Noam Chomsky: On the Bombings

Thu Sep 13 02:07:25 UTC 2001

Dear all:

As both a Slavic-born Slavic literatures graduate student (and a subscriber
to the "seelangs" list), and as a US resident appalled by yesterday's tragic
attacks, I would like to defend Mr. Oushakine's right to post his "personal
views" (or Chomsky's, for that matter), and invite a general discussion.  As
a unique forum for open and often spontaneous discussion among the Slavist
community, this listserv should welcome any serious discussion on pressing
issues, political or otherwise. It seems to me an important privilege to
open a discussion, however brief or limited, of yesterday's shocking events
with others from the conscientious academic community.

Sincerely,
Andrzej Niekrasz
Northwestern University

>From: "Michael S. Flier" <flier at FAS.HARVARD.EDU>
>Reply-To: Slavic & East European Languages and Literature list
><SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU>
>To: SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
>Subject: Re: Noam Chomsky: On the Bombings
>Date: Wed, 12 Sep 2001 21:10:55 -0400
>
>Mr. Oushakine:
>
>I am appalled by your abuse of a scholarly bulletin board devoted to Slavic
>languages and literatures to air your personal views concerning the
>terrorist attack on the United States and the conflict in the Middle East
>by disseminating recent articles by Chomsky and Fisk through SEELANGS.  If
>you wish to argue about American and Middle Eastern politics publicly, then
>do so in an appropriate forum, but not on a Slavic bulletin board.  This is
>a gross violation of our common trust.
>
>Michael Flier
>
>
>
>At 07:04 PM 9/12/01 -0400, Serguei Alex. Oushakine wrote:
>>On the Bombings
>>Noam Chomsky
>>
>>
>>The terrorist attacks were major atrocities. In scale they may not reach
>>the
>>level of many others, for example, Clinton's bombing of the Sudan with no
>>credible pretext, destroying half its pharmaceutical supplies and killing
>>unknown numbers of people (no one knows, because the US blocked an inquiry
>>at the UN and no one cares to pursue it). Not to speak of much worse
>>cases,
>>which easily come to mind. But that this was a horrendous crime is not in
>>doubt. The primary victims, as usual, were working people: janitors,
>>secretaries, firemen, etc. It is likely to prove to be a crushing blow to
>>Palestinians and other poor and oppressed people. It is also likely to
>>lead
>>to harsh security controls, with many possible ramifications for
>>undermining
>>civil liberties and internal freedom.
>>
>>The events reveal, dramatically, the foolishness of the project of
>>"missile
>>defense." As has been obvious all along, and pointed out repeatedly by
>>strategic analysts, if anyone wants to cause immense damage in the US,
>>including weapons of mass destruction, they are highly unlikely to launch
>>a
>>missile attack, thus guaranteeing their immediate destruction. There are
>>innumerable easier ways that are basically unstoppable. But today's events
>>will, very likely, be exploited to increase the pressure to develop these
>>systems and put them into place. "Defense" is a thin cover for plans for
>>militarization of space, and with good PR, even the flimsiest arguments
>>will
>>carry some weight among a frightened public.
>>
>>In short, the crime is a gift to the hard jingoist right, those who hope
>>to
>>use force to control their domains. That is even putting aside the likely
>>US
>>actions, and what they will trigger -- possibly more attacks like this
>>one,
>>or worse. The prospects ahead are even more ominous than they appeared to
>>be
>>before the latest atrocities.
>>
>>As to how to react, we have a choice. We can express justified horror; we
>>can seek to understand what may have led to the crimes, which means making
>>an effort to enter the minds of the likely perpetrators. If we choose the
>>latter course, we can do no better, I think, than to listen to the words
>>of
>>Robert Fisk, whose direct knowledge and insight into affairs of the region
>>is unmatched after many years of distinguished reporting. Describing "The
>>wickedness and awesome cruelty of a crushed and humiliated people," he
>>writes that "this is not the war of democracy versus terror that the world
>>will be asked to believe in the coming days. It is also about American
>>missiles smashing into Palestinian homes and US helicopters firing
>>missiles
>>into a Lebanese ambulance in 1996 and American shells crashing into a
>>village called Qana and about a Lebanese militia - paid and uniformed by
>>America's Israeli ally - hacking and raping and murdering their way
>>through
>>refugee camps." And much more. Again, we have a choice: we may try to
>>understand, or refuse to do so, contributing to the likelihood that much
>>worse lies ahead.
>>
>>Noam Chomsky
>>
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>PROF. MICHAEL S. FLIER, Chairman
>
>Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures
>Harvard University
>Barker Center, 12 Quincy Street
>Cambridge, MA 02138
>
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