Special Sensitivity
Right wing commentators (and even a few liberals) are asking that those in support of a Muslim Cultural Center a couple of blocks from Ground Zero show "sensitivity" to those in opposition. In this line of reasoning, it is understood that the patriots were so damaged and traumatized by the events of 9/11 that they deserve special consideration for their feelings.Yes it is private property, yes there are strip clubs in the same vicinity, yes our position is over-the-top dramatic, but show us special sensitivity. Heightening our sensitivity for these quick-to-tears Americans ( see Glen Beck) might mean suspending the Constitution, civil norms and universal rights, but we are in effect being asked to acknowledge that yes, they are a little deranged, but, hey, cut them some slack because of the Spectacular nature of the Event.
Remember, "everything changed" on 9/11. This narrative is crucial for the struggling Empire and it's ideology and so even civil rights may be suspended to honor the Change, the broadly historical nature of the Event and the Citizens ( the Sensitive Ones) who seem to be most affected. Those most deeply affected (the ones with the signs and such) are given special status as victims. Israeli Jews know all about this provision.
Henry Giroux writes: The visual theatre of terror, fear and humiliation aestheticizes politics..." It took me a while to see his point about this subtle method for hollowing and further formalizing politics but it relates back to the Spectacle and the visual logic (bypassing the analytical functions) which is so incredibly dominant. He suggests that "We need to start from somewhere other than a market-driven language" but that is much easier said than done. Language is one tough institution!
I sense that the "Left", such as it is, is in a state of perpetual waiting; waiting for the next Seattle, the next Copenhagen, the next G40, the next crisis. Waiting for Godot. Waiting for the tide to fall. (While sitting in limbo) This is reactionary and more than a little Spectacular. Puppets and tear gas are the new Mc Donalds and Fries.
In a plea for funds, the editor of Dissent Magazine writes: "Forty years ago I scorned Dissent for casting doubt on the revolution my New Left comrades and I thought we were making.But gradually that emotion was replaced by admiration for the way the magazines writers articulated the best principles of the democratic, socialist tradition- what Michael Walzer calls a "decent left"."
They want a revolution without a revolt. I gave up on Walzer over his stand on Israel.
posted by troutsky @ 8:35 AM
28 comments
28 Comments:
I turned on the morning rabies radio program and they were talking about the NYC Islamic center.
I can't remember this much hate in my lifetime. Nothing like this. Well, it keeps our minds off the economy.
Nothing is going to happen, trout, until we can develop a more effective media. The idiot wind from all the "Good Germans" is deafening. Our national dialog is controlled by the likes of Glenn Beck, Pam Geller and assorted haters.
The rage (and concomitant fear) out there is palpable.
Take a look at the home sales figures since The Black Bush backed off on the tax credits. Right in the dumper. The middle class is gone and ain't coming back under the current capitalist mantle.
Democracy? The media has that so conflated with laissez-faire capitalism that the proles can't think straight.
Cue the Beak in 1,2... high earner tax cuts create jobs despite decimation of demand ...
I happen to think Ducky is closer to the core here - "can't remmeber this much hate in my lifetime" - than any analysis having to do with Spectacle and Empire.
People have a deep need to belong: to a family, a tribe, a group, and so on. Nationalism is the latest incarnation of this, replete with productive and destructive technology, but it's just tribalism at its core. The need is so strong because the fear of being left out in the cold, alone, is so great. All those rabid Mosque-deniers (it's not really a mosque, but a community center with a prayer space - no minaret) are so CONFIRMED in their view of themselves by hating the idea of 'mosque' in the area.
The ONLY reason that I can imagine that this planned facility is SO offensive is exactly what they have said - they see it as a "slap in the face," which amounts to pure religious bigotry. Muslims don't get the same rights, because THEY did this. Nevermind the moslems who died in the WTC, yada yada...
The idea of sacred ground belongs to Islamists and other religious fanatics. There is in New York a whole in the ground, nothing sacred.
Much ado over nothing. I read the Islamic Center doesn't have $$ to finish the project.
Interesting is Obama's nonopinion.
In Iraq, we built several Ground Zeros next to mosques.
Hmmm the bird brained Duck, nature boy and Chavez's cabin boy have obviously not read their writings on Jews.
How about all you commies relocating to Caracas. Be sure to bring along your own body bags and toe tags.
The retarded Chavezista Cabin boy has not figured out that a Mosque has been in existence two blocks North of the foreign funded Mega Mosque. That Mosque was built for and by the local community.
Unfortunately, the US Constitution
allows freedom of speech for traitors and political criminals like Communist. Troutsky's commie pals regularly profane Ground Zero by spreading anti Semitic conspiracy literature at Ground Zero mocking the dead. In the days of Woodrow Wilson Commies were tarred and feathered.
