Pradeep seems to me generally correct here, without the ad hominems. The recent discussion of Cockburn on lbo-talk evinces a sort of antisemite-baiting that polices the bounds of acceptable debate, to avoid the "preoccupation" that a Chomsky shows (or is it a Different Thing with Chomsky?). When one comes to speak of Israel and American policy, one must never be -- as apparently Cockburn and Finkelstein, to their everlasting shame, occasionally are -- "bereft of relevant context." That would be to regard Israel as one would the state of some other racial group. --CGE
On Sat, 23 Mar 2002, pradeep wrote:
> Fucking weak, man. You just reiterated the insinuation, but are too
> fucking spineless to come right out and say it. Like all reactionary
> liberals you can't come out and make an arguement --you instead police
> the left through slandorous insinuations, whispers and sly
> suggestions. This is fucking repulsive. At least I can take comfort in
> being in the same company(in however small a manner) as other
> principled victims. But oh, the way you, de Long and former LBOer Leo
> Casey still manage to pass off your cold war liberalism and
> ideological defense and policing on behalf of empire as being somehow
> of the 'left' speaks volumes about how utterly fucked-up and skewed
> the political spectrum of the US is--spanning the whole vast gambit
> from far right to loony right. That an idiot like you Max, would read
> "an obsession with the Yids"(!) everytime a serious criticism of
> Israel was proffered --and on this list they've all been from an
> unambigously principled left perspective-- shows not only how in good
> working order your left-liberal politically-correct relfexes are, but
> also how utterly serviceable they are in defending the ruling
> ideological consensus. You may be an invertebrate Max, but you're also
> a fucking cop.
>
> Now the question remains why the actual leftist in this thread --John
> Mage, C.G.Estabrook, Justin S, joanna bujes-- who should have known
> better, didnt even notice(!?) or see fit to comment on Max' use of
> what is perhaps one of the most slimy underhanded means of silencing
> desperately needed discussion of Israel's (and by extension America's)
> racist terror and ethnic cleansing campaign against Palestenians.
> Hell, John Mage actually thought that Max was joking! Bizarre! Well
> now that he knows, will he stand by his earlier assertion that Max
> would be an idiot if his repulsive insinuations were meant sincerely?
> This is not a mere academic point. The use of these underhanded means
> of slandering those who would criticize Israel is perhaps THE reason
> for the utterly scandalous silence of the left --the American left in
> particular-- over the last thirty years.It has meant not only an
> almost complete absence of solidarity from the US left, but even at
> times actual contempt for the victims. And obviously this well worn
> method works -- witness the weak-minded and ever-clueless Chip Berlet
> propagating what was at first mere insinuation and suggestion as given
> fact! Nebbich!
>
> -pradeep
>
>