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I assume readers of this list are familiar with Rob Wallace. I sent him the following message: Rob: I read that you are doing a webinar with Jeff Mackler. I don't know much about your politics outside of the issue of your professional expertise, and you have no particular reason to consider mine. Nevertheless, I hope you do because I think you are making a mistake. As we know, in the US (and beyond) there is a whole science denialist culture. This links up denial of basic facts, “fake news” claims, and conspiracy theory approaches to history. Sometimes, wings of the far left align with the far right in this approach. In the world of left politics, we see the same, especially when it comes to international issues, and most especially when it comes to the issue of Syria. There, the far, far right - including outright fascists (and I don’t use that term lightly) - almost unanimously support Assad. Disgracefully, so do many on the left. They use all the same methods as the science denialists: obscure or outright deny proven facts and ignore the immense suffering of millions of Syrians (just like the science denialists do regarding Covid-19). Jeff Mackler is one of the leading people on the left who employs these methods in his clear and implicit support for Assad, even going so far as to imply that he and his backers are not the ones responsible for the deaths of over 500,000 Syrian civilians. The issue of Covid-19 also is directly relevant to Syria, where the disease has now made an entry. How will the Syrian people get medical care after Assad and his main backer, Putin, have bombed so many hospitals? And what will happen to the tens of thousands of Syrian refugees, huddled in tent cities in Idlib, the one province not under Assad’s control, when the disease makes its way there? These issues cannot be considered once one takes the pro-Assad position. By appearing on his webinar, you are lending credibility to Jeff Mackler and, thereby, strengthening his disastrous policies. I hope you reconsider. John Reimann -- *“In politics, abstract terms conceal treachery.” *from "The Black Jacobins" by C. L. R. James Check out:https:http://oaklandsocialist.com also on Facebook _________________________________________________________ Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm Set your options at: https://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
