Chomsky News Network

[kelley at pulpculture.org]

At 12:07 PM 5/31/02 -0400, Doug Henwood wrote:
>Nathan Newman wrote:
>
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: <kelley at pulpculture.org>
>>
>>>   How much of this patriotic deep throating does Noam
>>>have to do before he's considered a good American?
>>>
>>>Miles
>>
>>-just to turn the tables: isn't that precisely what goes on here if anyone
>>-says anything in defense of US culture? isn't it the case that you have to
>>-suck the cock and both balls of your fellow lefties and prove you're a real
>>-lefty first, and even then, no matter what you've typed or said or written
>>-in the past, the act of saying it voids everything you've otherwise said?
>>-why promulgate a process built on the same dynamics as patriotism?
>>
>>I usually avoid one-line amens, but
>>
>>Amen, Kelley.
>
>Like Michael McIntyre pointed out, just what consensus you talking about 
>here? There's been a variety of reaction, from Hate America to Love America

whose been on the Love America side, eh?


>  with me having a foot in each camp (and my C&B suspended between?). So 
> what are you Amen'ing exactly?

because this isn't the only issue where it the _process_ comes up. just 
because only a few people do it, this does not obviate the fact that "this 
goes on here". and that people sit idly by and never denounce the practice 
of others is an issue. from now on, i'll name names to avoid this silly 
confusion. (and it speaks loads to some sort of weird process going on here 
that people feel the finger pointed at them doesn't it? heh)

what i'm claiming is that there is a more general process that takes place, 
and that it mirrors the same process re: patriotism. if you'll notice, the 
same process that underlies patriotism is not universally supported by 
everyone in this country, but it is supported by powerful voices who 
imagine themselves to be the gatekeepers of who counts as an american.

kelley