An Open Letter to the British (and American) Left: An Open Letter to the British (and American) Left:(from Nancy Horn)
mohammad
I am writing as an American who is equally disgusted with the Left and
the Right. The Right -- and 99% of the Democratic Party -- I won't
even mention. But you in the Left are not even running down the wrong
alley; you're too damned busy chasing your own tails -- and imaginary
ones at that.
Does anyone remember or care about the difference between fact and
opinion? The true study of history is rather gritty, poring over
documents, letters, public records, etc., in a never-ending effort to
develop deeper knowledge, i.e., successively closer approximations of
what really occurred. But since even individual behavior is
multiply-determined, final judgments about how or why events happen the
way they do are always ultimately a matter of opinion -- or ideology.
And the only way any body of knowledge can grow is to leave the field
open to new inquiry, new ideas about where or what to examine next, and
new hypothetical frameworks upon which to place new facts or re-order
old ones. Otherwise, the study of history is reduced to reciting a
catechism. When open to new input, history is a great profession or
hobby but, nevertheless, its only real use for the rest of us is if we,
individually or as a society, can manage to distill a few relevant
lessons now or then.
I am not a Marxist but, as I understand it, Karl Marx assembled a body
of economic and other facts and developed a theory which remains a
valuable tool for examing events. But he did not stop there, because
his concern was how to build what he considered a just society.
Whether, how or how successfully his ideas were put into action is not
the issue here: what really matters is that he had a vision for the
future and was deeply interested in making it occur. Isn't that what
you're supposed to be doing?
Right now, the whole world is basically in a state of crisis: the
literal and figurative armies of the Right, corporate fascists aligned
with religious nutcakes, are nigh unto ascendant everywhere. And what
does "the Left" do but dissipate any real energy they might possess
arguing over Holocaust litmus tests like a group of ten-year-olds
gleefully choosing members for their first club!
What is being attempted against Gilad Atzmon is outrageous. He has
defended himself far better than I can, but the point of the matter is
that he shouldn't have to. What kind of world are you supposedly
working for if it doesn't include room for differing opinions?
At what point does denying free speech become fascism? I was taught
that the only speech not protected by the Bill of Rights is that
directly advocating violence. Our Department of Homeland Security is
trying to change that as fast as they can. Must you, also?
Adolph Hitler and his followers, however many or however few, did
whatever they did during less than a decade more than sixty years ago,
and no one who fails to pass a very strict litmus test is even allowed
to sift the facts, let alone offer anything other than the
currently-sanctified opinion. This, too, is outrageous, just on the
face of it, especially when an official, very sensible and
widely-shared lesson has already been distilled: Never Again.
One would be tempted to say, "Enough, already", but the Left appears to
have distilled this lesson rather spottily. You have had sixty years.
Why on earth can't you apply it universally, "Never Again to Anyone
Anywhere"? And then be done with it and put your efforts into trying
to stop what is happening right in front of you.
Neo-liberalism notwithstanding, this ever-shrinking planet is
populated, helter-skelter at this point, with varying groups of people
with varying behaviors, beliefs and attitudes; some you may find
agreeable, others you won't. So what? Get over it: we've still all
got to find a way to live together despite our differences of opinion
-- even down to one's favorite or least favorite state in the Middle
East. Some may favor one, some another. Again, so what? Are people,
or are they not entitled to their opinion? And if not, why not?
Perhaps if you spent your time and energy developing a real vision for
the future instead of haggling over the past, you might get something
done. That is what you want, isn't it?
Nancy Horn