Margaret wrote:
>
> 1) It's self-destructive to quote Mao about power
> coming from the barrel of a gun when it's the other
> side that has all the guns.
"Better a socialist train late than a capitalist train on time" --Mao
>
>
> 2) What you should do in any situation depends on what
> you want.
Not so easy. What if you have different wants that conflict? What about Akrasia and weakness of the will? How do you abjudicate between the conflict of values?
>
>
> If you want to Create Real Change, then you don't spit
> on the flag, and you don't bad-mouth the Constitution,
> motherhood, or apple pie. Because if you do, it turns
> off all the people whom you'd better have on your side
> if you want real change.
Better to lie to them about your politics. That's o.k. if you want to start a Stalinist movement but not good for much else.
> They close their ears and
> their hearts, and you've just effed yourself.
People who close their ears and hearts to the truth don't deserve a better society.
>
>
> On the other hand, if you only want to Make A Political
> Statement without regard to practical consequences,
> then you can do whatever you like. Effing oneself may
> be physically impossible, but the left routinely do it
> politically. Whence the mess we're in now.
o.k. but what about statement 1? They do have more guns literally and figuratively.
>
>
> Personally, I'm all for Real Change, me, and Real
> Socialism [and therefore take great exception to your
> characterisation of me as 'left-liberal' :-[.
>
> So, as far as I'm concerned, the Constitution is a
> hallowed mandate for fairness and social justice
Hallowed? Check out Michael Parenti's work on the "Founding Fathers".
> that
> the Arschlöcher in power today are subverting the Rat's
> Backside out of.
That would pass for wit in Wichita.
> It's shameful, un-American, and
> life will continue to degrade til they're made to stop.
Whoa! Un-american! Now that's got to be the ugliest epithet you can hurl at someone. What about all those of us who are *really* un-American? I'm Canadian. Its a pity that American politics is so important vis-a-vis world politics. The lives of millions of people hang the balance of what fucken' idiots like Al Gore or Robert Rubin say and do. By implication, the lives of millions depend on what Joe and Jane out in cracker America do in the way of politics. Unfortunately, all of us un-Americans have to study the dim, dull and silly world that is American politics and political culture.
Sam Pawlett