Beak, it's not a mosque. It's a community center, you know an arts studio, a pool, meeting rooms etc.
Given the state of that area of NYC it should be welcomed.
Do the right thing, Beak, demand that Wall St. be removed from sacred ground.
The Mayor should merely allow the existing Mosque to expand.
He should also organize a tar and feathering of Commie 9-11 conspiracy clown that mock the dead. A nice vat of hot tar and feathers is an appropriate response to this behavior. Unfortunately, it is also
illegal, but there are legal ways of dealing with human garbage.
The mayor should publish pictures and addresses and names of these commies. Let the public call their employers.
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Beak, you may want to pick up a copy of this month's "Progressive". There is a good interview with Oliver Stone ( see Trout's previous post).
I'm curious what your views are on the changes in South America. Myself, though a little disappointed with Lula, I have to agree that his telling the IMF to go sit on it was the beginning of reform in the region.
Stone also speaks well of the growth rate in Venezuela despite the roadblocks from the previous oligarchy.
As a region they have managed to stay together and throw out the U.S. Treasury (IMF), avoid rewarding the oligarchy with privatization and generally improving the lives of the poor.
I'm curious that you disapprove so vehemently.
Beak: Just curious as to what source you use for Latin American news and views?
As they prosecute more Colombian para-military they will find nasty links to U.S. State Dept.
Ducky: I agree about media but what is to be done? The internets, Michael Moore and Oliver Stone are just misquitos pestering Murdoch and Co. They built the Tea Party movement one afternoon after golf!
I believe ALL artists, writers and actors included, must now focus on political-economy.They must go on the Jon Stewart Show and question capitalism. Debord was right!
Lichanos: I still see the War on Terror as an over-arching theme here. Just as the Towers were a powerful symbol the hole ( or lack of towers) is equally powerful. I just think there is a lot going on here on the symbolic, dare I say Freudian?) level.The argument of the Retort Collective -Afflicted Powers as opposed to Chomsky's " 9/11".
Troutaky
I have known you be bone stupid, but you know the economic and crime situation in Hugo's Narco Terrorist state is dire.
Are you going to pretend that all is peachy.
Ren is Hugo's Kappo Cabin Boy. He lies knowing full well what his master is doing. He also is well aware of the special brutality aimed at the Jewish community.
Ren is a Kappo.
Ducky: Lula is not running for another term. His party was formed by the Brazilian sheet metal workers union. His party is seen as a labor party.
Blaming 9/11 on America belongs to the right. How conveniently they forget Jerry Falwell and The 700 Club, had the same analysis as the Islamists.
Troutsky: Beak's source for Latin American news, is his imagination.
But at least they know they're free.
Any comment, Beak? Other than the usual ad-hominem ignorance, that is.
thought you all might find this of interest
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=5563
hey beak!
Duncy
The folks in Iraq are safer than Kapo Ren's Narco Terroist Crack Den. Moreover, the Kapo merely ignores that the vast majority of truthers are Commies who use play the same word games as Kapo Ren.
While Chavez organize thugs brutalize Joooos Kapo Ren feigns ignorance and acts as his Cabin Boy.
When Chavez is overthrown the list of agents and intelligence operatives will be published. By then Obama will be toast and it will be a nice vacation for a few years in GITMO for traitors and agents of Chavez.
The unemployable mendicant from the gulags in higher ed is already in Siberia. How about taking Kapo Ren to emulate the model of Bronstein the imbecile beggar war criminal.
The Ground Zero issue was started by a looney rightist blogger named Pam Geller. She supported Milosevic, because of his position on Muslims. She posted an article on her blog, claiming Obama's real father was Malcolm X.
Before Geller, the issue wasn't controversial. Remarkably people from Cordoba House were on Bill O'Reilly's show December 21, 2009. It was hosted by Laura Ingraham. She said, "I like what you're trying to do."
During the Sherrod controversy, I proposed concentrate on Andrew Breibart. He is the wink link. He has a record of documenting tapes. Sherrod did the right thing, and now he is tied up in court for years. To win Cordoba, make Pam Geller the issue. She has ties to fascist groups in Europe.
Beakerkin: Who is going to overthrow Chavez? The PSUV is so hated, it looks like they are going to retain 75% of their seats. That is according to rightist pollsters.
Who is going to overthrow Chavez? The PSUV is the largest labor party in the world. It looks like they'll win in September. The 2002 events showed the workers won't stand for a dictatorship. The workers took over the oil industry and started it up. What happened with the referendum to impeach Chavez? The workers again came through. Today there are now neighborhood militias. They will fight to the death for even their hardly nationalized economy.
