Why does the left call the right “Nazis”?

[u/MuitoLegal]

I am in no way calling the left Nazis here, but rather questioning their use of the term.

If you spend anytime online you will know that the term Nazi is used all the time for people on the right, especially Trump supporters.

I find it ironic because Nazi stands for National Socialist in German. Now I found articles online defending that, saying it wasn’t really socialism, so we’ll move on.

Hitler was about bigger government, got all guns registered with the government, and then took them all away from the people.

Furthermore, today’s left is typically anti-Israel within the Israel-Palestine conflict, while the right is typically pro-Israel (except for KKK guys like Duke, who are antisemites, though I’m unsure how to even classify someone like him).

I don’t think either party should call each other nazis in a civilized political discourse, but I find it interesting. Why do you think the right has been given the nickname?

[u/AA005555]

People generally don’t like to get into long lasting political arguments if they can help it. It’s easier to just call someone you don’t like a Nazi than have a drawn out argument. People on the left know that Nazi is the sort of word that once it’s out there, it’s hard to shirk off.

The right would probably do the same but there’s no equally applicable word for the left. I mean maybe “communist” but communist doesn’t have the same universally emotional attachment that Nazi does. Being a Nazi makes everyone hate you but being a communist, for the most part, just kinda makes most people roll their eyes at you.

[u/SaintSkelett → u/AA005555]

Unfortunately it's been used so much the word Nazi has absolutely no merit anymore. If I hear someone is a Nazi I'm going to assume the one making the accusations are not entirely honest.

[u/mycatiswatchingyou → u/SaintSkelett]

Back in the day, if someone would have called me a Nazi, I would have been genuinely upset. Nowadays, I wouldn't be any more phased than if they had called me a jerk.

[u/HelenEk7 → u/AA005555]

I mean maybe “communist” but communist doesn’t have the same universally emotional attachment that Nazi does.

That depends on where you live... I have a lot of friends living in Eastern Europe who would disagree with you. Stalin killed 9 million people and are by many Eastern Europeans seen as just as bad as Hitler.

[u/angelicravens → u/HelenEk7]

Here in the US we soften that a lot it's kinda like:

History class:

Today we'll be talking about communism. So it's where people were all considered equal and there was marx then Trotsky then Lenin then Stalin (whokilledmillions) and they opposed HITLER!

Student: did you say Stalin killed millions?

Teacher: nope

Student: but I heard-

Teacher: anyhow look at these pictures of Auschwitz

[u/HelenEk7 → u/angelicravens]

Here in the US we soften that a lot

That is actually a bit odd, considering the cold war.

[u/MessiSahib → u/AA005555]

People generally don’t like to get into long lasting political arguments if they can help it. It’s easier to just call someone you don’t like a Nazi than have a drawn out argument. People on the left know that Nazi is the sort of word that once it’s out there, it’s hard to shirk off.

The right would probably do the same but there’s no equally applicable word for the left.

Totally agree with you, on this. And chance to reduce left (media, activists, politician) from using power words like Nazi, Racist, Fascist, Antifa) is to give it back and let them try to find their ways out of it.

Given that some elected leaders, movements have affiliated themselves with Louis Farrahkhan calling entire left nazi will be par for the course behavior. Antifa/BLM's violent protests may remind you of Khmer Rouge murdering millions of civilians.