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#1
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Howard Zinn is dead
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1977 300d 70k--sold 08 1985 300TD 185k+ 1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03 1985 409d 65k--sold 06 1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car 1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11 1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper 1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4 1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13 |
#2
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Initial reaction: Who?
After reading: Quote:
Quote:
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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar. 83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles 08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles 88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress. |
#3
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He wrote a great short essay in the early 90's on history and objectivity, called "Objections to Objectivity". It appeared in Z magazine and in a later anthology of his, 'Declarations of Independence'.
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1977 300d 70k--sold 08 1985 300TD 185k+ 1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03 1985 409d 65k--sold 06 1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car 1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11 1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper 1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4 1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13 Last edited by kerry; 01-28-2010 at 10:01 AM. |
#4
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Quote:
The content of textbooks has been controlled by the state of Texas for so long that there is a distinct right wing bias to math books.
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Remember, it's not just a car. It's an Adventure. |
#5
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I think I understand the POV of his critics somewhat but I appreciate Prof. Zinn. The teary eyed fondness for the wonderful legacy of all things European American needed a bit of deflating when Zinn happened along.
The lust of Columbus and gang for fast wealth has been a sorry legacy for America through the centuries. Just go in, rip it up and don't let the whining of the damned natives slow you down. The last paragraphs of that piece are sorta in line with what I'm starting to feel: One of Professor Zinn’s last public writings was a brief essay, published last week in The Nation, about the first year of the Obama administration. “I’ve been searching hard for a highlight,” he wrote, adding that he wasn’t disappointed because he never expected a lot from President Obama. “I think people are dazzled by Obama’s rhetoric, and that people ought to begin to understand that Obama is going to be a mediocre president — which means, in our time, a dangerous president — unless there is some national movement to push him in a better direction.”
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1986 300SDL, 362K 1984 300D, 138K |
#6
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But now you're an expert on him.
No they're not. They're slanted to the right. Prove me wrong.
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1986 300SDL, 362K 1984 300D, 138K |
#7
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I think one has to take into account the era during which Zinn began writing his take on history ... history textbooks were for a long time essentially promotional material for the United States and were written as such. I wouldn't say they were "right wing" because for a long time, that sort of mind-set was the only wing. Zinn's attempt to consider that there may be more than one, flattering version of history was, at one time, somewhat of a breakthrough. I'm a capitalist and I hated People's History ... but at the same time, I do think it was important in shaping a wider consideration of the country's history, the nature of mankind, and as such, the future. I didn't personally share Zinn's beliefs, but I am glad I was forced to read his book in college ... it didn't change my mind on very much, but it gave me plenty to think about, and also made me consider the history of history. I'm young, so by the time I hit school, liberal was all the rage. I thought that was awful. But the America-as-hero attitude projected in history classes before Zinn came on the scene was pretty awful, too. I'm not going to write a dirge or anything, but as a conservative who likes to hear intelligent and passionate analysis from other points of view, I will certainly tip my cap to him.
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1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles 1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles 2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles 2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles 1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles 1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car) |
#8
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This is sad news. He was a great American author and citizen. I would have liked to have met him.
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MBlovr '59 180 Dad's original '59 180 Dad's 2nd one '67 250SE Dad's last one '59 220 SE My first one '62 220SE Coupe second one '89 190E 2.6 5spd third one '06 E350 4matic (sold) '10 E350 4matic |
#9
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Quote:
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MBlovr '59 180 Dad's original '59 180 Dad's 2nd one '67 250SE Dad's last one '59 220 SE My first one '62 220SE Coupe second one '89 190E 2.6 5spd third one '06 E350 4matic (sold) '10 E350 4matic |
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Exactly. I'll admit there were times I wanted to throw the book out my dorm window ... but for the most part, I was able to settle into it and accept it as a different but still insightful perspective. I did not feel that he forced me to agree with his feelings, rather, just asked that I consider them. Too few people take that approach to sharing their views.
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1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles 1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles 2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles 2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles 1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles 1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car) |
#11
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That's not a bad thing but some balance and self-criticism can be a good thing.
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1986 300SDL, 362K 1984 300D, 138K |
#12
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I think his attitude arose from the fact that he considered it impossible to write objective history. History was always written from a point of view and reflected a set of social values. The fact that this was not acknowledged by the standard history books amounted to a kind of propaganda. As a result he seemed always redy to acknowledge the subjectivity of his own histories while pointing out that this did not make them inferior to other histories.
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1977 300d 70k--sold 08 1985 300TD 185k+ 1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03 1985 409d 65k--sold 06 1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car 1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11 1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper 1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4 1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13 |
#13
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p.s. studs terkel is another good source for alternate takes on history. (but you probably already know that.
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"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread." |
#14
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"mainstream texts" that's a new one.
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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue). |
#15
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having been compelled to read his work during university, and listening to some classmates refer to him almost as they would a deity, all I can say is goodbye sir, I am glad that you are gone....
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