Co-optation (& with friends like these…)
Re-posted from Rolling Stone
Rather than use the vast power they had to end the war, Democrats devoted their energy to making sure that “anti-war activism” became synonymous with “electing Democrats.” Capitalizing on America’s desire to end the war, they hijacked the anti-war movement itself, filling the ranks of peace groups with loyal party hacks. Anti-war…
WARNING: This important story is once again tainted by left-macho terminology, like “limp-dick”. It pains me that investigative journalism this important can’t see the deeper picture of the very war it criticizes, that of reflexive masculinity that equates male-ness with courage… and by implication, vice versa. With friends like these…
Michael Anderson:
Rolling Stone has been a society “glossy” since the mid-seventies, which is when I stopped reading it. While there are truths in some of it’s investigative stories, it is (often) tainted by it’s generally suburban middle-class appeal (whew, there’s an overused term, but it fits!). And the ‘burbs are full of “big dicks” of various persuasions. I would like to say it’s best to ignore RS and it’s ilk, but too many people take them seriously, so ya gotta keep an eye peeled for them…
10 February 2008, 3:53 pmBench:
I’m glad you removed the boyshit title and added a disclaimer. I’ll admit I was a little perplexed that you had not commented on it when I encountered “limp-dick” in the article. Anway, I have a humble suggestion/request, Stan: write a response to Taiibi and see if RS will publish it. If they won’t, how about HuffPo or someplace else?
11 February 2008, 2:39 pmPhil:
Ok, Talibi is pretty obnoxious, and Rolling Stone has been worthless for pretty much the last 35 years, but what about the content of this quote? It is obviously true, another one of those lessons that never gets learned by “liberals.” What do you think elections will ever gain for us in America? Is the problem that we have simply not articulated our desires for peace, prosperity, and fairness effectively to that tiny clique that rules us or is it that they do not give a crap what we think or how we vote? Electing Democrats will achieve nothing more than that. Forget the damn elections and work on the issues.
12 February 2008, 1:35 pm