Noam Chomsky's statement on killing of Osama bin Laden

[cfabel]

Quite so.

C. F. Abel
Chair
Department of Government
Stephen F. Austin State University
Nacogdoches, Texas 75962
(936) 468-3903




-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pynchon-l at waste.org [mailto:owner-pynchon-l at waste.org] On Behalf
Of Joseph Tracy
Sent: Sunday, May 15, 2011 6:12 PM
To: pynchon-l at waste.org
Subject: Re: Noam Chomsky's statement on killing of Osama bin Laden


On May 15, 2011, at 10:02 AM, alice wellintown wrote:

> Actually, although quite difficult to measure, the growth of democracy 
> continues at an astounding pace.

Democracy is growing where the US has  lost control:  most of the southern
Americas but most tenuous in Mexico, Columbia and  Honduras where our
influence is strongest.  The hunger for democracy is strong and growing
across the world and not least in places where we have supported dictators
like Mubarak. My argument is entirely about the the US military economic
empire and its corrupting effects on Constitutional Law and democratic
process here and abroad.. The point about energy is that our current
bi-partisan solution is the anti-democratic use of force, the propping up of
a predatory and still unregulated banking system, and the denial of
meaningful measures to address carbon emissions, or conserve energy .  

Things are not getting better. The Gulf is being turned into a dead zone, we
are at the beginning of a long period of climate catastrophes like the
flooding in the large river systems  and droughts in many regions, we rely
on unsustainable agricultural practices, and we spend an insane  amount of
money on wars that are doing far more harm than good. The point is not about
democracy as an idea  with global appeal. It's about us. Where is the great
democratic improvement in Iraq. How is the US exhibiting or promoting the
best values of our history. 

At any rate democracy is useless if it leads to fracking, wars of
aggression, investment scams  and  mountaintop removal.  But these problems
are not caused by a tyranny of the majority , but the ability of the elite
to obstruct the will of the people. Obama is on the side of that elite. His
promises sounded good but they were all lies.  One more president to
substitute military adventures  and wall street deals for the courage of his
stated convictions.