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Fifth Column
Susan Sontag criticizes Bush policies. Really.
2003-10-12
EFL
New York-born author and human rights activist Suzy Creamcheese Susan Sontag on Saturday criticized President Bush’s policies as imperialistic and a break with 50 years of U.S. foreign policy tradition.
Suzy's spent the past 50 years saying that U.S. policies were just like she claims they are today... Wolf! Wolf!
Sontag, 70, spoke to reporters a day before receiving the German book trade’s prestigious $17,700 Peace Prize. ’’I think as long as the USA has only one political party — the Republican Party, a branch of which calls itself the Democratic Party — we aren’t going to see a change of the current policy,’’ she said.
Take that, Wesley Clark, glorious victor of Kosovo!
Sontag said Bush’s policy breaks with America’s tradition of consulting with allies on global matters instead of acting alone. She was referring to the Bush administration decision to go to war against Iraq without U.N. backing.
You can’t say they weren’t consulted, some just refused flatly what had to be done.
’’It’s really the end of the republic and the beginning of the empire,’’ she said, referring to ancient Rome.
No historical clues at all huh? The three wars against Karthago were the deeds of republican Rome. And the last one wiped Karthago from the face of this earth, salt included. That was indeed a most imperialistic action. You might argue that the Iraq war went a bit differently?
Sontag also had harsh words for California governor-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger, saying his election showed that traditional politics are disappearing.
I know quite a few people in Germany who would recall Schroeder in a flash if they were given that option.
’’We are in a new civilization, a post-political civilization,’’ she said.
Post-modern, post-colonial, post-political. Ah and Neil Postman is dead, too.
One day soon we're going to enter a post-post civilization...
Sontag, whose works have been translated into more than 30 languages, is a lover of European literature, especially German classics and philosophy.
Me too, but that doesn’t mean that you lose your ability to think clearly.
’’I’m not only a writer. I’m first of all a person with a moral conscience,’’ Sontag said. ’’I will never support a decision which seems to me absurd.’’
Tell the people freed from Iraqi hellhole jails.
Shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks, Sontag criticized U.S. officials and media commentators for their simplistic depiction of those events.
America was attacked, 3000 people were murdered cowardly, and America doesn’t seem to let the terrorists get away with it. Very simplistic indeed. Sometimes the simple things are true.
She also sympathized with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder’s refusal to participate in the U.S.-led war in Iraq, but denied the jury selected her for this reason.
Ah no, of course not!
’’I am immodest enough to think that even if I hadn’t spoken up about Bush I would have earned this prize anyway,’’ she said. Last year’s prize went to Nigerian-born writer Chinua Achebe. Past winners also include Nobel Peace Prize laureates Octavio Paz and Hermann Hesse, and former Czech president and anti-communist dissident Vaclav Havel.
Well Ms Sontag, if you think that you are in the same league with these world class writers, you are more than immodest.
In her acceptance speech this morning she criticized U.S. ambassador Coats for not attending the spittlefest ceremony. I fully sympathize with him. I was invited as well but didn’t feel the urge either...
Posted by:True German Ally

#11  "’’It’s really the end of the republic and the beginning of the empire,’’ she said, referring to ancient Rome." Ah, how do they know she's referring to ancient Rome? Could be a reference to the rise of Napoleon III or the end of the Weimar Republic and the founding of the Third Empire (Reich).
Posted by: Jabba the Nutt   2003-10-12 11:28:54 PM  

#10  TGA: Well done! You are one guy who lives up to his "handle."
Posted by: Mike   2003-10-12 8:05:59 PM  

#9  I have a feeling that our empire isgoing to suck, becuase we keep ending up in places like Somalia and Afghanistan. You can't even get a cold Budweiser in Kuwait or Iraq. Can we please takeover Spain, Benidorm rocks and Palma is excellent as well.
Posted by: Super Hose   2003-10-12 3:54:53 PM  

#8  TGA, those are fine words.

I think they reflect some of my own feelings on the matter of "American Imperialism" - an oxymoron if ever I heard one.
Posted by: Tony (UK)   2003-10-12 1:17:21 PM  

#7  TGA, thanks for the kind words about us. I hope we live up to the thought in "Ich bin ein Amerikaner."
Posted by: Steve White   2003-10-12 12:55:39 PM  

#6  It's an important award so most German high ranking politicians had to attend.
From what I saw on television at least the conservative ones didn't look extremely happy. Some do recall what "imperialism" realy looks like.
Posted by: True German Ally   2003-10-12 12:21:29 PM  

#5  Looks like Susan Sontag may be tomorrow's "Sontag Award Winner" in Andrew Sullivan's blog - given for immoral screaching and ivory tower preaching along with general detachment from reality as most people know it
Posted by: Frank G   2003-10-12 11:23:28 AM  

#4  As an American, I'm flattered. Thank you.

And thank you for having to wash your hair instead of making Suzy's award ceremony.
Posted by: Fred   2003-10-12 10:53:33 AM  

#3  My view on "American imperialism" is this:

The United States saved the world from nazism 50 years ago.
It saved the world from communism between 1945 and 1990.
In some decades, we will realize that the United States saved the world from another mortal threat: Islamofascism (and maybe Chinese domination).

In that sense, I'd like to rewrite Kennedy's "Berliner" speech.

" All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of America, and, therefore, as a free man I take pride in the words "Ich bin ein Amerikaner."
Posted by: True German Ally   2003-10-12 10:41:36 AM  

#2  Sorry for the double post, but I want to amplify my remarks:

Sontag and her little group who went to Hanoi, along with Fonda, Jane, are all still on the hook for treason, as far as I am concerned.
Posted by: badanov   2003-10-12 10:13:54 AM  

#1  New York-born author and human rights activist Susan Sontag on Saturday criticized President Bush’s policies as imperialistic and a break with 50 years of U.S. foreign policy tradition.

Human rights activist, my ass. This sorry excuse for an American is a communist, still hoping against hope for wrecking America's defenses.

’’It’s really the end of the republic and the beginning of the empire,’’ she said, referring to ancient Rome.

These spoiled east coast communists have a classical education mostly funded through private school, and while they can write rings around the rest of us, their jerkings off about ancient Rome are about as relevant as a human shield in Hanoi, Christmas, 1972; By the way, Miss Sontag: just where were you in December, 1972. Giving aid and comfort to a military enemy of the United States?

’’We are in a new civilization, a post-political civilization,’’ she said.

Riiight. I call that having one's head up one's ass. That is where you want to live, please excuse me if I don't share your world view.

’’I’m not only a writer. I’m first of all a person with a moral conscience,’’ Sontag said. ’’I will never support a decision which seems to me absurd.’’

I won't dismiss the 'I am a writer' bit, but Sontag's views are as immoral, vapid and absurd as they ever have been.
Posted by: badanov   2003-10-12 10:07:10 AM  

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