I had read that article as soon as it was made available. I believe that I already drew the relevant distinction in a previous post: he thinks that some leftists are unable to see the existence of the positive aspects of American political culture because of their ideological blinders; not that leftists disdain the social justice etc. -- Luke
---But wasn't the onus on Alterman to provide us with names of representative leftists who possess this inability to appreciate positive aspects of American political culture. About whom could he make this claim? Maybe Ward Churchill, ok. But then again, who has discussed his long tortuous treatise that janitors, flight attendants, messengers, etc. etc. deserved to die at the WTC/P/P attacks? Nowhere have I seen it entertained seriuosly.
What Alterman states has no relevance to the writings of Chomsky, who makes frequent refernce to the value of civil liberties, etc. Zinn? Zinn, for heavens sake risked his life how many times in situatins that writeres like c.h would never put themselves in during WW2. So, re: Zinn, Alterman's writing is Not at all relevant, and surely ALterman has to recognise this. Since these two were most heavily targeted by writes like c.h , to whom else could Alterman have been referring to as the 'hate America left'? This is what is missing from Alterman's article and what makes his thesis much weaker as a result.
Steve
Stephen Philion Lecturer/PhD Candidate Department of Sociology 2424 Maile Way Social Sciences Bldg. # 247 Honolulu, HI 96822