RE: Question -

["Craven, Jim" <jcraven@xxxxxxxxx>]

Response to Rabid's piece below this response:

Hi Rabid,

Actually my biases are well known, very explicit in all my writings, and I
most certainly am NOT a liberal. My mother used to refer to "bleeding-hearts
liberals" as those who "bleed with other people's blood." No, I am a
radical. The term "radical" comes from the Latin word "radix" which means
"the root"; a radical is someone who believes in getting to the "root" of an
issue. But liberal, I am not; liberalism is like an aspirin for a brain
tumor.

But the only thing conserrvatives are really interested in "conserving"
typically, is rich white privilege, or, in the case of Indians who are
conservatives, at least the consciously ideological ones, is the
"conserving" of their own privileges and the system that produces a lot for
the select few and little else for the many.

At least that is my take that I am prepared to defend with concrete
evidence, reason etc. BTW I have taught economics over 25 years and know the
conservative arguments very well--better than 90% of them know their own
theory. Here is a test: For those who argue minimum government and "let free
markets do what free markets do", can you list the five basic supposed
functions of "free markets."? No peeking now. You would be surprised how
many conservative sloganeers freak out when I ask that question; they get
incensed as if asking someone advocating letting free markets do what free
markets do the question "what free markets are supposed to do" is somehow
unfair. Question two: what are the six essential conditions of a truly "free
market."?

Jim Craven


Prime example, Jimbo.... You have well demonstrated both the premise and
your
bias. It's ok as long as you realize it and make no pretentions...

"Show me a man who is eighteen and not liberal, I'll show you a man without
a
heart. Show me a man who is forty and not conservative, I'll show you a man
without a brain." -- Winston Churchill


There. That's even's the Karma.

If you can't see the other side, guard your sight jealously, for you're
already
blind in one eye.

Rabid




>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: aardvark@xxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:aardvark@xxxxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Friday, October 05, 2001 8:58 AM
> To: warriornet@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: RE: Question -
>
>
> > A blanket condemnation of "The Left" is like talking about "Indians" in
> > general. What does it mean to be really "Left" as opposed to simply
> calling
> > oneself a leftist; and, what does it mean to be "Indian" as opposed to
> > simply calling oneself an Indian, playing wannabe or citing some
mythical
> > blood-quantum.
> >
> > Jim Craven
> >
> >
>
> Ok, but much of has to do with the continual blanket deprecations of "the
> right" ....
>
> But neither the "left" or the "right" refer to indigenous systems.
>
> Rabid
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------
> This message was sent from Peaknet, Inc.
> http://www.peaknet.net/
>
> OK, but it is the "Right" in general, of course some exceptions, among the
> non-Indigenous who have promoted forced assimilation, summary abrogation
of
> Treaties, using Reserves as dumping sites for toxic waste, wholesale
> cutbacks of services and Treaty obligations, the crudest forms of racism
and
> caricatures against Indians etc. And there is a left and right among
> Indigenous Peoples as there is among non-Indigenous Peoples. All the
> sell-outs and traitors among the "official Indians" that I know are
typical
> rightists in terms of basic ideology, values, lifestyles and paradigms.
This
> is NOT to say that some self-described non-Indigenous and Indigenous
> leftists have not bee opportunists, scavengers, manipulators, contemptuous
> of forms Indian spirituality etc.
>
> But I am reminded of an old quote by John Stewart Mill: "Not all
> conservatives are stupid, selfish and mean, but most stupid, selfish and
> mean people are conservative."
>
> Jim Craven
>


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