Thinking today about Richard Spencer getting punched (elbowed?) it dawned on me that this strike was brilliant for the simple reason that Spencer and his ilk position him/themselves as strong. The impressionable people, mostly young, whom they try to recruit are likely feeling isolated and powerless, you know, like most of us are made to feel by capitalism and the state.

It is the image of a position of power and strength that Spencer is selling to young disaffected people. He is saying, "join this cause, with other people like you, and together we will be strong." (Which quite literally stems from the root definition of fascism). Of course, there is nothing wrong with finding likeminded souls out there in this crazy world, but Spencer's unity offers false solutions to false problems, blaming the dissatisfaction and powerlessness one feels on non-white, non-male people mucking up civilization.

Punching him on camera completely dismantles this mystique. His work to present himself as an alpha paragon to be aspired to is now ten times harder, because, "Arent you that guy who got punched in that internet meme?"

Further, the hierarchical nature of alt-right organizations and Spencer's seat at the top of such an organization means it can be quite easy to demoralize the entire unit. Everyone subordinate to him in his organization was essentially just punked. Its a going to be a lot harder for them to sell their organization to young people as a pathway to increased personal power.

So to our mysterious puncher, kudos! And to anyone out there who gets the chance, punch him again. Maybe throw a poke-ball down on the ground afterwards for maximum memitude.

A lot of people will claim this action was bad because it legitimizes and victimizes fascists, but what I've seen from looking at some r/politics threads on the event is general praise for it and calls for bashing the fash, the first time I've ever seen something like that from liberals. I've even seen some praise for the black bloc, albeit sparse, which is something I never thought I would see.

TL;DR: Punching nazis is effective.

When the camera zooms in on him afterwards, he looks like he's crying as well. Definitely dismantles the "alpha warrior of the white race" image he tries to project.

Yup.

This is a major component of why violence works against fascists. Their ideologies are intentionally incoherent, they're not about a claim to factually represent the world but rather supposed to serve as flags with which you might identify to gain power. Deny them the trappings of power, shatter their illusion of power, and you deny them their appeal.

This is so true, great post.

The reactionaries have a narrative of themselves as virile and strong, and the people who join them do so because they don't feel that way on their own, and, by joining, they are able to. By showing them as targeted, vulnerable, and weak more so than they have ever been before precisely because they have joined that group it bursts one of the central bubbles they are organizing around. It takes away the luster and charm of the identity that membership in their little racist group conferred on them.

Targeting and humiliating them, especially their leaders, is a brilliant and perfect response to reactionary organizing. It cuts right at the root of the psychological rewards that disaffected people get for joining them. It subverts the entire thing, taking it from a group that empowers them and makes them feel strong, safe and important, to a group that connects them to humiliation and makes them feel disappointed, weak, and more at risk than ever.

These reactionary leaders are meme bubbles. Popping them like this leaves them and their supporters deflated.

If you're going to do it, make sure they are actually fascists. No mistakes.

Strong leadership is an organizational weakness, and we just poked it.

Exactly. There are people who are attracted to the concept of strength, in it's most basic, animalistic form. In the face of a left wing that allows itself to be ridiculed nonstop, these people who would otherwise attach themselves to left-wing values see themselves unable to associate with a cause he sees as humiliating. And so the alternative is fascism.

Therefore we must offer these people a humane alternative, that projects strength and doesn't take ridicule without a response.

I'm reminded of some footage I saw of one guy wearing a MAGA hat going up to the face of many chanting protesters and shoving his middle finger to their faces one by one. And the protesters let him do it, all while mindlessly chanting the same meaningless words. Some people see this and get utterly repulsed by leftist values, and these same people would not be as repulsed if one of the protesters threw an elbow to the guy's face in self defense.

We must detect these moments where people are blatantly taking advantage of the left's wimpyness and make a statement to onlookers that the left is not gonna take it sitting down anymore.

Yup. Here's my question: How do we prepare for the violent blow back?

I've accepted that political violence is on the ascent. I also believe that, tactically, anarchists and leftist are going to need to square its use within a broader strategy of resistance. But I don't naturally gravitate to violence. I've never thrown, or more importantly, taken a punch. Been tackled and handcuffed plenty, I also like to think I live a lifestyle that keeps me pretty tough. But what about the fact that I just don't like violence. You got any ideas short of "join a fight club."?