February 1, 2003
ANIMALS STRIKE CURIOUS POSES:
Why we should go to war (Julie Burchill, February 1, 2003, The Guardian)In the mode of Basil Fawlty, I've tried not to mention the war. I know that Guardian readers are massively opposed to any action against Saddam Hussein, as are 90% of the people I love and respect both personally and professionally. But I am in favour of war against Iraq - or, rather, I am in favour of a smaller war now rather than a far worse war later. I speak as someone who was born and raised to be anti-American; I know that, even in my lifetime, America has behaved monstrously in Latin America, Indo-China and its own southern states. I was against the US because, whenever people sought autonomy, freedom and justice, it was against them. But that narrative is ended now and a new configuration has emerged.The new enemies of America, and of the west in general, believe that these countries promote too much autonomy, freedom and justice. They are the opposite of socialism even more than they are the opposite of capitalism. They are against light, love, life - and to attempt to pass them the baton of enlightenment borne by the likes of Mandela and Guevara is woefully to misunderstand the nature and desires of what Christopher Hitchens (a life-long man of the left) described as "Islamo-fascism". [...]
Oh, and we've also got Condoleezza Rice, the coolest, cleverest, most powerful black woman since Cleopatra, and you've got the Mothers' Union, with their risible prayer for Iraq's people, a prime piece of prissy, pacifist twaddle that even Hallmark "Forever Friends" would reject as not intellectually or aesthetically rigorous enough.
So, all in all, and at the risk of being extremely babyish myself, I'd go so far as to say that my argument's bigger than yours. Of course, you think the same about your side. And we won't change our minds. Ever. So let's do each other a favour and agree not to rattle each other's cages (playpens?) until the whole thing's over. Free speech and diversity - let's enjoy it! Even though our brothers and sisters, the suffering, tortured slaves of Saddam, can't. Yet. Still, soon.
From her belief that Cleopatra was black to her belief that Nelson Mandela and Che Guevara were democrats to her belief that Chile would have been better off under Allende, Ms Burchill appears to be a nitwit. But it's interesting any time the Guardian girds for war. Posted by Orrin Judd at February 1, 2003 6:15 AM
Well, Rice and Cleopatra Ptolemy probably had the same color hair and eyes... but that probably about ends the similarities. I'd think that Rice is strictly the second woman to see GWB each morning.
Posted by: Tom Roberts at February 1, 2003 8:57 AMCleopatra was Greek. The name alone is a big clue. She is the descendant of inbred Ptomelies, who were installed as Pharoahs after Alexander the Great.
Posted by: Annoying Old Guy at February 1, 2003 10:03 AMShe's aggressively ignorant and pugnaciously stupid.
Also, why is it that leftists can proudly talk about their hate for America and all things American, yet be fore "hate crimes?" I'd like to think that hate is rarely a good thing. I guess it all depends on who does the hating,and what is being hated.
I read your article on 'Out of Africa', linked from a reference to
Cleopatra being 'black' (re: pop culture ex-NME punk Burchill).
I was interested to see that it was a response to Bernal's 'Black
Athena', although disappointed to see it was really a response to a
response. I can thoroughly recommend reading Bernal's book and not
rely on his critics denouncing it. It's a few years since I read it,
and perhaps a year or so since I read his second book on the subject
which revisits the thesis and the controversy around it.
Lefkowitz completely misrepresents his book if she actually holds the
position that he "denied that the ancient Greeks were the inventors
of democracy, philosophy, and science". From this small quote though,
I am not so sure she attacks him so much as the adherents of
'afro-centrism' that latched onto his work, mostly in ignorance.
Bernal is no crank. He has done some important research, and argued
carefully, that Greece had an important link, with borrowing, from the
ancient Egyptian civilisation. As the Greeks themselves believed. He
argues that this link has been downplayed and minimised over the last
few centuries for, sometimes, less than purely academic reasons. His
work should not be dismissed lightly, even though it might shake
up the ivory towers of academe.
Read his book, and his followup. It is not 'afro-centrism', let alone
an argument that Cleopatra was 'black'.
Cheers.