Comments on: “Heil Ahmadinejad, Foe of Imperialism” http://blog.z-word.com/2009/06/heil-ahmadinejad-foe-of-imperialism/ Commentary about Zionism, anti-Zionism, antisemitism and the conflict in the Middle East Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:00:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5-RC1.1 By: Karl Pfeifer http://blog.z-word.com/2009/06/heil-ahmadinejad-foe-of-imperialism/#comment-5597 Karl Pfeifer Sat, 27 Jun 2009 20:03:36 +0000 http://blog.z-word.com/?p=1336#comment-5597 les, once a British journalist told me, a leftist can't be an antisemite and an antisemite can't be a leftist. He was wrong. The left was never free of antisemitism, one has to read Siberner or Sternhell to get this documented. However I object to sweeping statements about "the left" and "the leftist". As far as Israel is concerned, when the SU leaders wanted to hurt GB they were more zionistic than the zionist (1947/48). Later they changed their attitude. les, once a British journalist told me, a leftist can’t be an antisemite and an antisemite can’t be a leftist. He was wrong.
The left was never free of antisemitism, one has to read Siberner or Sternhell to get this documented.
However I object to sweeping statements about “the left” and “the leftist”.
As far as Israel is concerned, when the SU leaders wanted to hurt GB they were more zionistic than the zionist (1947/48). Later they changed their attitude.

]]> By: Israel & Judentum » “Heil Ahmadinejad, Foe of Imperialism” http://blog.z-word.com/2009/06/heil-ahmadinejad-foe-of-imperialism/#comment-5592 Israel & Judentum » “Heil Ahmadinejad, Foe of Imperialism” Sat, 27 Jun 2009 17:16:01 +0000 http://blog.z-word.com/?p=1336#comment-5592 [...] Karl Pfeifer, Z word blog, [...] […] Karl Pfeifer, Z word blog, […]

]]> By: les http://blog.z-word.com/2009/06/heil-ahmadinejad-foe-of-imperialism/#comment-5591 les Sat, 27 Jun 2009 17:09:17 +0000 http://blog.z-word.com/?p=1336#comment-5591 karl (and mod)-- i think you have your finger on an important question. at what point can anyone who supports a holocaust denier like ahmadinejad actually be said to be on the left? is it that they've simply fallen heir to a rhetorical style of speaking that historically one associated with the left, or perhaps a vocabulary that they can manipulate for its symbolic value? or is it that large and very vocal sections of the left are more and more collapsing into a kind of "vulgar anti-imperialism", the anti-imperialism of fools, and in the process, have distanced, even divorced themselves from the basic emancipatory project that the left has always tried to promote? let's be frank: chavez is not a "hard leftist," he's a populist. and there are only two kinds of populism--wretched and reactionary. as for mr. chomsky, when he's talking about universal grammar, he's more on the left than when he's talking about politics. karl (and mod)– i think you have your finger on an important question. at what point can anyone who supports a holocaust denier like ahmadinejad actually be said to be on the left? is it that they’ve simply fallen heir to a rhetorical style of speaking that historically one associated with the left, or perhaps a vocabulary that they can manipulate for its symbolic value? or is it that large and very vocal sections of the left are more and more collapsing into a kind of “vulgar anti-imperialism”, the anti-imperialism of fools, and in the process, have distanced, even divorced themselves from the basic emancipatory project that the left has always tried to promote? let’s be frank: chavez is not a “hard leftist,” he’s a populist. and there are only two kinds of populism–wretched and reactionary. as for mr. chomsky, when he’s talking about universal grammar, he’s more on the left than when he’s talking about politics.

]]> By: Variousness « Anti-German Translation http://blog.z-word.com/2009/06/heil-ahmadinejad-foe-of-imperialism/#comment-5589 Variousness « Anti-German Translation Sat, 27 Jun 2009 16:22:35 +0000 http://blog.z-word.com/?p=1336#comment-5589 [...] 27Jun09 “Heil Ahmadinejad, Foe of Imperialism”: Karl Pfeifer on left-right [...] […] 27Jun09 “Heil Ahmadinejad, Foe of Imperialism”: Karl Pfeifer on left-right […]

]]> By: Karl Pfeifer http://blog.z-word.com/2009/06/heil-ahmadinejad-foe-of-imperialism/#comment-5579 Karl Pfeifer Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:13:16 +0000 http://blog.z-word.com/?p=1336#comment-5579 Robbins who are the "leftists"? according to you? In Austria and in Germany one part of the left takes a very clear stand against antisemitism also when it is disguised as antizionism and against antiamericanism. Some leftist, like Noam Chomsky served giving a teudat kashrut (meaning giving a certificate that they are OK) to Holocaust deniers like Faurisson. Norman Finkelstein, who claims to be a leftist, has no problem with HizbAllah or Hamas. So I am in favor of judging every case on its merits. Robbins who are the “leftists”? according to you?

In Austria and in Germany one part of the left takes a very clear stand against antisemitism also when it is disguised as antizionism and against antiamericanism.

