This Twitter thread was written back in January, but its thoughtful take on punching Nazis is more relevant than ever in light of the events in Charlottesville.
Writer Sarah Gailey’s thoughts concerning Nazi-punching are timeless. Also, practical.
Thread, as pertinent as the day it was posted. https://t.co/NlkQhhDklV
— P Nielsen Hayden (@pnh) August 14, 2017
We all want to run in &punch a nazi, but it’s important to be thoughtful &consider the whole situation before you do something like that. 1/
— Sarah Gailey (@gaileyfrey) January 30, 2017
First, do you have your face covered? You’re CERTAINLY going to wind up on camera somewhere as people applaud you for punching a nazi. 2/
— Sarah Gailey (@gaileyfrey) January 30, 2017
Second, do you have protection for your knuckles? Wrist-wraps are great but in a PINCH you can always wrap a thin scarf over your fist. 3/
— Sarah Gailey (@gaileyfrey) January 30, 2017
Third, do you have a clear escape route? You’ll want to get out of there once you punch the nazi, in case their nazi friends are around. 4/
— Sarah Gailey (@gaileyfrey) January 30, 2017
How’s your stance? Relax the shoulders, bend the knees a little, and put your weight on your back leg. Bounce on the balls of your feet. 5/
— Sarah Gailey (@gaileyfrey) January 30, 2017
Keep your hands up near your face, in case a nazi tooth flies out. Don’t want it to hit you in the eye or anything! Yuck, nazi teeth. 6/
— Sarah Gailey (@gaileyfrey) January 30, 2017
Wind up by rotating your upper body, not by pulling your elbow back. Your thighs and hips are more powerful than your shoulder! 7/
— Sarah Gailey (@gaileyfrey) January 30, 2017
Keep your thumb on the outside of your fist & try to land with your first two knuckles. Broken bones make it hard to punch the next nazi! 8/
— Sarah Gailey (@gaileyfrey) January 30, 2017
A good way to aim your knuckles is to imagine that your thumb is poking out over your fist and you’re gonna jab ’em with your thumbnail. 9/
— Sarah Gailey (@gaileyfrey) January 30, 2017
Guys, don’t punch a nazi.
Punch THROUGH a nazi. Follow-through is critical to power *and* good aim on a knockout punch. 10/— Sarah Gailey (@gaileyfrey) January 30, 2017
Don’t lunge forward when you punch – keep that weight on the back leg, so you don’t overbalance. Snap your hands back to your face FAST. 11/
— Sarah Gailey (@gaileyfrey) January 30, 2017
Consider delivering a quick jab to knock the nazi off-balance before you land your cross or your hook. It’ll help you judge distance! 12/
— Sarah Gailey (@gaileyfrey) January 30, 2017
Remember: your power comes doesn’t come from your shoulder, elbow, or knuckles. It comes from your hips, thighs, and convictions. 13/
— Sarah Gailey (@gaileyfrey) January 30, 2017
Body shots are better than head-shots if you’re nervous or unwrapped! Plus, if you hit the solar plexus, they can’t talk for a while. 14/
— Sarah Gailey (@gaileyfrey) January 30, 2017
There are lots of alternatives to punch a nazi in the face, guys.
There’s the groin, the gut, the throat, the groin again…
15/— Sarah Gailey (@gaileyfrey) January 30, 2017
I hope this helped you see all the different sides of this important issue. Don’t go punching people willy-nilly. Do the right thing.
<fin>— Sarah Gailey (@gaileyfrey) January 30, 2017
Bonus tip: at least where I’m from, lots of boxing gyms are owned by POC. Sign up to practice punching & support local POC-owned businesses!
— Sarah Gailey (@gaileyfrey) January 30, 2017
I know this Twitter thread helped me enormously. I’d like to attend a school run by Sarah Gailey.
absolutely. It’s BYO knives but we’ll provide the rest.
— Sarah Gailey (@gaileyfrey) January 30, 2017
Just the kind of consideration and practical advice I like to hear when it comes to the subject of punching Nazis. Did you think this article was going to go any other way?
Punch every Nazi that you see. Punch their Nazi friends. Rip up their Nazi flags and/or set those flags on fire.
What’s that? You say that you prefer non-violence? “Non-violence is a privilege to those who are not being directly subjected to violence.” Be nonviolent and advocate for nonviolent solutions if you choose, but support the people who are punching Nazis. Because, y’know, the thing about Nazis that many of our family members learned the hard way is that they never stop at one group to vilify, attack, and attempt to eliminate. You might not think those Nazis in Charlottesville are yelling about you when they chant “Blood and soil” and “Jews will not replace us,” but give them time.
Actually, don’t. Punch them right in their Nazi faces and then go treat yourself to something nice, because you’ve earned it.
(via Sarah Gailey on Twitter, image: Marvel Comics)
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