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The BIG Reason

Music, opinions, and portfolio of Mark Eagleton, musician and web developer in Northern CA.

Nazis fuck off
1983 called and wants their Dead Kennedys 7" back. (I actually fully agree with the sentiment of this sign.) Photo by Kris Hooks ‏(@Captain_Hooks) of SN&R

Red And Black And White All Over

I “watched” (from Twitter) as Anti-Fascist (ANTIFA) and Traditionalist Youth Network (TYN) clashed on the capital steps of Sacramento yesterday in an childish display of sticks and stones and breaking bones and lots of name calling. Both sides are claiming victory.

As a progressive, socialist, feminist who abhors the oppression of minority groups in the name of preserving patriarchal white cis-gendered privilege, nothing is more offensive to me than stifling speech. Yes, even disgusting, racist hate speech1.

Throwing rocks at bad ideas only bolsters solidarity among the opposition. Bad ideas are destroyed by good ideas. By swaying public opinion with well-reasoned arguments, demonstrable facts, and predicting outcomes, you embarrass those with bad ideas. Nothing motivates the social human species more effectively than the possibility of embarrassment or being ostracized. These things can only happen with the free exchange of ideas.

Consider this a condemnation of the actions of ANTIFA, as well as the ideals of TYN/TWP from a leftist, liberal, socialist, pro-globalization, cis-gendered, strait white dude.


  1. A demonstration on the capital steps where all citizens have an equal platform is speech. Threateing violence is harrasment. What happened yesterday was terrorism. ↩