Some leftist, like Noam Chomsky served giving a teudat kashrut (meaning giving a certificate that they are OK) to Holocaust deniers like Faurisson. Norman Finkelstein, who claims to be a leftist, has no problem with HizbAllah or Hamas. So I am in favor of judging every case on its merits.

]]> By: Robbins http://blog.z-word.com/2009/06/heil-ahmadinejad-foe-of-imperialism/#comment-5577 Robbins Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:08:23 +0000 http://blog.z-word.com/?p=1336#comment-5577 That neo Nazis and Nazis support Ahamdinejad is not news. But what accounts for hard leftists like Chavez and many others in Europe support for this little murderer. Isn't it the case that there has always been among leftists a love for authoritarian and even totalitarian solutions to political and social problems, Karl? That neo Nazis and Nazis support Ahamdinejad is not news.

But what accounts for hard leftists like Chavez and many others in Europe support for this little murderer.

Isn’t it the case that there has always been among leftists a love for authoritarian and even totalitarian solutions to political and social problems, Karl?

]]> By: Petra http://blog.z-word.com/2009/06/heil-ahmadinejad-foe-of-imperialism/#comment-5570 Petra Fri, 26 Jun 2009 06:34:33 +0000 http://blog.z-word.com/?p=1336#comment-5570 Amazing stuff...It's interesting in this context to note that polls have shown that Ahmadinejad used to be among the most popular political figures in the ARAB world (mind you) -- he shared this honor with Hezbollah leader Nasrallah (no.1) and Syrian president Assad, and the reason that this trio was so popular on the "Arab street" was that they were seen as "standing up to the West". In my view, this is one of the best illustrations of the problematic neighborhood Israel finds itself. Therefore, this is arguably fascinating article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/06/24/ST2009062403031.html?sid=ST2009062403031 The Sounds of Silence on Iran By Mona Eltahawy Thursday, June 25, 2009 Do you hear the silence from the Arab world over events in Iran? Amazing stuff…It’s interesting in this context to note that polls have shown that Ahmadinejad used to be among the most popular political figures in the ARAB world (mind you) — he shared this honor with Hezbollah leader Nasrallah (no.1) and Syrian president Assad, and the reason that this trio was so popular on the “Arab street” was that they were seen as “standing up to the West”. In my view, this is one of the best illustrations of the problematic neighborhood Israel finds itself.
Therefore, this is arguably fascinating article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/06/24/ST2009062403031.html?sid=ST2009062403031
The Sounds of Silence on Iran
By Mona Eltahawy
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Do you hear the silence from the Arab world over events in Iran?

]]> By: ganselmi http://blog.z-word.com/2009/06/heil-ahmadinejad-foe-of-imperialism/#comment-5568 ganselmi Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:23:45 +0000 http://blog.z-word.com/?p=1336#comment-5568 Thanks for informing us Karl. A political nexus between the IRI, specifically the figure of Ahmadinejad, and neo-Nazi movements is disturbing but not surprising. It makes me feel even more sad for my country... Thanks for informing us Karl. A political nexus between the IRI, specifically the figure of Ahmadinejad, and neo-Nazi movements is disturbing but not surprising. It makes me feel even more sad for my country…

]]> By: Michael B http://blog.z-word.com/2009/06/heil-ahmadinejad-foe-of-imperialism/#comment-5563 Michael B Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:59:47 +0000 http://blog.z-word.com/?p=1336#comment-5563 Hence to reconfigure some basic con- and per-ceptions, both left and right totalitarians/authoritarians on one end of a spectrum - with social/political classical liberals (in the lineage of Locke and Montesquieu) on the other end of the same spectrum. That seems a more fitting template and linear spectrum if one is to be conceived vis-a-vis Iran, other purposes as well. Such a schema has disadvantages, but it has several critical advantages as well, such as inherently acknowledging the Lenin-Mussolini continuum in terms of praxis and at least some ideological motifs (e.g., the authoritarian/socialist aspect itself); such as inherently acknowledging the authoritarian/pluralism divide in the form of basic institutions (separation of powers, checks and balances); such as inherently acknowledging and placing ultimate significance upon the individual qua individual and not first and foremost as part of a political collective. That's individual qua individual, with a simultaneous dual emphasis upon freedom/responsibility both. Hence to reconfigure some basic con- and per-ceptions, both left and right totalitarians/authoritarians on one end of a spectrum - with social/political classical liberals (in the lineage of Locke and Montesquieu) on the other end of the same spectrum. That seems a more fitting template and linear spectrum if one is to be conceived vis-a-vis Iran, other purposes as well.

Such a schema has disadvantages, but it has several critical advantages as well, such as inherently acknowledging the Lenin-Mussolini continuum in terms of praxis and at least some ideological motifs (e.g., the authoritarian/socialist aspect itself); such as inherently acknowledging the authoritarian/pluralism divide in the form of basic institutions (separation of powers, checks and balances); such as inherently acknowledging and placing ultimate significance upon the individual qua individual and not first and foremost as part of a political collective. That’s individual qua individual, with a simultaneous dual emphasis upon freedom/responsibility both.

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