Monday, July 31, 2006

Question

If the right can accuse the left of denigrating America and not upholding America as the pinnacle of democracy, why can't the left accuse the right of turning a blind eye to the abuses America perpetrates around the globe and of refusing to take responsibility for America's creation of puppet dictators?

Are not both accurate views of reality? Are not both sides guilty of seeing only what each wants to see?

Thoughts?


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4 comments:

Steve said...

Bill, my thought is that you've stated what should be obvious to all of us but is apparently obvious to only a few of us. Yes, both sides are guilty of seeing what they want to see in their and the other side while not seeing what they don't want to see in their and the other side.

Namaste,
Steve

MD said...

Not exactly, Bill; though I understand where the question comes from. You might want to investigate more about what neoconservative doctrine is all about: one of its pillars is that it is no longer in America's best interest to uphold/support/or even create, as you say, "puppet dictators". So things are murkier than mere two sides. Throw in the fact that neoconservatives are essentially disgruntled New Deal Democrats, and easy lines erase themselves.

And besides, "the left"? the "right"? who are we talking about here? Again, I understand the formulation (you've used it; I've used it; we've all used it), but once you start asking questions about it, the flimsiness of the left/right formulation (especially in light of your probing question) really tends to fall apart, doesn't it, especially in the abstract?

md

william harryman said...

Thanks for the comments guys.

MD: Can you (or anyone else) recommend any neo-con authors who I might read that won't come across like fingernails on a chalkborad to an old school progressive? I'd like to be better educated, and I am embarrassed to admit that I have rejected most conservative writers as a sort of knee-jerk impulse. Thanks!

Peace,
Bill

william harryman said...

Thanks Colmar,

I'll be searching my local library for those authors and looking at the web sites you sent.

Peace,
Bill