The morning mail can always be guaranteed to bring something out of the fever swamps. This one calls itself libertarian. But it shows every sign of a Stalinist disposition, down to the puerile and quasi-racist invective. I’ll parse it after I’ve had breakfast. Just a small sample of the abuse you get for pouring yourself near full time into enlightening people and supporting unpopular positions…when they are unpopular. This one doesn’t even write me a mail under his own name. And so far, his contribution to libertarianism seems to be confined to writing apoplectic email. Hmmm. I am usually less annoyed by such things. I really should go and get some coffee…
“It seems that your beloved barefoot snowbilly from Wasilla has not quite made it through “The Language of Empire” http://www.antiwar.com/blog/2009/09/07/from-the-people-and-sarah-palin-who-brought-us-the-iraq-war/ Do you still defend this vile, statist thug? Will I STILL see more stupid LRC posts in the near future? I have a question. If I asked you to choose a position on the the Socialist-Corporatist TARP Program (I call it the TARD program, for obvious reasons), would your position be closest to… A) “This whole situation is a perfect demonstration of why “doing nothing” and letting failing companies fail would have been much better than sinking valuable money and resources into them.” or B) “inaction is not an option we have got to shore up our economy… ultimately what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the healthcare reform that is needed to help shore up our economy um helping the… oh – its gotta be all about job creation too – shoring up our economy and putting it back on the right track. So healthcare reform and reducing taxes and reigning in spending has got to accompany tax reductions and tax relief for Americans and trade we’ve got to see trade as opportunity not as competitive um scary thing but one in five jobs being created in the trade sector today we we’ve got to look at that as more opportunity – all those things under the umbrella of job creation – this bailout is a part of that.” I will give you a hint. The first statement was made by a principled Libertarian, and the second statement was made by an idiot. What if that idiot also “managed a 6 percent increase in part of the state’s budget, as well as being responsible for a windfall tax on oil companies—much like that proposed by Democrats” and gave their state “some of the highest resource taxes in the world”? Do you still defend this vile, statist thug?”
My Comment:
First. Nowhere have I written that I support Sarah Palin’s positions. I’ve clearly stated “I am no fan of hers”. I thought she was unqualified…besides having some criticisms of her personal choices that may or may not be relevant to her candidacy as Vice-President. As a long-time (since 1991) antiwar activist, I obviously don’t support her pro-war position. But let’s see, exactly who were the choices? McCain, Biden, Obama…yes , wow, a bunch of peaceniks, all. I supported only one person this time around – that’s Ron Paul. In 2004, I supported any third party candidate, including Nader. Not because of lack of principle, or because I agree with all of Nader’s positions, but on the principle of support for any one opposed to the status quo. I stand by those positions.
I was opposed to the war in Yugoslavia, when many people thought it was a good war. I opposed the First Gulf War and the Second, as well as the sanctions, when hardly anyone talked about them (in 1995). I’ve signed petitions/letters in support of people as different in their politics as Norman Finkelstein and Ward Churchill, on one hand, and Hans Hoppe on the other. I’ve written in support of Jerry Falwell when he was attacked personally. I also defended Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and Sonia Gandhi when they were attacked personally. And, I defended Sarah Palin. No candidate for public office (or anyone else) for that matter, deserves to be trashed personally in such a racial, sexual, and classist way.
Demonizing them as though they were each a mini-Attila the Hun is an exercise in silliness. These politicians are run-of-the-mill people, no worse nor better than those around them. I will bet “principled libertarian” above would never dream of criticizing the people pushing the war on terror – the neo-conservative cabal running the government. Oh no. That would never happen.
And I’ll bet he wouldn’t call them the translation of “Wasilly snowbilly” that would apply to neo-conservatives.
I wrote about Goldman Sachs – more than two years ago – “Why It’s Time to Sell Goldman.”And I’ve written dozens of pieces and posts about them since. A piece I wrote last year was the first to tie Goldman to AIG (“Putting Lipstick on an AIG”). And I took TARP apart almost as soon as it came out.
But I guess, actually reading what people wrote would be asking too much from the underworld of internet forums.
Sorry to be so dour. But reading this sort of thing, I wonder why anyone should bother. Why inform people about the malignant lot at the top? The people at the bottom seem pretty malignant too…
On my darker days, I wonder if they don’t deserve each other…
I encourage you to keep writing. I appreciate what you do. I would say, “Ignore this person and others like him”, but I don’t believe in giving advice that I can’t follow myself. A fool hates you for the truth you tell, and loves you only for your mistakes. Be glad, then, that this person does not admire you.
Thanks Sean…appreciate it.
I’m over it now.
Nothing like caffeine.
Perhaps the poor soul ran into a credit collector..
It’s better to let it out. I’ve noticed many a blog/blogger are screening comments posted, doing such causes a pent up situation not good for the mind of the blogger, imho.
