traitors among us
Hooman Majd dissects the execrable Thomas Friedman's latest column. In it, Friedman approvingly quotes former State Department spokesman James Rubin's phrase, "the excuse makers," which is used to describe anyone who seeks to understand the historical roots of terrorism - beyond, that is, the explanation that "they hate our freedoms." "These excuse makers are just one notch less despicable than the terrorists and also deserve to be exposed," threatens Friedman.
Friedman descends to new lows all the time. The real neocon agenda behind these spewings - that "explainers" are "excuse makers" who need to be "exposed" (to what? threats? firings? public exile? Gitmo?) - is to ensure that there is no serious discussion of our Middle East policies and how they contributed to terrorism. And, of course, how they continue to contribute to that climate, thanks to Friedman and his cronies.
We cannot understand and ultimately stop the hideous behavior of terrorists unless we explain it. It didn't occur in a vacuum, but saying so endangers the geopolitical views of Friedman et al. With the fruits of their labors now apparent to all, it's better to silence all explanation with cries of "excuse maker." So if you were planning to point out that Friedman's pet project, the war in Iraq, is germinating terrorists at a staggering rate, watch your mouth. He'll "expose" you and ruin your life.
"Excuse maker:" the "commie sympathizer" epithet of the 21st Century. Welcome to the New McCarthyism.
At one point someone claiming to be a publicist for Friedman's book sent me an email wanting an address so they could send me a free copy of his book, and since the last post I'd had on Friedman I'd talked about his perenial habit of jamming his head up his ass I was sure it must have been from some right wing hit squad. Though why they would try to lure you in with free mediocrity I could never figure out.
Posted by: firedoglake | July 22, 2005 at 10:09 PM