[lbo-talk] Fidel drops in

[Nathan Newman]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Doug Henwood" <dhenwood at panix.com>
>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.

Substitute the words "terrorism" for the "U.S." and you have the Ashcroft
position on civil liberties.

The idea that civil liberties are the enemy of security is the trope of
authoritarians everywhere.  That Cuba (or the U.S.) is made more secure by
jailing dissidents is just a false argument, only true if you believe that
the majority of the population is so insecure in their loyalties that
hearing an alternative view will undermine support.  But in that case, the
dissidents viewpoints are so correct that their suppression is even less
justified.

-- Nathan Newman