On Jim Blaut

["Nestor Gorojovsky" <nestorgoro@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Louis Proyect wrote on Jim Blaut:

"David Harvey described him as the preeminent geographer of our time
and the person who recruited him to Marxism."

This makes Blaut one of the cornerstones of American Marxism, and of
the history of Marxist ideas in general.

When Jim died, I wrote a few lines to be read at the memorial
meeting, which were to be read by Dick Peet, another geographer and
comrade who had been in close contact with Blaut during the anti-war
years.

On those lines, I pointed out (in other words) that Jim, who by those
times was already an eminent scholar in the best academic tradition
of the United States, and who thus could expect to earn a comfortable
place in that frozen Pantheon of the Living Dead that imperialist
Academia is, decided, at the moment when most pundits are beginning
to consider the benefits of tenure and cozy retirement, to throw his
lot with the struggles of the Puerto Rican revolutionary socialists.

The fact that such a personality could recruit David Harvey to
Marxism speaks more on Jim, on the strength of the Puerto Rican
cause, and on David Harvey, than anything else.

Speaking as a Latin American Marxist, I wrote on my short notes that
"he was one of us". This is perhaps why he was also "one of all of
us", a true internationalist and a concrete fighter. Whoever passes
through his pages will also realize that this Marxist figter was made
of concrete, too.

Blaut's solid and persuasive prose made him a fearsome rival in
debate, and betrayed a stainless and unconquerable personality. I
still cannot believe that such a tiny enemy as cancer could beat him
down.
Néstor Miguel Gorojovsky
nestorgoro@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _
"Aquel que no está orgulloso de su origen no valdrá nunca nada porque
empieza
por depreciarse a sí mismo".
Pedro Albizu Campos, compatriota puertorriqueño de todos los
latinoamericanos.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _



~~~~~~~
PLEASE clip all extraneous text before replying to a message.