>I dont understand this kind of response, Doug. Why is
>it that when someone, even someone on the Left,
>criticizes a "Leftist" dictator, the immediate
>response is not to address the criticism but to
>counter with another criticism and thereby avoid any
>real discussion of the criticism? It's a nice
>rhetorical trick but I dont believe that it makes for
>genuine conversation.
>
>Authoritarianism is unacceptable in any system, no
>matter what title ("socialist", "capitalist", etc)
>that it cloaks itself with.
Because our comrade Brad is relentless in his critique of Fidel, but I've never heard him say a word against capitalist authoritarianism.
And I've said many times that I don't like the practice of jailing dissidents and suppressing freedom of speech, but I don't know how any remotely progressive government can defend itself against the U.S. and still respect civil liberties. It's a very profound problem, and critiques of authoritarianism that don't ackonwledge its profundity are evasions of any real discussion too.
Doug