Debra asked: > Where are you getting these quotes from?
>From the Manhattan Institute's City Journal. I don't know if the Manhattan Institute is right wing but it does seem to be capitalist friendly. Here is the link to it's board members http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/trustees.htm and to the full Chomsky article http://city-journal.org/html/12_3_urbanities-americas_dumbe.html > where you said, "I cannot think of any enlightenment I would personally > get from reading him", and your implication that he's a communist > (really? a citizen of North Korea, Vietnam, Cuba or China?), and this > one full of descriptions of Chomsky's supposed opinions rather than his > actual words, my guess is that your information is filtered through > right-wing writers. I have read that he describes himself as a "libertarian socialist/anarchist." I have read lots of his words first hand. Normally, I would have just brushed him off, but his offensive words right after 9/11 left an enduring emnity with me. And my opinion is not filtered through right wing writers. I have filtered his own words myself through, perhaps my right wing brain. >I suggest you go to the source and form your own > opinions before you start tossing information around. I have. I was just giving a sampling of his position in the briefest way I can. If you dispute what I have interpreted of his opinions, you can always go read him yourself and tell me I have it all wrong. I distinctly remember his debate with Alan Desrshowitz regarding the denial of the Jewish holocaust. Here is the full story from Dershowitz from the left wing perspective: http://www-tech.mit.edu/V122/N25/col25dersh.25c.html Chomsky was adamantly opposed to the war in Afghanistan - here's an exceprt from his article in the BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/1844041.stm "Mr Chomsky believes he can take Osama Bin Laden at his word Mr Chomsky said it was "entirely possible" that Bin Laden did not know about the 11 September attacks and that he could have just been boasting in a videotape released by the US in December 2001 which links the Saudi-born militant to the atrocities. He also claimed that Bin Laden could be taken at his word because his statements had been "consistent over time and very consistent with his actions over a long period". As I recall, the majority of "average" Americans supported that action and believed Bin Laden was behind them. For another opinion, here from the left libertarian antiwar.com really attacking Chomsky http://www.antiwar.com/justin/j011802.html > It is completely dishonest of you to present his or anyone's views in > this way. No it is not. It was obvious that the views were presented through the filter of someone else. > If you feel the need to include all Americans or all average Americans, > whoever you consider them to be, to bolster some of your arguments, > perhaps the more appropriate action would be to reconsider some of those > arguments you feel so shaky about. Go back to my original question. Do you think many Americans would not be offended by the viewpoint that the Cambodian and Jewish holocausts did not exist and were fictionalized? > And whether someone takes offense or not really isn't for you to decide. > I do not want you speaking for me. I cringe at the thought, so please > limit your opinions to what you know about and don't drag other people > into them. Thank you. I am not claiming to speak for you or Kate at all. Obviously it is only my opinion, (which holds no value to you anyway so why does it matter?) but one I feel the right to give amongst all other varying opinions stated here. And recall it was Mike who attacked my opinion of Chomsky and it was Mike to whom I replied. Kakki
