I am not really a big fan of Nazis in any capacity, whether it is the old kind or the “neo” kind.
But I will fight to the death for their first amendment right to express their beliefs – no matter how offensive they may be.
Brian Levin, a former NYPD officer, while discussing the issue on Fox News, agreed – you cannot deny someone the right to make a public statement, even if it is likely to offend.
Jack Ford, the mayor of Toledo, also defended the Nazis’ right to march.
Even though I have been accused of having Nazi ties after some previous columns ruffled feathers, I can safely say that white supremacists really are not my favorite people.
We all learn, hopefully somewhat early in life, that not everything we say and do will be met with the approval and acceptance of others.
Along the same lines, we can hardly expect everyone else to cater to our own insecurities and potential to become offended, and strip themselves of their own freedom of speech.
With that said, I have a dream – that people will learn how to solve their problems without rioting.
The moral of the story is this: you catch more flies with honey. In other words, you accomplish more social change by not rioting, and instead making positive changes.
The people who disapproved of the white supremacists making a trip to Toledo did themselves no favors whatsoever by engaging in the sort of behavior they participated in.
Most people will not empathize with white supremacists.
But in this case, I doubt many people are empathizing with the rioters.
If the goal was to rebel against white supremacy, I am fairly certain they lost. There are better ways of getting a point across than throwing rocks through ambulance windshields and setting buildings on fire!
It is highly likely the image of Toledo was not a high priority when the anti-neo-Nazi rebellion was planned. But now, yet another negative vision of Ohio is planted on the front pages of newspapers and news crews are all here, reporting on the city that was still under a state of emergency 24 hours after the rioting ended.
As of this writing, things seem to be relatively peaceful. But after Saturday, it is almost guaranteed that the tensions will be ingrained in the neighborhood and virtually unavoidable.
Until the event occurred, I am sure most of us were unaware of what the white supremacists had planned.
The neo-Nazis planned a march through a largely African American neighborhood in Toledo because of a dispute between two neighbors – one white and one black, and to make their point that gang violence is a problem. The event was ended shortly after violence broke out.
How did the dissenting population respond?
With violence!
It is possible that the white supremacists fully expected this reaction from their planned march in Toledo.
Unfortunately, if that was their plan, they elicited the reaction they desired. Their point was proven with barely any effort on their part.
The white supremacists made their way out of the whole affair relatively scot-free, no matter what their nefarious plans were.
When they were asked to leave, they departed. No rioting. In reality, it was the law enforcement and innocent people who were in danger.
One bystander who was interviewed on Fox said it was not the police running after the rioters, but the rioters running after the police. One female police officer was hit in the head with a rock, and several other members of law enforcement were injured.
It is tragic to think that less than two dozen white supremacist protesters could cause a riot of about 600 people in one neighborhood. In the end, 114 people were arrested and it took four hours to restore order.
Many feel the white supremacists had no right to be there, or to demonstrate as they did, and that it was a weakness of law enforcement to even allow them into the area.
It is wise to remember that in this country, under the First Amendment, no matter how offensive or misguided people might be, the law dictates that they too have a right to express their point of view in public.
Send comments to Danielle at [email protected]
‘#160;
‘#160;
Related:
