Fighting the forces of Invisibility

[David Simpson]

Apologies for my intemperate remarks. Guess I've gotten too tired of all the
editorial fallout (which, like all political rhetoric, has been largely
predictable and cliche-ridden) from the events of 9/11. Inexcusable of me to add
to the ongoing deterioration of the P-list -- once a place where one could
expect to find astute literary insights and illuminating critical debate; now
pretty much a forum for puerile political rants.

Otto wrote:

> David,
>
> The death of an innocent is the death of an innocent -- at least for the
> victim.
>
> Those 500.000 deaths weren't "accidental and unintentional" and they weren't
> killed in military actions -- that is precisely the point you don't seem to
> understand. Let's keep it that simple, because I was appealed by Mr.
> Rushdie's statement for it's simplicity.
> Why that ad hominem attack against me -- if you're "hardly pro-war" you are
> against it. Smug -- that's what I see in many opinions who are unwilling to
> discuss the facts & causes behind this crisis.
>
> I can understand Mrs. Albright's point, I don't subscribe to it but I don't
> call her morally imbecile like I call Saddam Hussein who could simply lift
> the UN-sanctions by going into exile. But here, we on our side, have the
> freedom of speech (and therefor the duty) to criticise out part of the
> responsibilities. You may criticise the arguments of the
> peace-demonstrators, but not their right to go on the street. Being a
> Nam-Vet should be an excellent position to admit that there have been errors
> in the past (like taking over the colonial wars of others or building up
> people like Saddam).
>
> In Germany maybe the borderline isn't that clear because we've learned that
> soldiers can become murderers. You've taught us so.
>
> Otto, draft resister, son and grandson, brother, nephew and cousin of
> soldiers, not of murderers.
>
> > --
> > If you don't know or recognize the difference between terrorist "murder"
> > -- the deliberate targeting of innocent civilians -- and "casualties of
> > war" -- the admittedly horrible, but still accidental and unintentional,
> > loss of civilian life in a poorly executed wartime attack -- you are a
> > moral imbecile of the first stripe. Rushdie was using the term "murder"
> > advisedly, precisely to preclude casuistical persiflage like your
> > comments above.
> >
> > By the way, I'm hardly "pro-war." I'm a Vietnam vet who's very much
> > against it.-- though I'm even more against your style of angelic
> > rhetoric and smug righteousness.
> >

--
"My genius is in my nostrils. I smell out lies." -- Nietzsche.
--
Home Page: http://www.depaul.edu/~dsimpson