Point, Counter Point - An editorial by Rob O'Sullivan

From your point of view, my editorials read as one, hopefully legible, piece. From my point of view they look more like a Tarantino film than a straight article, in that it’s a non-consecutive Frankenstein piece of different ideas from different times. From when one issue is published to the next, I’ll make notes on what I might talk about, maybe even write it wholly before we get back to the editorial process for the following issue. Then I’ll read the rest of the paper over about 5 times; this includes the most relevant articles to my editorial: the other editorials. Namely, Chris’ editorial. Despite being friends & working together, Chris and I usually have completely different viewpoints on the same issues, which typically leads to an interesting dynamic in this section. Why am I wasting half my space on this? To acknowledge the privilege I have in being able to reflect on Chris’ pieces before submitting my final draft.So here’s the big, mad, statement: it’s totally okay to punch a Nazi. A year ago I’d be stumped as to why I needed to say that, because surely everyone’s read a history book, or at least seen the first Captain America film. On January 20th, neo-Nazi- sorry, alt-right wunderkind Richard Spencer was punched by an anonymous passer-by. Before this, I hadn’t heard of Spencer, I’ll be honest. But having read into him, and his past, I genuinely cannot understand why someone could believe it’s not okay to give him a clip ‘round the ear.Spencer, supposed originator of the term ‘Alt-Right’, has openly utilised Nazi imagery & terms, whether it was when he told those listening to “Hail Trump, hail our people, hail victory!" or when he referred to Trump’s victory as a "the victory of will," knowing use of these terms in the context of a world where the US halts immigration based on religion or ethnic status (on Holocaust Remembrance Day, by the way) is simply not acceptable.This isn’t about whether it’s okay to punch someone whom you disagree with, or who has a different view point, but whether it’s okay to punch someone who regularly calls for ethnic cleansing. And the answer to that question is yes; yes it fucking is.