[Peace-discuss] Fwd: The Evangelical Rebellion by Chris Hedges

[Laurie at advancenet.net]

I have not been following this thread closely; but a few things in your post
caught my eye.  

 

First, I am not sure that there is an American Left anymore in an
ideological sense.  There is one in name only if American Left refers only
to one's position and location comparative to where the American Right is
currently located on the political spectrum; but not to the historic
demography of the American political spectrum historically in the past.
Indeed, the current American Left is what use to be Moderate Republican
conservative territory.  There are no Leftist progressives and/or radicals
anymore for all practical purposes at hand as you note; and certainly there
are no radical left activists (there may be few radical left intellectuals
remaining).

 

Second, I question if there really is any working class or working class
culture left anymore.  Most of the working class aspires to be middle class
or better and have bought into the American establishment's cultural values
and objectives.  They seek the American Dream, belong to corporate
associations - like the current labor unions - which pursue establishment
bureaucratic objective and capitalist goals; they tend to be non-ideological
but often discretely racist and anti-immigrant as well Jingoistic and
pro-American right or wrong, super patriotic and overly security minded,
etc.

 

In short, I see little difference between the culture and attitudes of the
current working classes and the so-called American Left of today; and
neither are very different from the Establishment or even the American
Right.  This becomes particularly true when the veil is lifted and people's
oxen are getting gored; they become conformists and fascists - often in the
extreme with everyone wanting to get and protect their piece of the American
pie to the detriment of anyone who might stand in their way.

 

 

From: peace-discuss-bounces at lists.chambana.net
[mailto:peace-discuss-bounces at lists.chambana.net] On Behalf Of Robert Dunn
Sent: Sunday, December 30, 2007 2:45 PM
To: Matt Reichel; Morton K. Brussel; C. G. Estabrook
Cc: Peace-discuss List
Subject: RE: [Peace-discuss] Fwd: The Evangelical Rebellion by Chris Hedges

 


No Matt, Cockburn is going after the American Left which has sold out the
working class and became enmeshed with the 
Universities, Identity Politics, Environmentalism, Vegetarianism, Anti-Gun
Rights. The very people that the American Left 
should be defending, are now sneered at by the Liberal wing of the Left.
Back in the 1800s, evangelicals were the backbone 
of the Left. William Jennings Bryan was one of the biggest examples that
Liberals hate to remember. So, where do the common
working class folk go to. Their culture is sneered at by the cognoscenti
snobs of American Liberalism and is exploited by the Right. 
Instead of telling the common man that he is stupid for eating meat, not
saying the PC things, being religious, why not stand in 
solidarity with him and get out of the comfort of the Ivory Tower and the
circus of Identity Politics and whether or not the College 
of Agriculture is "diverse." That pissed me off about the American Left, and
that is why I can not identify with the American Left or even
the American Right anymore.
When the American Left does some soul searching, and allows for some
self-criticism to take place, growth will happen. Until then, 
we still will not get it because American Leftists refuse to understand the
errors of their ways.
A Reformation, (sorry Carl for the analogy) of the American Left is in
place.
I could put my thesis on Peace_Discuss for further comment.
Cheers,
Robert Dunn

  _____  

Don't get caught with egg on your face. Play Chicktionary! Check it out!
<http://club.live.com/chicktionary.aspx?icid=chick_wlhmtextlink1_dec> 

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