[Peace-discuss] A broader perspective

[David Green]

Mort, I'm not familiar with the Norwegian particulars. But I'm sympathetic to an argument that ascribes some contextual responsibility to those in power, that doesn't accept the paradigm of "the center versus the extremes." I think it increases our understanding of political/ideological dynamics, and perhaps help guide is in supporting those measures that actually prevent political violence (notwithstanding the psychopathology involved). My interest in "hate" has mostly to do with the collusion of haters with those in power, whether they call themselves liberal or conservative, in the event that those in power use violence to achieve their ends. That's why when I spoke at the Islamophobia panel a couple of weeks ago you heard me stress the relatively more respectable purveyors; i.e., the anti-anti-Semites like Pipes & Horowitz (or, locally, Fred Gottheil, etc.). You won't find Obama denouncing either of them, I think, and certainly not Joe Lieberman. Not
 that anyone "got what they deserved." I hope this helps clarify.
 
DG

From: Morton K. Brussel <brussel at illinois.edu>
>To: David Green <davegreen84 at yahoo.com>
>Cc: Peace Discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>
>Sent: Monday, July 25, 2011 5:21 PM
>Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] A broader perspective
>
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>So,  what I got from this boilerplate reasoning(?) is that "They got what they deserved". 
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>I don't have the time to examine just how the social democrats (all of them?) in Norway "dismantled the welfare state, cut wages, and deregulated the job market". David, can you provide references?
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>--mkb
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>On Jul 25, 2011, at 4:35 PM, David Green wrote:
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>Responsibility for the growth of fascist forces lies with the policies of the entire bourgeoisie. Within this, however, the role of the social democratic and petty-bourgeois ex-left parties—who ultimately become the fascists’ target—is particularly pernicious. As the social democrats dismantled the welfare state, cut wages and deregulated the job market, the petty-bourgeois ex-left and the union bureaucracy suppressed all opposition in the working class. As a result, the rhetoric of protest was ceded to the extreme right.
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>>Norway is no exception in this respect. In his first short (2000-2001) term in office, Jens Stoltenberg oriented to the New Labour of Prime Minister Tony Blair in Britain, radically cut back the welfare state and privatized key public services. In 2005, he drew his inspiration from Obama and returned to power with the slogan “Jens, we can.” Since then, he has ruled through a social democratic-Green coalition with the Socialist Left Party and the right-wing Farmers Party.
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>>http://www.wsws.org/articles/2011/jul2011/pers-j25.shtml
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