From: jeff davis (jrd1415@yahoo.com)
Date: Wed Oct 03 2001 - 19:50:34 MDT
John,
It's clear that you have no use for Chomsky, and that
my opinion is the exact opposite. I think you'll
agree that an exchange of flames based on our
conflicting views is a waste of time. So let's avoid
that. I agree with much that you post and respect you
personally. So here it is.
I *have* read Chomsky's response to Hitchens. In that
piece his only reference to the events of 9/11 was to
quote something he had said or written elswhere:
> "the wickedness and awesome cruelty" of the
> terrorist attacks of September 11 (quoting Robert
> Fisk)
no "buts".
In your post, shown below, unedited, you write:
> I haven't read the particular article you refer to
> and don't intend to, I've read him
> before and life is too short to read more.
And then you say
> Anybody who starts saying
> things like "the world trade center incident was
> regrettable but [...]"
Now, did Chomsky actually write or say, "the world
trade center incident was regrettable but [...]", --if
so, I'd like to check it out--or did you provide this
"quote" as an example of what you would expect him to
say?
I'm not saying this to bust your chops, but because,
if you're going to criticize someone, as a minimum I
think you ought to do it based on something he
actually really and truly said or did, and not on
something made up, which then may be read by others
and taken as genuine.
Best, Jeff Davis
"Everything's hard till you know how to do it."
Ray Charles
--- John Clark <jonkc@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
> From: Miriam English <miriam@werple.net.au>
>
> > It seemed to me that Chomsky kept his comments
> clear, calm, to the point,
> > and fair. The same could not be said about
> Hitchens sad piece of hysteria.
>
> I haven't read the particular article you refer to
> and don't intend to, I've read him
> before and life is too short to read more. Chomsky
> is always to the point I'll give
> you that; but "calm"? The man is hysterical, he
> always seems on the verge of a
> nervous breakdown and the air of moral outrage he
> radiates over just about
> everything under the sun gets real old real fast.
> Fair? Anybody who starts saying
> things like "the world trade center incident was
> regrettable but [...]" has no moral
> authority in my book. Some statements don't need a
> "but', especially with 7 thousand
> people still buried in rubble. Even more important,
> except for linguistics the man is
> not smart, his writing is not only evil it is silly.
> He's a linguistic genius a moral imbecile
> and a political amateur. There is no more reason to
> waste time reading Chomsky's
> opinion of current events than Einstein's opinions
> of Chinese cooking.
>
> John K Clark jonkc@att.net
>
>
>
>
>
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