“On my darker days, I wonder if they don’t deserve each other…”
A thought parallel to my own.
During and after Hurricane Katrina there were many reports of people who would not accept that their house was on fire as they sat in the living room. Even after being forced outside by firefighters they denied their house was on fire. After the damage was pointed out to them they overly minimized what they saw.
http://www.theplacewithnoname.com/blogs/klessons/p/0075.html
I find this to be an amazing reaction. Something so physically close to a person and yet they still could deny it existed, and the dangers it represented. Much like the boy trying to out-peddle the train in the photo here:
http://www.theplacewithnoname.com/blogs/klessons/p/0029.html
the people are hoping to avoid the crumbling pile of sand we call our economy and state of affairs.
Most people just don’t like to learn or something? There’s a photo most of the way down this webpage from 1964, showing the flooding from Hurricane Betsy, it’s the same image, from the same location as Hurricane Katrina. You’d think people would have learned the first time around, or the second, as I imagine nothing has really been fixed even today, but I could be wrong.
There were a lot of lessons described in that blog that people could learn from and relate to the macroeconomic and political morass going on now.
There was a story on that blog about an old man and his friend boating around (ignoring those stranded On their rooftops) locating and busting out people trapped in their attics by the rising floodwaters. Maybe, in a sense, that’s what you’re doing too?
Hi Clark –
I like the boat buster image. I don’t do it for the masses (whatever that means). I do it for people like my parents, who work so hard and so honestly and assume the rest of the world is doing the same…while the charlatans who rip-off people like them, not only loot the government, they also get to be treated like princes..
And people suck up to these bandits to keep their own jobs…
It would be funny, if it weren’t somewhere between a madhouse and a charnel house
Yesterday, in the libertarian Burning Platform blog, there was a discussion following 9/11 in which the names of all those killed in that tragedy were listed by name. This lead to the following “conversation:”
Zara: “Can I see a list of Iraqi and Afghan civilians that have been murdered by the US empire since 2001?”
Anonymous: “Iraqi and Afghan civilians, Zara?….. They’re terrorists or they supported terrorists who attacked the United States, tried to get nuclear weapons to use against us, and have been killing Americans for years. Why should terrorists or supporters of terrorists be counted except as “those remaining to be disposed of.”
Zara: “Anon, the US should just kill them all, right? Hey why not give the land after its been depopulated to the jews for settlement.
What a country you have…”
IraK: “We have a country and a vigorous civilization, Zara. And as for the Arabs, you’re right about the solution. Or to not offend your sensibilities and others’, maybe we should round em up and relocate em if that would work and if it doesn’t cost too much…. Read “Ishi” about the last of the California Indians. Read about America’s westward expansion and the development of the railroads. Read about Lincoln’s proposed and actual partial solution to the Negro problem. The former shows how the “right” solution works. The westward expansion policy was shoot em and/or relocate em. Lincoln’s solution was the most humane one – relocate ’em and many were.
Look, it’s been the same solution oftentimes throughout history. The dominate civilization replaces the stagnant deteriorating culture. Jews are brighter, more creative, and a greater benefit to the world than the Arabs who in most countries have declining culture. Who can better use the land, the Jews or the Palestinians? The Jews advertise themselves as Gods Chosen People. Pretty arrogant, it’s true. Yet really they are the best. They control the banks, the media, the entertainment world, there’s a relatively high percentage of Jews in Congress and in positions of power in government, there are lots in Who’s Who and so forth. They’re achievers. Don’t you think that people like that deserve more power and more land in the Middle East?”
Sometimes I have to just shake my head in amazement…
Coffee always helps me face the idiots better. I’m glad you discovered the secret as well.
Well – that is why cultural critique is as important as structural critiques of economics or of economic theory..
Re: Sept 14 posts
Priority: Normal
From: “KEITH S
Date: Mon, September 14, 2009 1:00 pm
To: “Lila Rajiva”
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I’m a few pages into Mobs and I’m already laughing out loud. Fortunately I
don’t ride the subway where most Nyers do there reading so I’m always alone
when it happens. No need to explain myself to myself.
A couple things from today’s entries:
“it¹s all part of the effort to shore up exports to prevent the economy of
either country from sliding further into depressionŠ”
But it will actually just precipitate the decline.
³The nation¹s highest court ruled in 1966 that police could have blood tests
forcibly done on a drunk driving suspect without a warrant.²
The 5th amendment has been dead a long time. The real trouble with this and
the breathalyzer activities is the forfeiture of license and property. I
think I remember something in that silly old Constitution regarding innocent
before proven guilty and not being punished before conviction and something
regarding seizure.
Thanks for the Solzhenitsyn quote. It is incredibly fitting for a few recent
events and people around here. I guess I should read a bit more of Mr.
Solzhenitsyn.
Keith
PS I read a comment from someone saying it sounds like you got your mojo
back. I didn¹t notice you had lost it.