The right in power in Venezuela, first thing they did, was abolish elected offices. That is why their supporters even turned on them. You can only be advocating Bonapartist dictatorship for Venezuela.
I noticed when you were called on calling Obama a socialist, you changed language to calling him a "red diaper baby." You embarrass yourself even.
Ren, you assume the Beak (or the far right that he stands in for) is capable of understanding that violence in Venezuela is a result of the oligarchy fighting their loss of power.
He's as capable of understanding the dynamics in South America as he is of understanding why Breitbart's tapes should be subject to a forensic analysis.
He had to grab on to Pam Geller as a replacement for Yeagley. I not sure if he was on the Mall with Glenn beck the other day.
I wish the left realized Obama is in power, not Glen Beck? His rally wasn't even political. The Democrats control government, and demands should be on them.
Oh they control it all right and in the form of a right of center castratus named Barack Obama.
However, as he implements the right wing agenda the sheer brilliance of this is giving the left a black eye while absolutely shunning anything the least bit progressive.
Much worse than Bush, much worse and much more effective.
"I sense that the "Left", such as it is, is in a state of perpetual waiting; waiting for the next Seattle, the next Copenhagen, the next G40, the next crisis. Waiting for Godot. Waiting for the tide to fall. (While sitting in limbo) This is reactionary and more than a little Spectacular. Puppets and tear gas are the new Mc Donalds and Fries."
Yup. I've always been a little critical of summit hopping. What are these folks doing when not going from protest to protest, on what's most likely their parents' money? Are communities/workplaces/neighborhoods getting organized? I'm not seeing it. I'm sure there are some who venture out to these things who do actually do these things (ie our mutual friends in Seeds of Peace who got their bus jacked by Pittsburgh cops at the G20 last fall) but most of the time I'm skeptical.
Not that I don't think there should be massive resistance against these meet-ups, but the energy put into it seems a bit misdirected at times.
Beak- nostalgia about Wilson, the notorious racist and anti-semite? I have little doubt you'd sell your own people down the river for a moment of attention now, buddy.
PS- my captcha is "STATE". How foreboding.
Dopeland
Funny Wilson is not as antisemitic as Kapo Renegade Eye, Duncy or the rest of the clowns here.
Repeated tar and featherings are a cure for the mental illness of communism. Perhaps after the next round of treason or terrorism the American people will hold another hard hat riot.
You have me confused with commies whose history is synonymous with crimes against humanity, treason and terrorism.
Hugo needs a good Kapo/ cabin boy and Ren hasn't been gainfully employed in years. He should join Hugo ASAP.
beak- only law-hating commies encourage rioting. Go hang yourself, red.
Beak, let's try some economics. Something you profess to be expert and the rest of us completely ignorant. Let's assume that housing is a necessary piece of the economy which MUST recover.
The sustainable housing price has historically been roughly four times average household income. Now home prices were artificially inflated by the bubble and household income is declining.
1. In this situation how can the housing "market" spontaneously recover?
2. Do you think that Fannie Mae should be returned to government control after failing as a publicly traded stock corporation?
Please enlighten us.
Dopeland
All Commies are political criminals
and if we had objective science it should be classified as a form of mental illness. Treason, terrorism and crimes against humanity are associated with communism.
I hope you enjoy tar and feathers.
Duncy
As a commie by definition you are an imbecile. We are suffering from over supply and the corrections are not over.
Obama has destroyed the left in the USA for a generation.
Beak- get a new shtick. This one's getting boring.
PS- This commie packs. Anyone who comes at me with tar and feathers better have something else with a bit more recoil. Centralia Massacre- Never Again.
So Beak, low demand is going to resolve the over supply which is being aggravated by foreclosures?
Can you explain the mechanism that will resolve the over supply while demand is low? How long a few decades?
Let's have some details? Should the government participate?
Marty's Shoes and the Amish Market are also on sacred ground.
Dopeland
It must be dificult to shoot with a limp wrist. Commies do not exude
machismo. Of course a commie with a gun would set the ground for another hard hat riot.
Find out what brand of footwear goes with tar and feathers.
Duncy
The goverment should stay far away
from housing. Long term the fall will be good as the prices were unsustainable.
Kapo Renagade Sphinchter
The Amish did not smack planes into office buildings. Marty's Shoes is a vital resource for working class families and had nothing to do with 9-11.
As for the porno shops sickos like yourself need places to buy Alexis Payne tapes. Given the demographics of the area those businesses serve a need. Once again
the WTC was blown up by crazed religious nuts acting in the name of Islam. Your kind started the Jewish conspiracy bits and stabbed America in the back when it was down.
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