I dearly hope people can put aside their partisan qualms and unreservedly denounce this rally as the hateful gathering of white nationalists it was. These people did not come to protest the removal of a statue. They held a celebration of violence, as evident in their words and deeds.

But I cannot in good conscience unreservedly praise the resistance. They must be held to the highest possible standard. Until they can claim to be free of all provocation against even the most despicable of fascist agitators, they cannot show to all observers, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that they represent what is right. Even the unprovoked murder of the innocent will be cast in doubt if a single punch is thrown unjustly.

Fascism thrives in violence. Their ideology depends on finding a scapegoat they can use to excuse their dismal assessment of the nature of humanity. We have to make finding that scapegoat as difficult as possible. We have to show up to wherever hatred is spread and be the tolerance they fear until the only scapegoat they can find is themselves.