Sunday, January 31, 2010

Howard Zinn is dead

Oliver Kamm eulogizes the man (comment thread the follows the post is very enlightening as to the kind of people Zinn inspired...):

"But more ominous, perhaps, than the occupation of Iraq is the occupation of the US. I wake up in the morning, read the newspaper, and feel that we are an occupied country, that some alien group has taken over. I wake up thinking: the US is in the grip of a president surrounded by thugs in suits who care nothing about human life abroad or here, who care nothing about freedom abroad or here, who care nothing about what happens to the earth, the water or the air, or what kind of world will be inherited by our children and grandchildren."

Whether Zinn realised this or not - and I was always inclined to the view that Zinn realised very little - this was the language of far-right conspiracists such as Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma bomber. The notion that the world's greatest democracy is not only led by an Administration you politically disagree with but is occupied by alien forces is a fantasy that incites violent protest. It was a disgraceful remark by a man whose wasted life exemplified his character as an intellectual waster.

And later adds the following:

If your heart is in the right place, so the assumption seems to be, then it doesn't matter if your scholarship is sloppy or risible. Well, it does matter, because historical truth matters for its own sake. Zinn had no conception of it. To him, an example of "admirable and painstaking research" was - seriously - a popular book claiming that the 9/11 attacks were an inside job. What a pitiful, foolish charlatan the man was.

For an alternative reading of the man, try this melancholy effusion, by ISM, which places him, ironically, alongside such abominations as Norman Finkelstein and Gilad Atzmon, Jews, BTW, the only kind of Jews that members of the ISM like and accept as legitimate.

Enough said.

14 Comments:

At 3:47 PM EST, Blogger Tammy Watts said...

Attempting to discredit intellectuals...hmmm sounds like typical "Contentious Centrist" MO. I just wanted you to know I deleted all your feckless attempts at debate from my blog. In the future, it might behoove you to answer a few questions of your own before attacking those who do not provide responses scripted to your liking. I am still wondering why you feel your writing isn't good enough to sign your real name to it? Or why all you do is cross-post stories with nothing original to offer? Nevermind...I already know the answers. The majority of ZioBlogs, including your own, sound like pathetic cries for help, as you realize your days of media dominance are waning.

 
At 8:25 PM EST, Blogger The Contentious Centrist said...

In case you are wondering, gentle
reader, who Tammy is, here is a portrait of and some self-perpetuation by the lady:

http://simplyjews.blogspot.com/2010/01/tammy-obeidallah-intifadagirl.html

 
At 12:47 AM EST, Blogger Tammy Watts said...

Oh you don't need to provide them a link; they can just google me, I'm everywhere.

 
At 9:09 AM EST, Blogger SnoopyTheGoon said...

Poor Tammy, pining for attention indeed. On the other hand, she desperately tries to cover her need by "being everywhere".

 
At 2:18 PM EST, Blogger Tammy Watts said...

Ah Snoopy, nice of you to show up again. I was beginning to think I scared you off your own blog. Remember, Temple Israel, Riverside Dr. Dayton, OH, Al-Nakba Celebration. Tell it to your chicken shit friend David All.

 
At 6:03 PM EST, Anonymous palestinian eagle said...

palestinian eagle here now :
whats up ? im gonna answer ,my balls hunging over ur head

 
At 7:22 PM EST, Blogger Tammy Watts said...

more likely dangling down his throat, that's why he can't answer when faced with direct confrontation. I'm sure if it wasn't fucking Shabbat, they'd have already deleted the comment by now. LMAO

 
At 8:00 PM EST, Blogger The Contentious Centrist said...

My comment policy is very simple: I leave the comments as are, by way of demonstrating to my regular readers as well as those who happen here by googling the civility, knowledge, intelligence, pertinence, and respectfulness that characterize the mode of discussion favoured by pro-Palestinian advocates.

Please note that the same person who wrote this

"I'm sure if it wasn't fucking Shabbat"

is the same person who sought to enlighten us about antisemitism, here:

http://commonsensefromthecornfield.blogspot.com/2009/12/myth-of-anti-semitism.html

Pity the Palestinians, that such are the people who speak on their behalf.

 
At 8:34 PM EST, Anonymous palestinian eagle said...

did u wake up ?is it dark ?i m sure ,is it hairy im very sure gusse what ? my balls bluck ur eyes.

 
At 8:41 PM EST, Blogger Tammy Watts said...

Hmmm...all the Palestinians I know are proud to have me speaking on their behalf because I don't mince words and I'm not a slave to the political correctness of Zionist-run media. @ Palestinian eagle, hope you wore protection buddy

 
At 8:49 PM EST, Anonymous Opal Obeidallah said...

were going to pee on you zionist head's

 
At 9:07 PM EST, Anonymous palestinian eagle said...

opal don't do that because u make them holy just leave them the way how they always been dirty and piggy

 
At 9:34 PM EST, Anonymous Opal Obeidallah said...

ok but i will poop on them

 
At 10:49 PM EDT, Anonymous Anonymous said...

omg, lol @ these degenerates.

your disgusting, immature, and hate-filled comments do more to bare light on the corruption of the "heroic" palestinian cause than any "ziorun" blog could.

good job, dumb shits :)

 

Post a Comment

<< Home