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Mel Gibson must be screaming, "NOT FAIR! Why can he say these things and go
unpunished in Hollywood but not me?"
On Sun, May 7, 2017 at 4:27 PM, Jeff via Marxism <
marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu> wrote:
> POSTING RULES & NOTES
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>
> Thanks for sending this David. I read the article in full, but really the
> headline says it all. Now, if he had instead said "Zionist" or "Israeli
> lobby" then I would have let it pass (though not exactly agreeing with the
> statement). But just the fact that he was totally content to use the
> "Jewish" label clearly reveals that he is not of the left.
>
> An important lesson for the modern era to be learned, one that repeatedly
> challenges my previous assumptions, is that high profile figures
> (especially in arts and entertainment) with contrarian or outspoken
> anti-establishment positions, cannot be assumed to be speaking for the
> left. Many years ago it seemed simple: anyone speaking out against war or
> imperialism, for freedom and civil rights, against international treaties
> and trade deals, against government secrecy, or denouncing official
> corruption, were clearly part of the left and probably had good positions
> on most other issues. Of course I knew of exceptions, but they didn't
> amount to anything. "Anti-government" meant anti ruling class, which could
> only mean pro working class.
>
> So it was easy to be enthusiastic when hearing these sorts of words from
> an Oliver Stone, Michael Moore, Julian Assange, or Glenn Greenwald. What I
> (and many other leftists) missed is that these people's provocations may
> have well served their careers and public images, but did not derive from
> their involvement in our struggles or from any left party or organization.
> The left can well take credit for creating an atmosphere where challenging
> government secrecy, militarism, and corruption would have broad popular
> appeal. But that favor doesn't automatically get returned.
>
> And of course in recent years, these ambiguities have greatly intensified
> in terms of political movements on the extreme right which have hijacked
> what we had deemed to be leftist rhetoric. That's an additional issue which
> has received more than a small bit of attention on this list. But here I'm
> not considering the organized right-wing, but just those well known figures
> who consider themselves above political action on the ground. It is easy
> for them to take a left wing position here, a right wing position there,
> and mix them all up (especially through the medium of conspiracy theories!)
> in a collage that advances their careers and glory. But which can only be
> confusing to the left, should we be so careless as to champion such
> individuals over the millions of activists who will never achieve any such
> degree of recognition for their work which is both unpaid and liable to get
> them thrown in jail or worse.
>
> - Jeff
>
>
>
>
>
> On 2017-05-07 20:13, DW via Marxism wrote:
>
>>
>> Oliver Stone: Jewish Control of the Media Is Preventing Free Holocaust
>> Debate
>>
>> Outspoken Hollywood director says new film aims to put Adolf Hitler, who
>> he
>> has called an 'easy scapegoat' in the past, in his due historical context.
>>
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