Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Chris Hedges: America is a Tinderbox [View all]ProSense
(116,464 posts)6. Yeah,
HEDGES: Now, I should add that in American society we have a long tradition of extremist vigilante right-wing violence, which can be categorized as fascist, where you fuse the language and iconography of the state with the Christian religion, where you demonize the vulnerable--Muslims, undocumented workers, homosexuals, intellectuals, liberals, feminists--they have a long list of people they hate. And those are powerful forces within American society.
...the RW sucks. Still, when did "intellectuals" and "liberals" become the "vulnerable"?
HEDGES: That's what I'm saying. But I'm saying that we have to hold--you have to hold fast to that moral imperative. So if you keep conceding--I mean, let's look at what the liberal class has conceded to the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party in Europe would be a far-right party. It's pro-war, it's anti-union, it's anti-civil liberties. I mean, Obama's assault on civil liberties is worse than Bush. It's an enemy of the press. It's used the Espionage Act to shut down whistleblowers, which are the lifeblood of a free press. It has assassinated American citizens. I mean, and, you know, at what point do you say enough?
And I think that Nader was correct when he ran for president by saying, if we can get 5, 10, 15 million people to withdraw from the system as a kind of counterweight, we can begin to put pressure from the other side. But right now there is no pressure from the other side, because we are effectively manipulated.
And I think that Nader was correct when he ran for president by saying, if we can get 5, 10, 15 million people to withdraw from the system as a kind of counterweight, we can begin to put pressure from the other side. But right now there is no pressure from the other side, because we are effectively manipulated.
What utter crap.
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
93 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations
More offended that this thread has generated two comments about a spelling error...
rugger1869
Jul 2013
#3
Could he have meant: taking it upon yourself to rid the world of evil liberals and gays and you
rainy
Jul 2013
#58
I Agree Completely With Hedges - Continuing To Endorse The DLC Democrats Is A Road To Failure
cantbeserious
Jul 2013
#35
What about the fast food workers going on strike? That is an obvious indication.
Skeeter Barnes
Jul 2013
#49
the difference the last 25 years: the left completely ignored the right's best weapon- talk radio-
certainot
Jul 2013
#19
i hope you're right, but when we get to that point their 'supreme scientists' like limbaugh
certainot
Jul 2013
#43
"When the people fear the government there is tyranny, when the government fears the people...
polichick
Jul 2013
#32
Yeah, yeah, I get tired of trying to live our lives according to 18th century politicians.
randome
Jul 2013
#34
The rest of the quote is worse. He's saying elections are meaningless if not actually dangerous:
ucrdem
Jul 2013
#29
"Dear Mr Lincoln: I joined the Union Army to end slavery, not to fight over some silly cornfields
struggle4progress
Jul 2013
#44
It doesn't make sense either to regard elections as the whole struggle or as completely unrelated
struggle4progress
Jul 2013
#57
"Philosophers have SOLVED the world -- but the real problem is to CHANGE it"
struggle4progress
Jul 2013
#40
Women's rights, child labor laws, the weekend, a 40 hour work week, civil rights protections,
bhikkhu
Jul 2013
#69
excellent interview with one of the great iconoclastic thinkers and real journalist
Douglas Carpenter
Jul 2013
#75
I would not use the words uplifting to describe his writings - But I do think they are for the most
Douglas Carpenter
Jul 2013
#82
well his background as you know is as a seminary graduate training to be a minister
Douglas Carpenter
Jul 2013
#85