@MaxBlumenthal@yashalevine Respond to this with clarity Max. You know better: For years, people promoting the mantras of ‘constructive engagement’ and ‘bridge-building’ with Israel have cited Professor Noam Chomsky in their defence. He is alleged to oppose the campaign of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions
@MaxBlumenthal@yashalevine cover up its occupation and denial of Palestinian human rights. I’ve been involved in activities to hold Israel accountable for its international law violations since before the BDS movement took shape. While I have some tactical differences with the BDS movement, I strongly
@MaxBlumenthal@yashalevine (BDS) launched by Palestinian civil society in 2005.
Artists for Palestine UK contacted Professor Chomsky to ask him to clarify his position.
He has given us this statement:
‘I am opposed to any appearance in Israel that is used for nationalistic or other propaganda purposes to
@ChrisCWright1 I have no doubt that he will ultimately go down the Bernie AOCIA path. I appreciate that he was elected, but we shouldn’t have any illusions that he will help change the system.
I was reluctant to speak on the Noam Chomsky matter and the Epstein files —in fact, yesterday I advised Valeria against it—but I decided to write this today, and to echo @aaronjmate: “I will never cancel Noam Chomsky.” I have known and worked with Chomsky for over 23 years, and I can personally vouch for his integrity.
Judging by the tone of some tweets, I detect a sort of morbid enjoyment in the quest to cancel Chomsky—a malice just as hateful as the crimes of Epstein himself.
It is predictable. Since none of these critics could last one second challenging Noam's ideas, this is the easy way out. If they were decent people, they would not try to twist the connection into something it was not. It was an acquaintance born of bad judgment, centered on political and scientific discussion, but never complicity in crimes.
If we cancel intellectuals for errors like this, we would have to erase the entire history of intellectual thought from Aristotle to the present day-including Marx, who suffered from alcoholism and fathered a secret, unacknowledged child with his housekeeper.
Those of us who know Chomsky well can attest to his moral integrity. This relationship—whether he was unaware of the grim reality or was perhaps a target of intelligence operations—does not erase his legacy.
In years or months, those tweets will be part of the digital landfill, forgotten trash. But in 100 years from now, when people look for the foundations of linguistics, they will turn to Chomsky. When they look for the origins of the cognitive revolution, they will turn to Chomsky. When they look for media analysis, they will turn to Chomsky.
When they look for the mathematical foundations of computer science and the Chomsky Hierarchy, they will turn to Chomsky. When they study the dismantling of behaviorism, they will turn to Chomsky. When they look for the definitive critique of U.S. imperialism and foreign policy, they will turn to Chomsky. When they research the history of resistance against the Vietnam War, they will turn to Chomsky. When they study the philosophy of mind and the nature of human intelligence, they will turn to Chomsky. 👈🏻 Good luck trying to cancel all that. Chomsky legacy is ineffaceable.
In 100 years from now, nobody will even remember the names of those trying to cancel him today, but Chomsky’s work and integrity will remain intact.
@Corey_Feldman You got owned on Jim and Them last night. You’re obviously an awful person and a terrible “musician.” Everyone knows that. Any attention you get is because people are laughing at you. What I don’t get, is that nobody calls out your bad acting. Frog brothers? Goonies? All of them
@aaronjmate Thanks, Aaron. People like Nathan J. Robinson have been embarrassing with this condemnation. Would love to see you address this on a future appearance.
@NathanJRobinson Explain your problem with that festival. It’s actually comes across myopic at best, and racist at worst. Also, why post and not engage in a debate? Seems pointless.