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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: LindyBill who wrote (29182)	5/10/2002 11:56:58 AM
From: JohnM	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 281500

We may have to renew our dialogue about left vs. right and totalitarianism vs. libertarianism. Oh, boy. That is kind of a "Third Rail" around here. John, FL, et al, and I tiptoe around it. Perhaps. I would be more than willing to participate. But I suspect it would quickly take us well off topic. Moreover, much of the discussion might be about whether that particular distinction makes sense. Since I do agree with you, Bill, on some matters but disagree on others. One thing I'd like to discuss is whether there is any rational basis for their complaints. The word "rational" is an interesting one in this context. It might well be "rational" given their structuring of their mental world. That would then raise the question of a culturally transcendent kind of rationality. Not an interesting topic for here. This question has revolved around the relatively understandable (note: to my critics, before you jump all over me, the word is "understandable") actions of certain Palestinian groups as opposed to my inability to understand the arguments of Al Qaida. I find secular arguments about "occupation" make sense, though I may disagree with them; whereas theological arguments about infidels to be "senseless."

To: LindyBill who wrote (29182)	5/10/2002 12:23:42 PM
From: Ilaine	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

On left vs. right and democracy vs. totalitarianism, it's pretty simple to make the argument: you are on the right, JohnM is on the left, and you both believe in democracy and human rights. My argument, based on my study of the rise of populism and fascism in the 19th century and early 20th century, is that democracy is no panacea if the franchise is extended to people who don't believe in human rights. Hitler demonstrated that it's possible, in a democracy, to vote in totalitarianism. Which doesn't mean I oppose democracy. I just think that as we attempt to instill democracy in the Third World, we should be wary of reactionism.