Why it's (not) ok to punch Nazis.

Something that bothers me is the approbation of violence against members of society (an example of this is "it's ok to punch Nazis"). No civil society can long survive, never mind thrive, when such utter disregard for the rules of justice and human association exists.

Any society necessarily rests on deliberation. So long as at least two individuals must interact, there must be some deliberation. When one individual (or group) can be simply cut out of the bonds of human association that bind us to each other, deliberation becomes impossible. And without deliberation, civil society ceases to be.

The ability to have serious and unconformable conversations is necessary for any form of advancement. If we avoid these conversations, either by threatening those who start them with violence or by staying quiet because of the threat of violence, then no society can move beyond that Hobbesian jungle that lingers like an unseen spectre at the corners of our vision.

Violence against an individual or group of individuals is not justified except under the strictest of circumstances, and even then never unless the laws of justice were first violated. And even then only a proprietary level of retaliation is acceptable.

See, humans have this tendency to do "mission creep." Violence against one segment of society would not stop there. "It's ok to punch Nazis" will very quickly become "You should be hanged for treason for advocating free trade" (a specific threat that has been made against me) or "gays should be stoned."

In the name of civilisation, we must reject violence against certain members of society. It does not matter how "hate-filled" or whatever other justification one wishes to use. We cannot sever the bonds of human association, we cannot destroy those pillars of justice, and not expect the whole construction of civilisation to not come crumbling down.