[Peace-discuss] Liberals and Schiavo

[C. G. Estabrook]

The widely-reported remark was as I recall attributed to an editor at Time
or Newsweek, Robert.  And I don't think we should get too upset about
those who attempt to "silence those who dissent within the so-called
left." Since the US has in general the freest press and public debate in
the world, the methods of silencing of and by what we (perhaps laughingly)
call the left are simply propagandistic -- you and I will probably not end
up in jail for what we say.

Within these limits, it's unfortunately true that "even self-proclaimed
anarchists and civil libertarians are following the Thought Police
mentality."  As Chomsky puts it,
 
  The main form of "persecution" against relatively privileged people
  is not from the government, but from privileged educated sectors:
  job loss and harassment, a deluge of hysterical slanders and lies
  that are often unanswerable because of the highly disciplined character
  of defenders of doctrinal orthodoxy and their journals, etc.
  That can be difficult, particularly for young people, and for people
  who are sensitive about vicious diatribes, lies, and slanders.
  But compared to what our counterparts face in much of the world,
  notably the countries where we share a large part of the responsibility
  for harsh repression, it doesn't amount to much.

Regards, Carl


On Thu, 31 Mar 2005, Robert Dunn wrote:

> Carl, because Clinton was pro-abortion, many feminists flocked to his
> defense as soon as Paula Jones filed her sexual harrassment suit
> against the President. They used every tactic that they say is a no no
> for everyone else. I think it was Gloria Steinem that was quoted as
> saying "I would gladly give the President oral sex for providing
> abortion on demand."
> 
> Its interesting how some individuals will go about in an Orwellian
> fashion to silence those who dissent within the so-called left.
> Unfortunately, the way reality has set in, the right is more tolerant
> of those who dissent on social issues. Even "paleo-Conservatives" are
> tolerated within the broader Conservative Movement. Its unfortunate
> that the left has to be so rigid. Why is that? Even self-proclaimed
> anarchists and civil libertarians are following the Thought Police
> mentality.
> 
> Robert
>