[lbo-talk] A 'Progressive Conference'

[Thomas Wheeler]

<<From: Chris Doss
Maybe I'm mistaken, but I think a lot of the US left tends to be
big on moralizing and short and facts. Moralizaing's all well and
good, but be sure you know what you're talking about first. (Are
you listening, Counterpunch?)>>

I don't think this sort of generalization holds up. Compare books
from lefties like Chomsky, Blum, Parenti, Solomon and others with
the emphasis on facts, statistics and lots of footnotes with
books from Ann Coulter and Bill Bennett. Listen to right-wing
radio. This is not to deny there is some smug moralizing among
some segments of the left. But I think it is a significant
portion of the US right that tends to be big on it.

Here's what film critic Roger Ebert said recently: "When I write
a political column for the Chicago Sun-Times, when liberals
disagree with me, they send in long, logical e-mails explaining
all my errors. I hardly ever get well-reasoned articles from the
right. People just tell me to shut up. That's the message: 'Shut
up. Don't write anymore about this. Who do you think you are?'"

Tom