[lbo-talk] The Liberal Morality: Shutm on Atrocities

[Sheldon Baker]

On Mon, Dec 29, 2008 at 10:02 AM, Eric Beck <ersatzdog at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Exactly. This is Chomsky's shtick too, to say that somehow the blood
> of Palestinians' is on the hands of janitors and nurses and university
> professors who happen to live in the United States. Apparently we're
> supposed to feel guilt or shame over this. I say it's idiotic and an
> expression of orthodox Methodism (the religious sect, not the acting
> technique) rather than of politics.

Does Chomsky actually say that we the janitors, nurses, or unv. profs are
guilty and have blood on our hands?  Do you have a quote?

Saw a quote on Z-Net once that said something to the effect "In a democracy,
not all are guilty, but all are responsible."

Seems to me that in a general sense we have a responsibility as citizens and
human beings to put together a movement to change the status quo.  How to be
successful at that endeavor is not a simple thing to do.  Some of us do the
best that we can with the resources we have at hand, and thats all an
individual can really do, isn't it?  If we can do very little that is
effective at the present historical moment, that doesn't really imply that
"we have blood on our hands" does it?

For example, Doug through his radio show does more to educate and
motivate more people to action than most of us ever could.  Can't
really blame him for not doing more, or for not being successful.  Most
nurses or janitors out there don't have a radio show or a lecture hall as a
platform, nor do they have good institutional structures at present to
support their political action.

And to what extent can we blame people for just being ignorant, when the
forces promoting their ignorance are so much more powerful?