Re: [Marxism] Communism, anti-German criticism and Israel

["Calvin Broadbent" <calvinbroadbent@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I WROTE:

"Make that a right-wing liberal pseudo-marxist provocateur."

Such a denunciation does not help me deflect from real argument- it is a
real argument. Your defense of Israel is right-wing, your deunciations of
and on political Islam, your defense of Christopher Hitchens and
'anti-Germans' (eh?) and your pronunciations on council communism,
nztionalism and the state appear liberal. The sum total of your writing
appears un-Marxist whilst garbed in the mantle of 'ultra-left' Marxism.

I am not worried about uncomfortable ideas challenging my perceptions. I
want my ideas to be challenged so as to come to a more coherent and
realistic perception of things. Your ideas make me uncomfortable because
they seem ridiculous. There is plenty of people writing to the Marx list
whom I don't always agree with- I would never wish to see most of them
disappear from the list.

My suggestion of a vetting procedure was semi-rhetorical. At least such a
procedure would prevent Zionists and liberals from posting to what is
supposed to be a marxism list. If I wanted to hear such arguments I would
subscribe to a liberal and/or Zionist list.

Of course Marxism covers a broad range of political positions. But I don't
think it should cover defences of Israel and the most abstract posturing
imaginable (anti-nation-ism, state-ism, Islam-bashing). I am quite confident
that I have at least as good an understanding of Karl Marx's writings as
you.

Anyway, if I am 'cynically psychotic' and immature, then you are a pompous
and reactionary sophist.

ED (OR IS IT BARNEY) THE CLOWN WRITES:

> If such denunciation helps you deflect from real
> argument, be my guest.  It is, after all, only an
> email list.  But this sort of denunciation is straight
> out of a Stalinist playbook.

> You, like a thousand other alleged "Marxists," are
> some sort of activist who has read Lenin's Imperialism
> and mistakes that for having a sufficient knowledge of
> Marx's Capital.

> I don't know what the function of a "vetting
> procedure" would be on a list devoted to open
> discussion amongst Marxists.  If you are worried about
> being confronted with uncomfortable ideas which
> challenge your perceptions, perhaps it would be useful
> to hang out a warning sign of a "common basis of
> political agreement" with some sort of ten point
> program of minimal consensus.

> Otherwise, deal with the fact that Marxist is a term
> broad enough to cover political positions which are
> even diametrically opposed.  In short, grow up.  The
> world is a lot bigger than you imagine.

> I have not once in the course of discussion offered
> any sort of defense of Israeli state crimes.  Yet
> merely by entertaining a critical attitude towards
> "national liberation" struggles with anti-semitic
> elements, I have somehow become to disturbing a
> political presence.  That does not speak well for your
> debating style.  As I stated before, this kind of
> agressive rejection of reality is clinically
> psychotic.

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