[Peace-discuss] The "two faces" of Winston Churchill

[David Green]

John, your comment raises interesting issues about history and moral 
responsiblity. There are many historical correctives necessary, many trivial; 
among the most important seem to be those that--through attachment to the cult 
of personality and so-called heroism--re-assert the inherent moral superiority 
of so-called western civilization and so-called human progress, notions which 
continues to plague us. Our dogged and uninformed reverence of Churchill, I 
feel, is indicated by the items referred to. But of course he couldn't have done 
it without the British Empire. And of course Hitler couldn't have done it 
without the notion that western civilization, plus perhaps Japan, had the right 
to divide the world into economic "spheres of influence." But the point isn't to 
find a hotter place in hell for either Churchill or Hitler, or a more 
sanctimonious place in heaven for myself. It's to point out that through our 
misplaced reverence, we are all complicit, unless we choose otherwise.

Meanwhile, I have to get back to my lunch on Mt. Olympus, which is especially 
good when blueberrys are in season.

DG




________________________________
From: John W. <jbw292002 at gmail.com>
To: C. G. Estabrook <galliher at illinois.edu>
Cc: David Green <davegreen84 at yahoo.com>; Peace Discuss 
<peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>
Sent: Mon, August 16, 2010 11:11:33 AM
Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] The "two faces" of Winston Churchill

I hope G*d is more merciful in His assessment of the two of you than you are in 
your assessment of virtually every human being on earth, living and dead.  
Meanwhile, though, it must be glorious to possess such Olympian wisdom derived 
from books.




On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 11:04 AM, C. G. Estabrook <galliher at illinois.edu> wrote:


 Nicely put. 
>
>
>On 8/16/10 10:42 AM, David Green wrote:
>
>http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/
>>
>>I don't think that there is as much irony or mystery about WC as Greenwald and
>>NYT reviewer Hari make out to be. Hari refers disparigingly to Nicholson 
>Baker's
>>"Human Smoke," which I think gets WC about right. He was a monster. There is 
no
>>more reason to revere Churchill for "defeating" Hitler than there is to revere
>>Stalin, who in fact really did defeat him. I was not surprised by the NYT
>>review, only a little surprised by Hari, and somewhat more surprised by
>>Greenwald's take.
>>
>>DG


      
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