Racists and Jihadis both have the right of free speech

Let us start with the Left.

The streets of Melbourne have borne witness to a series of childish obscenities whereby racists and neo-fascist demonstrators have been confronted by a coalition of left wing groups, largely Trotskyite and anarchist in composition, which have led to pitched battles between the two of them and the police.

A racist grouping, consisting of a neo-fascist presence, known as "Reclaim Australia," have organised to stage rallies across Australia claiming that Australia is undergoing a creeping Islamisation, among a number of other comically pathetic claims.

The real purpose behind these protests is the restoration of a racist, thoroughly socially conservative, white Australia that history has long passed by.

As noted a Left wing coalition was formed to organise counter rallies whenever the racist and neo-fascists gathered.

I attended one of the first planning meetings of the counter movement, and as it became clear to me that the purpose of the counter movement was to use force to break up the racist and neo-fascist protestors I withdrew my participation.

Why?

Because it is contrary to the principle of free speech to use force to set the bounds of permissible discourse in society.

Even racists, indeed neo-fascists, have the right to rally so long as they are only peacefully spewing their putrid bile.

It is said, to the contrary, that racist groups engage in violent acts, that indeed such acts of violence are an intrinsic part of their modus operandi and so these groups need to be confronted whenever they publicly emerge and gather.

Although it is indeed true that the neo-fascist component of the Reclaim Australia movement exhibits a cult of violence this still would not give one the right to use violence against them when such groups either alone or in coalition with more moderate racists peacefully rally with the intent only to air their views.

The same principle applies to the 1% motorcycle clubs that have, in my view justly, staged protests across Australia against various state government anti association laws and bills. Despite the fact that violence is an intrinsic part of the modus operandi of these biker clubs nobody on the Left has argued that they should be forcefully prevented from airing their views on laws or proposed legislation which affect them. Certainly none have attacked them when doing so.