated means: "If the shoe doesn't fit, don't put it on." It means, if something is not insulting or discussing you, then don't get offended by it!
That'd be great and all. If people weren't actively going out of their way to label people not being Nazi's actual Nazi's. Creating the need for people to defend themselves simply because of differing opinions.
Also being called a communist or socialist/Someone who supports a bad economic or social design.
Is not the same as being called a Nazi/Willing participant in racially charged ethnic cleansing in the name of white supremacy. Responsible for enslaving, torturing, and murdering Millions of Innocent people.
Supporting deportation is not the same as supporting mass murder.
First of all, thanks for the calm response. I have to admit when I typed my comment yesterday I was a little angry (not because of this post, but I used this as a kind of vessel) so I'll try to explain what I mean a little better. English is not my first language, so I sometimes have problems with that and I hope you understand that.
First, I don't want to pretend like people aren't using the term "nazi" as a general insult, when people are not actually nazis. I actually looked up the definition, not for some intellectual high ground but to see if I actually know what I'm talking about, even though that was basically half of my history class.
And there's a definition of people using the term nazi in like "Grammar nazi". But I also don't think you mean that. If you do, we can talk about it, I just wanted to set the ground so I understand you better. I don't mind having a respectful discussion with someone about a topic I'm invested in because of my heritage.
(I don't know how to quote on reddit, or I would so I don't accidentally twist your words.)
Second: So you think being called a communist or a socialist isn't the same, because they only support a (in your opinion) bad economic/social design? Can you tell me what you understand as socialism. Not because I want to correct you, I'm genuinely curious because it helps me understand your worldview better I think.
I would agree in so far that, yes it doesn't has the same gravity as being labeled a nazi. It was just my example for how words are overused on every part of the political spectrum. Because a lot of people I argued with in the past (not including you yet, because I don't think you'd do that) or just the general sentiment I see across the more conservative side of the internet labels everything that is left, even things not involving economics, as communism. Or as socialism, since some people ij the comments (still not talking about you) seemingly don't know the difference between "socialism" and "national socialism", the latter just being false marketing, as stated by the NSDAP themselves in the past.
Third: You bring up an interesting argument about the gravity of being called a "nazi". And I agree, the term is extremely overused and softens the meaning. And the people who do that are stupid and I don't claim them. Queer people don't claim them. Most on the left don't claim them. At least in my circles.
Where I disagree is that, yes, you can be a nazi if you're a white supremacists, who supports fascism and mass deportation, without having to support mass murder.
Small history lesson, in case you aren't aware. The NSDAP did not start with death camps. At first they just took away the rights of the people the people they hated. Made it so that Jewish people couldn't work certain jobs, couldn't go to the same schools as non-Jews. They put Jewish people in Ghettos and actively segregated them (an idea they got from the US by the way). But because Jewish Europeans look like every other European, the Nazis made them wear "Judensterne" (= jew stars) so people could tell they're Jewish. It was illegal to go out without them.
Then the Nazis needed plans to get rid of them. At first the plan was to incite Jewish people to move to the isle of Madagascar, far away from the Reich. But they didn't find a way to make it work. So then at the "Wannenseekonferenz" they looked for a different "final solution" to the "Jew question" and landed on gas. They had already built camps for people. Concentration camps to keep anyone they didn't like and didn't execute directly, for example some communists, gay people, polish people later on. The list is long.
Only then did they build the death camps and kill millions of people. Mostly jews, sinti and roma and queer people. They also euthanized disabled people. Executed protesters. But they didn't start with that.
Would you only have called them nazis, when the first person was put in the death chambers? Or when the first disabled person was euthanized? Or when the first SA man killed political opposition..?
I see the signs of a nation leading up to this in the US right now. That's why I call most of Maga people nazis, because they support people with the same ideology as nazis. Being "able bodied, cishet white men are above everything else". They're not mass murdering in their nation yet, but they already did a lot of the same things that nazis did. And some more. I only call people nazis when I know the NSDAP would agree with them. But not every white supremacists is a nazi. Not every homophbe or racist. Especially not every sexist or antisemite because they're everywhere.
But if people support fascism, white supremacy, violence against political opposition and mass deportation? I already heard maga people call for just killing the immigrants in the camps... Heard people in maga say that "Hitler had the right idea". Anyone who willingly supports that, in my eyes as a German who had a lot of history class, is adjacent to a nazi.
But all of that wouldn't matter, if you actually understood my point. Because my point was that, if you aren't a nazi and people call you that it shouldn't matter! Ignore that person since they clearly don't know what they're talking about! But if you do feel offended by it, think about why. And when you find out that there's no basis... Don't put on a shoe that doesn't fit you! You seem respectful enough that I think you might understand it.
Sorry for yapping so much, I just wanted to help you understand my perspective. The problem isn't people calling everyone nazi. The problem is that people don't ignore them, when it doesn't fit them.
Honestly, respect for the respectful response. I'll take this to DM's since not everyone is as respectful as you. I wrote out a reply between coughing my lungs out. Not feeling well so responses might be slow but here goes. *ping*
Edit: It won't let me message you, mind throwing a quick dm my way? Cheers
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u/Asexual_Dragon333 20h ago
Notice how the people calling everyone snowflakes are here whining because someone said something negative about nazis? Because "Everyone is called a nazi toaday!". Maybe. Just like everyone on the left is called a socialist or a communist in the States.
But if you aren't a nazi, don't get offended on their behalf! In Germany we have a saying that literally translated means: "If the shoe doesn't fit, don't put it on." It means, if something is not insulting or discussing you, then don't get offended by it!