"I think it's very important to bring back the idea of socialism into the national discussion to where it was at the turn of the [last] century before the Soviet Union gave it a bad name. Socialism had a good name in this country. Socialism had Eugene Debs. It had Clarence Darrow. It had Mother Jones. It had Emma Goldman. It had several million people reading socialist newspapers around the country. Socialism basically said, hey, let's have a kinder, gentler society. Let's share things. Let's have an economic system that produces things not because they're profitable for some corporation, but produces things that people need. People should not be retreating from the word socialism because you have to go beyond capitalism."
(Howard Zinn, writer, 2009)
Thanks to Cathy for sending this
quote in to MadPriest Towers.
You are aware of recent reports showing Zinn was a member of the Communist Party of the USA? See here: http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-07-30/howard-zinns-fbi-files-reveal-communist-allegations/
ReplyDeleteIt's not like the Daily Beast is Fox News.
Erm. Is there something wrong with being a communist? If there is, then someone should take a black pen to the Book Of Acts before anyone notices the high point of Christianity was based on pure communism.
ReplyDeletePreach it, comrade!
ReplyDeleteAnd I was rather under the impression that McCarthyism was a low point in American history.
ReplyDeleteCommunism is the actual Christian ideal of the early church, as opposed to Marxism, and specifically excludes capitalism.
ReplyDeleteAnd I was rather under the impression that McCarthyism was a low point in [Statesonian] history.
ReplyDeleteIt was. But they are currently trying to beat the record.
That's right, Mark. And we celebrate that fact every Sunday morning in our "communion" services.
ReplyDeleteDah-veed - indeed, and many thanks for pointing out that I should have said Statesonian. I shall henceforth refrain from holding you personally responsible for McCarthyism, particularly since, according to Mad Priest, you are in reality a woman called Jane Smith who lives in Wallsend.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't completely rule out Dah-veed being responsible for McCarthyism. He is a man of mystery.
ReplyDeleteThat's right, Mark. And we celebrate that fact every Sunday morning in our "communion" services.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Exactly.
And, if you believe McCarthyist jingoism is dead, try saying stuff like that in the U. S. - even in most TEC parishes - and find out what the 8th Deadly Sin is to good ol' capitalist 'Murka. I only feel safe discussing it here.
Mark - if, as Mad Priest suggests, Dah-veed is responsible for McCarthyism, it is possibly not safe discussing it here.
ReplyDeleteI certainly didn't think the jingoism was dead among right-wingers in the US.
I trust Dah-veed implicitly . . . now, explicitly.
ReplyDeleteHe is not McCarthyist, he is part of the Weapon X Program, Lavender Division, as am I. Our skeletons are covered in Gaydamantium so that the homophobic hatred just bounces off!
So that's what they have really been up to at Area 51, Mark.
ReplyDeleteOf course!
ReplyDeleteThat, and a chewing gum that won't lose it's flavo(u)r on the bedpost overnight.
Oh, and the first collapsible, all-weather chicken.
the first collapsible, all-weather chicken
ReplyDeleteYou Americans have been keeping that one very quiet. Typical US protectionism.
You are aware of recent reports showing Zinn was a member of the Communist Party of the USA?
ReplyDeleteI hear there are recent reports that many reputable people are . . . Roman Catholics. Your point?