Speaking yesterday at that bastion of patriotism, Yale University, Columbia University Professor Todd Gitlin said:"Patriotism is experienced by many people on the left as something of an embarrassment."
"However, it is strategically disastrous to take this position."
Gitlin said that this embarrassment harms their chances of getting elected in America.
His solution is to claim patriotism. He says if this is done, the left can mobilize and once again assume its place as a factor in the American political scene.
No mention of his love of this country, just a recommendation to take the politically expedient route and go for the power. Some patriot!
After all, those dead soldiers deserved it, right Gitlin?
7 comments:
Hmmm,
I didn't get the impression from the article that Gitlin was being cynical. Maybe he was, but the article didn't make it sound that way. Articles in papers seldom get things right anyway, so I wouldn't condemn anyone on that basis. I think you would have to read his book to see where he stands. His observation about the lack of patriotism on the left is certainly accurate and was borne out by the student's comments, but I didn't have the impression that he agreed with that position.
Now, can the left become sincerely patriotic? I don't think so, I suspect the disdain for country is too deep for most to overcome. I suppose if Europe really does go down in flames in the next several years that might make a difference.
skook,
My very tentative opinion is that if the combination of bad economic policy and the rise of radical Islam weakens Europe in undeniable ways, the left will split in two-1) a more traditional left, sort of 21st century Scoop Jackson 2) those that blame Bush and WoT, who say none of it would have happened if not for the incompetent evil genius Chimpler. Which group is larger is a coin toss at this point.
I've been noticing a shift in the left's proud finger pointing for a bit. They seem to have shifted to the north - Scandanavia, rather than to the outstanding success stories of France, Germany and the UK. I wonder where they will turn when Norway's oil money runs dry?
How many parts have to fall off socialism's dead body before the dimwits in wackedemia notice that it has lost it's youthful glow?
He doesn't love his country. He doesn't think of it as "his" country. It's just the place he happens to be. No connection to him whatsoever. In fact, he hates this country.
Well,
The Left certainly has no love of Gitlin, seems he expressed insufficient admiration for Lenin, Nader, Chomsky in his book Letters to a Young Activist.
They will be surprised to find that history's two most dangerous people are not members of Bush's cabinet, but rather the Russian revolutionary Lenin and 2000 Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader. (Noam Chomsky comes in a distant third).
On the other hand, he seems to be one of those who blames the troubles of the left on other people, not the ideas or, G*d forbid, people like himself. Sounds like a bog standard 60's radical to me!
Anyway, I am not clear on where Gitlin stands at this time, so will withhold judgement.
If my memory serves me right, back in the day, patriotism was just so uncool. And these folks are into being cool.
What Terrye said. I seem to remember Gitlin from articles he wrote in 'Rolling Stone' back when I read it in college. (Which is way too long ago, and now that I see his face, I understand--He's another left-over piece of debris from the 60's trying to act relevant.)
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