Mandela on the HNP

I don't want them banned; I want them destroyed.

Nelson Mandela on the HNP

I cannot find a source for this quotation on the internet, but I remember being very struck by hearing it at the time. It's a distinction that is useful and needs to be bruited abroad. The point being that destroying something is not something-more-severe-than-banning it; it's something altogether different. There was never anything to be gained by banning the HNP, but everything to be gained by organising matters in such a way that it doesn't exist.

An understanding of Mandela's thinking lies behand the staunch commitment of many atheists to religious toleration. I don't want religion banned; i want it destroyed. If we knew how to destroy it i would, but—since i don't—i want to live in harmony with people in the grip of religious errors until some such time as we do, and that means tolerating religion. And we should do it with good grace. There is absolutely no point in picking fights unless you know how to win them.

Come to think of it, there is a similar point to be made about Hate Speech. We want it stopped. Is banning it a good idea? We have banned it, of course, but what then happens is that we get side-tracked into questions of whether or not a particular speech act is a piece of Hate Speech within the meaning of the act. We concentrate on means rather than ends. But perhaps it's a good idea really... after all, public opinion can be led by legislation. Sometimes! (It seemed to work with drink-driving ...)

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