‘Frontier justice’ is not the answer

By Medicine Hat News Opinon on August 16, 2017.

There is no room for “frontier justice” in any form in a civil society safeguarded by laws and statutes. It is never permissible, for example, to go up to someone in the street and punch them in the mouth because you disagree with their opinions. Most in society would likely recognize the sense of this proposition.

But what if the person on the street is a neo-Nazi?

This is what many in Charlottesville who came out to counter-protest at an alt-right, KKK and neo-Nazi rally faced in that community last weekend.

Let’s be perfectly clear: Those who espouse racial hatred, bigotry or white supremacy in any form must be unequivocally condemned by all of good will and healthy moral outlook. There is no possible situation where any of these groups or individuals can be vindicated or championed for their loathsome views.

But since when is it permissible to go up and assault a person, or commit any violence against them, just because you disagree strongly with their opinions? Taken to the extreme, that road leads to what happened in Charlottesville when a neo-Nazi allegedly plunged his car into a crowd killing an innocent woman and wounding 19 others at a peaceful, counter-racism, street march.

If such things are permissible there can be no law, no justice and no protections from violations of your fundamental rights by others. In Canada we have hate speech laws in place, and such matters should be handed over to the police to deal with. So take a video. Assaulting such individuals physically will not change their minds or bring anything to the situation except more violence.

Obviously it is important to confront such hateful groups and individuals loudly and passionately when they seek to spew their poison in public, but do so lawfully. Holding up signs, shouting and making your disagreement known are important tools to ensure such groups never feel legitimized. There is a line once crossed however, which can turn the moral high ground into a sinking morass which is morally equivalent to those who you claim to oppose. It does not matter what you assault or murder in the name of. It is still assault and murder.

Frontier justice has never been acceptable in Canada. Established laws enforced by our duly appointed police officers are what bind and protect us all as a society. To allow any flexibility on that principle, to any group or individual, is to invite anarchy, chaos and death.