mattheus wrote: ↑5 Aug 2021, 2:08pm
pwa wrote: ↑5 Aug 2021, 10:50am
mattheus wrote: ↑3 Aug 2021, 12:25pm
(but isn't it absurd that a climate protestor delaying a train gets bracketed with someone killing random strangers who don't agree with their religion! )
Yes, more than a little OTT. But both are extreme in their views or tactics, in relation to the norm, so I have no problem with thinking of a climate emergency protestor who climbs onto the roof of a tube train as an "extremist", so long as "extremist" is not taken to mean "terrorist". Confusion comes from equating Terrorism and Extremism. In my own way of looking at things, all Terrorists (as I define them, not as others do) are Extremists, but not all Extremists are Terrorists. And ( also my own personal take on it), whilst most Extremists are wrong, every now and again some will be right.
Hmmm, do these statements hang together? Is a climate protestor wrong if he/she uses
tactics that are extreme in relation to the norm?
Whilst someone who believes in subjugating women/jews/blacks is "moderate" as long as they just parade with a sign, and don't delay anyone's commute?
Forgive me if I've twisted your words.
I suppose I'm a little biased as I tend to side with climate protestors, no matter how they protest - especially as they rarely kill, maim or enslave anyone!
Strictly speaking, someone who is "extremist" could be right or wrong. It is simply being far removed from the norm that makes them extremist.
If we take racist views as an example, within Apartheid South Africa in, say, the 1980s, having racist views was the norm within the dominant white community, and therefore not "extremist" as seen from their standpoint. But that didn't make it right.
Looking at the very different example of climate change protestors, I agree that the "extremists" among them are much less of a worry than extremists who use violence. Whether their tactics are good is another discussion altogether.
What I am trying to put over is the notion that the word "extremist" means "far removed from the norm", and people who fall into that category are usually a bit of a worry to others because they rock the boat. But the word "extremist" on its own does not tell you whether they are right or wrong.