Re: Memory & History: Herman Melville's _Benito Cereno_ (was Re:Yugoslavia to fSU and Chile)

["Charles Brown" <CharlesB@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

ng.

>> furuhashi.1@xxxxxxx 10/11/00 02:01AM >>
Therefore, I conclude that the _dominant
ideological reflex_ of American leftists is to appoint themselves as
the police, prosecutor, judge, & executioner of peoples who
unfortunately live in countries under America's Official Enemies
while excusing themselves from moral and political responsibilities
for their own government's conduct, which has been worse than all its
Official Enemies, past & present, put together.  They have forgotten
what they learned through the reawakening of the Left during the
anti-Vietnam War movement.  When did they begin to forget?  During
the Gulf War?  The invasion of Panama?  After the end of the draft?
When did this dumbing down of the Left begin?

(((((((((((((((

CB: CPUSA had a theory of American exceptionalism in the 1930's: Americanism is 20th Century Socialism ( or maybe the other way around). Of course the U.S. did manage to get onto the right side in WWII, so there was some material basis for hoping that the U.S. would steer a course away from being the successor to Britain as the main imperialist power, but we failed to win that exceptional alternative.

Perhaps I should find some Henry James short story with the theme of American as innocents victimized in jaded old Europe. I can't remember the name of the one I am thinking of.  I think someone dies of scarlet fever that they catch while visiting the Roman Collesium or something like that.  Perhaps, leftists 2000 are assuming a role of Americans as innocents , again.