> Doug Henwood wrote:
>
>> The conclusion of Deborah Solomon's obnoxious interview with Noam
>> Chomsky in today's NYT Mag
>> <http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/02/magazine/02QUESTIONS.html>:
>>
>>> [Q] Have you considered leaving the United States permanently?
>>>
>>> [A] No. This is the best country in the world.
>>
> I've found myself in agreement over the years with pretty much
> everything that Chomsky says, but I do not understand this stupid
> pandering to the "Love America or Leave it Crowd." Chomsky should know
> better and he should know that praising America is not going to win
> him any converts among the hardcore right-wingers. This statement also
> flies in the face of Chomsky's body of work, which prove convincingly
> that America is a dangerous rogue state, among many other bad things.
Without having asked Chomsky to clarify his statement-- which, as I've said, is a perfectly reasonable opinion to hold, so I see no reason to ask for 'clarification'-- I'd guess that he feels that this _is_ the best country to live in. Maybe he's happiest living here. Maybe he feels that the Constitution guarantees principles he values. Maybe he feels he has greater freedoms here than elsewhere. Maybe he was being _sarcastic_.
But I am _amazed_ at the melodramatic reactions to this. It's not that it's just a surprising statement; suddenly, it's "stupid pandering to the 'Love America or Leave It Crowd.'" It's not just surprising, it "flies in the face" of Chomsky's work. Really! Could anyone with Chomsky's record of dissent ever _hope_ to pander to that crowd? C'mon, people.
> Why would Chomsky give his critics this kind of ammunition? Now they
> can just say: "Oh, pay no attention to that Chomsky guy. He criticizes
> America, but he must not think that things are that bad because he
> says that America is the best country in the world."
What ammunition? His critics have a field day making stuff up about him anyway.