I should note that despite the intensity of my words in my OP, I'm not saying we need to advocate extreme violence in retaliation, but that we would be fools to assume that we can somehow resolve the whole problem through only peaceful methods.

Peaceful options only work if the other side is willing to be reasonable and actually listen, or at absolute bare minimum are willing to care about their image as decent civilized people. It's far far less effective against people who have demonstrated themselves to be irrational, selfish, ego-maniacal, narcissistic, and overall downright monstrous in their mindset and behavior, and who want that mindset to be accepted and normalized so they can keep on causing pain and destruction to their enemies with no repercussions.

You can claim that understanding them is important (and it is, even if only to at least figure out what the reasoning behind their behavior is), but if the alt-right/Nazis ultimately refuses to change their minds or actively goes out of their way to undermine and manipulate the situation to ensure that their beliefs remain unchallenged,, while actively trying to make the ideals of equality, justice, and democracy look foolish/awful or try to justify authoritarian ideals that only benefit themselves, then you might as well not even have said anything to them.

And frankly I have every right to be worried about being trampled on. I'm part of a minority and a liberal, even if I'm not in as much of a tenuous position as people with darker skin colors, those who identify as LGBT, and especially immigrants. The sheer irrational hatred directed in our general direction combined with the apathy and willing enabling of such behavior by the GOP SHOULD worry any sane person, and to claim that my fear is somehow irrelevant, or in your case is patronized and condescended towards is incredibly insulting.

We need to be ready to fight, because otherwise we are only ensuring that the Nazis/wannabes/alt-right will win if we aren't.