----- Original Message ----- From: Leo Casey <leoecasey at yahoo.com> To: <LBO-Talk at lists.panix.com> Sent: Saturday, December 09, 2000 1:58 PM Subject: Re: Douglass In Context
<SNIP>
> I suppose, of the Third Period charge of "social
> fascism." Call this discourse what you want, but the
> terms sectarian, dogmatic and ultra-left seem quite
> accurate descriptors to me.
<SNIP>
Now Leo, don't you think it is tacky that you consider anyone to your left a sectarian lunatic? Just a few weeks ago you were agreeing with me about there being a difference between Gore and Bush, but as soon as I take a position to your left I become the red menace revolutionary rabble-rouser.
I did the research into the Douglass quote to argue that your claim of it was not always reflected in your snotty dismissal of radical politics to your left. Your idea of politics seems to revolve around your grandiouse sense of your own political acumen. People who agree with you or with whom you agree are sensible. People to your left are crackpots destroying the movement.
There are many people to my political left that I do not think are sectarian or crazy. I just disagree with them. You seem to harbor some crumbs of respect for people to your poltical right, but vent spleen on anyone to your political left.
Douglass disagreed with John Brown, but considered him a colleague. If you want to use the quote, you should take the heat from someone pointing out the hypocrisy lurking about. You want struggle, but not its messy roar. Sound familiar?
(and if you use the quote, maybe you should use the accurate quote, not one that has been shown to be wrong.)
:-)
-Chip
p.s. Your red-baiting of me reminded me of Foxman at ADL. He did it in the NYT, though.
p.p.s. Don't like being called a neo-conservative, huh? I don't like being called a sectarian ultra-leftist. Are we even now?
p.p.p.s You didn't say if you liked my haiku...
haiku for struggle
democracy rocks noisy protests in the streets frowns high in rich suites