@realcaseyrollins Yes. The Allegory of the Cave in action.

@isolategab While true, that's how exposure works, right? Just like mold, racism grows quite well when it's in the dark, covered up and hidden away.

It's just as disgusting as it is when it's revealed. But hiding it didn't make the racism grow away, rather it caused it to fester.

I suppose the real question is, do you want racist people to stop being racist? If you do, you're going to have to communicate with them in some form or another.

@realcaseyrollins Not sure "federation" is the equivalent of "sunlight" in the Brandies quote "Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants; electric light the most efficient policeman.”

Sure the generally unmoderated Gab NAZI "14 words" groups, the unmoderated antisemitism, the umoderated anti-Gay speech, anti-trans and white nationalist content in Gab-island should be shown and rejected.

But you can do that by simply posting screenshots in a responsibly moderated instance posted with CW showing clear rejection of such trash fire content.

But choosing to *Federate* such speech as is -- isn't doing that. It is *amplifying* it. Opening up a channel to spread it's social reach.

@isolategab This is the whole point...sure you can make screenshots to your hearts content, but since the racists don't see your discussions explaining how wrong they are and condemning the hatred...since the instances you are likely referring to have probably banned Gab...there's no way that they will see what you say, this, you're not enacting any change, just talking with non-racists about how bad racism is, while racists keep unconfrontedly self-confirming.

@realcaseyrollins Silencing or blocking instances only makes it so those outside the block are not federating.... But those on instances who are blocked still DO get to see out.

(It's not two way)

So to this: "racists don't see your discussions explaining how wrong they are and condemning the hatred" isn't true as actully even when an instance is silenced, or blocked from federation out, they still SEE the larger Fediverse.

In terms of interacting, that can still happen without federating, too. Either by silencing-only, or simply by blocking, and then those who think that has a chance of being productive, venturing into Gab-island.

See this: https://medium.com/@maloki/on-mastodon-and-nazis-11dcaba3f481

@alyx Hmm. Well they actually are human beings. That means that their minds can be changed.

How will their minds be changed? Surely not by talking exclusively with other racists.

@realcaseyrollins
I don't think that the people who advocate to segregate the wrong thinkers actually want to change their minds and make them not racist.

I get the feeling that they want to have an eternal boogie man with which to scare people into submission. Like how certain Christian sects use the threat of Satan and hell to traumatise people into following the religion.

@alyx

Those "Christian sects" also oftentimes use apologetics to prove the veracity of the Bible but that might be a conversation for later in the thread.

I suppose the question then is why do people who want to silence racists want them to keep being racist?

@realcaseyrollins
Because what they really want is power. At some point they've noticed that screaming "racist" loud enough granted them power to exclude people, to shut down events, to close platforms etc.
And because they love the power, they can't have it that racism doesn't exist anymore.
Also, changing a racist's mind doesn't give them the same rush of power like having control over a racist's life does.

In time this thirst for power will transform in a desire for an authoritarian rule. Which is where fear and hate mongering usually comes in. Basically, imagine a Hitler that instead of inciting hate towards Jews, he used "racists" instead to gain support.