[Peace-discuss] All of which I saw, part of which I was

[C. G. Estabrook]

	"In reading his summary of ... history, one is struck
	by a lack of any nuance, a kind of modern manicheism."

Strange: that was exactly the remark used - even down to the theological term - 
in the critiques of Howard Zinn published at his death.

Perhaps that's the fate of writers - Chomsky, Cockburn, Zinn - who dare to take 
a position against liberal relativism.  There are some things that are wrong, 
unfashionable as it may be to say so (without "nuance").

Cockburn's article is as he says about the "rebirth of the American left" and 
its subsequent defeat by those who have arrogated the name, like the president.

I bet Bill Blum agrees with Cockburn.


Morton K. Brussel wrote:
> Whatever truths Cockburn speaks is vitiated by bitter hatred for a 
> "left" which may deviate a bit from his likes and interpretations.  In 
> reading his summary of post WWII history, one is struck by a lack of any 
> nuance, a kind of modern manicheism. What in particular hit me in 
> reading his account was the sentence (my emphasis)
> 
>> "An adolescent soul not inoculated by sectarian debate, not enriched by 
>> the Eighteenth Brumaire and study groups of Capital, is open to any 
>> infection, such as 9/11 conspiracism *and junk-science climate 
>> catastrophism* substituting for analysis of political economy at the 
>> national or global level." 
> 
>> In fact, Cockburn reflects here a junk critique of climate science, 
>> leading one to be wary of the veracity/validity  of the rest of his 
>> story. 
> 
> --mkb
> 
> On Feb 5, 2010, at 11:28 PM, C. G. Estabrook wrote:
> 
>> The Left, 1960-2010
>> Downhill From Greensboro:
>> By ALEXANDER COCKBURN
>>
>> Half a century ago, a new decade ushered in the rebirth of the 
>> American left [...] 
>>
>> For the rest of his term Obama, can press forward with the neoliberal 
>> agenda that has now flourished through six presidencies. He and the 
>> Democratic Party display insouciance towards the left’s anger. Rightly 
>> so. What have they to fear?
>>
>> http://www.counterpunch.org/cockburn02052010.html


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