I understand what you are expressing and my response isn't intended to change your mind.

I personally believe there is room for all sorts of strategies. Zoltan Grossman's essay is worth revisiting.

I also think there is room for all sorts of strategies. But I am concerned that many people have come down with a case (to varying degrees) of nazi fever. Some symptoms include: the heebie jeebies, distractedness, feelings of frustration, anxiety, anger and aggression.

I think there are other things to organize around. I think the idea of a festival of diversity is great. I just think we need to be especially thoughtful and careful about any type of direct reaction to the nazi's.

Anyway, as Steve can surely attest to, we have enough to worry about with the smooth talking and sly caiman populations on the prowl.

In the mid 1980s I was a faculty member at WSU, during the time Richard Butler's Nazis were on campus, in uniform, handing out literature to a surprisingly nonreactive student body. The Nazis said since Reagan was in office the political climate seemed more favorable for them, and at WSU in the 1980s, they might have been right! It later turned out these same Nazis were burning down parts of nearby Lewiston, Idaho and one of them would hang around and tell news crews they witnessed a black man running from the fire with a gasoline can. The Spokesman-Review, a newspaper I highly respect, had a courageous reporter infiltrate these pinheads and he did a superb job exposing them as true terrorists.

During this period (1985), I drew a comic called Brave New Nazis of the Inland Empire (possibly still for sale in the Danger Room, plug, plug). It was actually pretty lame as political cartoons go. Since most of the gags were visual, trying to explain it here won't really work. Here's one line from the comic:

"They don't preach hate, they preach racism, which is a totally different thing. It's like the difference between 30 minutes and half an hour, or between the sayings, 'He's got a screw loose' and 'He's taken a one-way trip on the Cocoa Puff Train.'"

But most of the locals told me I was being suicidal in publishing it and said it had been nice knowing me. It was amazing how a tiny group of morons could have such an impact. I sent a copy to Richard Butler (who lived not far away across the border in Idaho) just as a way of poking him in the eye because we cartoonists are professional jerks (or, as one author said, practice the "ungentlemanly art." Charles Bukowski called underground cartoonists preachers in clown suits). In response, I didn't get overt threats, but I did a series of hang-up calls in the wee hours of the morning for awhile.

In my experience as a cartoonist, oppressive and arrogant political and religious personalities (Yow! Is that redundant or am I just cynical?) fear being laughed at more than being shouted at. Whether it is the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy or the politics of little old McCleary, theocratic and fascistic forces hate being laughed at. The Yippies of the 1960s were on to something here. Humor prevails over evil.

Being shouted at is an affirmation, being laughed at is a denial.

Another thought: When they see people become angered in response to their message, it may only confirm their hateful, violent, and racist intentions.

I think there are more constructive ways to approach their rally than a face-off - confrontation in the streets modality.

I hope that isn't what happens if indeed they do decide to show up for their rally in July.