Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Let's hope this is wrong.

A Dangerous Environment

Thomas Friedman: "I have no problem with any of the substantive criticism of President Obama from the right or left. But something very dangerous is happening. Criticism from the far right has begun tipping over into delegitimation and creating the same kind of climate here that existed in Israel on the eve of the Rabin assassination... Even if you are not worried that someone might draw from these vitriolic attacks a license to try to hurt the president, you have to be worried about what is happening to American politics more broadly."
Posted by at
Labels: ,

3 comments:

  1. ellisonOctober 3, 2009 at 2:28 AM

    let's hope noone reads friedman and his bombast and much less takes him seriously.

    i was told recently that although the us was a superpower at least "nos han puesto un negrito muy simpático". spaniards and lack of political correctness.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ilan GoodmanOctober 6, 2009 at 9:14 AM

    I'm not so sure that Friedman's bopmbast is unfounded. I think it would be complacent of us to think that there is no chance that one of the folks pegging Obama (simultaneously) as a communist, nazi, socialist hippie (CHOOSE ONE PEOPLE!)to cross the line. There is a lot of underlying tension here right now, and let's not forget it was only 28 years ago that someone successfully shot a President in this country.

    ReplyDelete
  3. ellisonOctober 6, 2009 at 3:34 PM

    i actually meant friedman in general (his editorials tend to put me over the edge) and it's sad that he's usually in the most-emailed column on the nytimes website (when there are so many GOOD writers on their payroll).

    it's too bad americans dont know the Difference (key word) between the two biggest ideological movements in the west in the 20th century, but i think that's not really the point since they claim to live beyond ideologies (and do, to some extent). they've moved back in the pre 18th century dividing the world into religion of all ridiculous things.

    i hate to pull out the marxist on ya but that tension you point out was adequately labeled by a whole movement some 150 odd years ago. we're economic crisis right now, bringing to light underlying inequalities and injustices. that there will bring out some hegelian tension for ya. i say, if the shoe fits. . . (looping us back up to the first problem which i did declare moot)

    but talking about assasination attempts, while eye-catching, isnt serious political or social analysis (the polites being the people, not ONE person, polis the city - made up of lots of people-) in a country which refuses to have its population fall into already defined categories, which is why i am at pains to discredit mr. friedman.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)