: : surely moderation versus extremism? : Erm, no, you can be a moderate racist, who just doesn't like Black people, don't have to beat them up to be racist. I know a lot of racists, some are just confused, otehrs are idiots, none of them would attack anyone. but they are still racists, and they *know* its unnacceptable.
I'm sorry I'm not clear here. You haven't, it seems to me explained why their views aren't legitimate (your word not mine). TO compund this you then state that they *know* that they hold a view point that is unacceptable. Unacceptable in what way? to you? to society in general? Provided that they don't break the law (and let's face it, an eighty-five year old great grandmother is unlikely to go round starting rumbles in the street) then I stongly believe they may be allowed to hold that point of view.
: Try this way- the IRA at Inniskillen (sp?) said 'whoops, sorry, wrong targets' and were rightly derided. Britain says in kosova 'whooops, sorry, wrong targets', not a murmur. Some very mild mannered people will tolerate extremes of violence enacted by states.
So what you are saying is that people disagreeing with your point become morally weak in some way, and shouldn't be allowed to hold htese views in our state. I just seem t have lost the thread here...
: but, I should return to your main point, racism is not an extremity of nationalism, you can have advocates of violence in most causes. remember- everyone is an extremist, everyone who has a view holds it extremely, and will be prepared to see people die for that view- extremist is just a word used to describe a small number of people who hold a strong and out-line view.
I think this is more guff. I'm sensing some suggestion of original sin, we are all guilty of hatred in some form or another, and this expresses itself either in action or in inaction. And you haven't addressed my original point, which is that a view, which you disagree strongly is "not legitimate". I want to know who decides..
:racism is not an extremity of nationalism
: Exactly, and many more respectable people- often bound in with older ideas of national identity and empire...
So which is it?
Scrooge
