dfischman -- All Comments -- In These Times

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dfischman

- 25 Jun 08
- 6:16 pm
Ken, "well-intentioned" is a relative term, isn't it? Mixed motives are the rule in human affairs. Even George Bush probably believes that he did all that he did with good intentions. That doesn't excuse what he's done. In my opinion, it also doesn't mean that in order not to demonize him, we are forced to accept his account of his own motives . He might be deluding himself, or he might be trying to deceive us, or some of both. Either way, we don't have to be his accomplices. And that's just what we'd be--accomplices--if we didn't point out the lies …

Posted to What Progressives Can Learn from Obama
- 01 Jul 08
- 5:17 am
Ken, you wrote that "we shouldn�t be in the habit of accusing our adversaries of having consciously sinister motives." Who could disagree with that? But it's a tendentious argument. "Consciously" sinister? Who knows whether people who profit from other people's oppression are aware of their own motives? Our entire culture tells them it's fine to take advantage of other people to make a buck ("free enterprise") or to dominate other nations to impose your own vision ("leader of the free world"). It takes study and effort to think critically about these political cliches even when they're hurting you. When they are …

Posted to What Progressives Can Learn from Obama