Frederick Pollack wrote:
>As I've said before, bin Laden and Islamic fascism cannot be regarded as
> representing the poor and oppressed of the earth, and would replace the
> rule of global capitalism with something worse.
>
> I might add that Australia benefits as much as the US from current
> arrangements.
>
> There is a difference between poetry and smug, self-righteous,
> predictable, rhetorical preaching to the converted.
Ok then, Frederick:
is the acuity of the reversal of generalities in:
> in Guatemala you throw Evil into the sea
> > from an airplane
> > and in San Salvador you rot its face with acid
> > and dump it in the streets
an example of rhetoric for the 'converted' or an instance of a poetic device
affectingly used? One doesn't need to have any specific political
persuasions to respond to that, just human affiliations.
And exactly how is a reminiscence of working in a newsroom when photos of
what happened in Bhopal came through that were suppressed a support of
'Islamic fascism'? Explain, if you will.
I'll give a little contextualising, ugly word, as I sent a bc upfront by
mistake anyhow, the other Friday I showed and read an earlier version of
this to some friends who were no more than either I or Alison aligned to any
political persuasion (mine could best be described as grumpily disaffected
all round) and their response was that it articulated an anger they felt
themselves (these were people who cld probably be described as mildly
conservative, and certainly 'beneficiaries' of the system)
You seem, like others I see at times, to be trapped in an 'either you are
with us or against it' mentality - that's a way of thinking that leaves, has
left, many dead in its bloodied trails.
I'll leave it to Australian listees to describe the 'benefits' their country
is currently enjoying.
Best
Dave
>
> >
> > i
> >
> > everything is different now
> > apparently
> >
> > reporters are treated for trauma
> > because of the footage
> > they don't show us
> >
> > but I remember the silence
> > when the pics came through the wire
> > of gassed Kurdish families
> > and those others from Bhopal
> >
> > they never got in the paper
> > either
> >
> > (that was before photoshop
> > washed the foam off the mouth
> > of that pretty little girl
> > airlifted out for surgery in England
> >
> > our hearts bled for the kindness of us
> >
> > it was all part
> > of the wallpaper)
> >
> > ii
> >
> > history finished and then it started again
> > with a "new need for colonisation"
> > and by gosh we get to try out
> > our helicopter gunships with those
> > whizzbang double shooters
> > by gum by jingo by jesus
> > it's a real war we've got here
> > and you kids you're all Good remember
> > Good always triumphs over Evil
> > and it's real Good of you
> > to send your pocketmoney
> > to Those Less Fortunate
> > so long as you play the right music
> > the screens mist over with tears
> > and we dream our Heroes
> > striding over the wastelands
> > with their swords erect
> > and their pockets full of antibiotics
> >
> > in Guatamala you throw Evil into the sea
> > from an airplane
> > and in San Salvador you rot its face with acid
> > and dump it in the streets
> > so the citizens will be properly afraid
> > of Evil
> > as it is liquidated by History
> > Africa's another story
> > unlike the Middle East which unfortunately
> > oils our Western Way Of Life
> > just make sure you bring the white cash
> > in on cessnas
> > to fund the war on drugs
> > which keeps Evil gibbering in prisons
> > and so on
> >
> > Evil we're all agreed
> > is Evil
> > and must be fought
> > by every possible means
> >
> > now it has a new face
> > laboured out of the bowels
> > of the Pentagon
> > so lovingly conceived and now lurching
> > towards its bloody apotheosis
> >
> > how accurately its baby mouth
> > teethed on CIA lingo
> > how aptly it apes
> > the great American nightmare
> > that unsaid fear
> > sprouting out of every colonist's arsehole
> > why it's as simple as abc
> >
> > you might notice
> > the dark side of the skull
> > is green like money is
> >
> > but of course everything is different now
> >
> > October 18 2001
> >
> > Alison Croggon
> >
> > Home page
> > http://users.bigpond.com/acroggon/
> > Masthead
> > http://au.geocities.com/masthead_2/
>
> As I've said before, bin Laden and Islamic fascism cannot be regarded as
> representing the poor and oppressed of the earth, and would replace the
> rule of global capitalism with something worse.
>
> I might add that Australia benefits as much as the US from current
> arrangements.
>
> There is a difference between poetry and smug, self-righteous,
> predictable, rhetorical preaching to the converted.
>
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