Chomsky nails it, Tracy doesn't

[Joseph Tracy]

OK. I have strong feelings when it comes to war and to Obama.  I apologize because it seems  that passion has blinded me to your intent. I truly hope I am proved wrong about Obama, I voted for him  with reserved but sincere hopefulness, but find the bulk of the evidence in his presidency very troubling, as did Cornell West and many others. 

So much of our national debate is about  language and about the gap between language and reality.  One can see how the phrase "power corrupts" applies to the use of language.  Self righteousness is a false sense of power no matter where it originates, and that includes me. I find my university education provided wonderful tools for examining these issues, but find that pursuit increasingly irrelevant to a culture absorbed with language as ideology and entertainment.  I will try to be more careful in my own tone and to show more respect for everyone on the list.  One wants a place among those who read Pynchon  where one can let it rip with sharp arguments, jokes, and speculative ideas without letting disagreements turn personal. I sometimes fail in this and try to admit it when that happens.  

Paul, apologies to you also.  

On May 20, 2011, at 9:28 AM, Jed Kelestron wrote:

> I agree with your position, and you keep arguing with me.
> Misunderstanding not worth wading through.