Huh.
Earlier this month, Noam Chomsky was awarded the Sydney Peace Prize. Inter alia, this means that he’ll be coming Down Under in November. His first and only previous visit was in January 1995 (which included an address to the Visions of Freedom anarchist conference, later published as ‘Goals and Visions’ in Power & Prospects, to which now Timor Leste government minister Agio Pereira provides a Foreword).
Not surprisingly, the decision to award Chomsky the Peace Prize has its critics, and Chomsky himself has been subjected to all the usual criticisms. Ted Lapkin, a research fellow at the Institute of Public Affairs, accuses Uncle Noam of being ethically perverted and an apologist for genocide, specifically inre Pol Pot’s regime. (See also : Chomsky peace award blasted, Matthew Miller, The Australian, June 3, 2011; Ideologue on a peace pedestal, Stephen Matchett, The Australian, June 3, 2011.) Stuart Rees, Director of The Sydney Peace Foundation, reckons Lapkin’s attack is bollocks.
I tend to agree.
See :
On Chomsky’s apologetics for genocide in Cambodia:
Chomsky on Cambodia (January 10, 2010) | Chomsky on Cambodia (II) (January 19, 2010).
On Chomsky’s ‘anti-Americanism’:
Leonard Zeskind on Noam Chomsky (August 14, 2009) | More on Zeskind… and spotting! (August 15, 2009).
On Chomsky, Chávez, and Capitalist Pigs:
Chomsky as Chávez’s Clown / Chomsky en bufón de Chávez (December 6, 2009) | Chomsky the Capitalist Pig (December 5, 2009).
On the history of Jewish anarchists in the United States and the Yiddish anarchist newspaper Fraye Arbeter Shtime:
See also : Windschuttle makes a fool of himself over Chomsky − again, Ed Lewis, Ozleft, June 4, 2011 | Anarchism: in defense of an ideal, Cornelius, Real Deal Economics, June 3, 2011.
Andy,
How do you feel about Chomsky being best mates with Edward Herman, well known denier of Srebrenica and other places?
modernity,
Dunno. I’ve not read anything by Herman on the subject. A quick Google reveals a coupla things. When I have a moment I’ll read ’em:
The Politics of the Srebrenica Massacre*
Edward Herman
Z
July 7, 2005
http://www.zcommunications.org/the-politics-of-the-srebrenica-massacre-by-edward-herman
Srebrenica 15 Years After: The Politicization of “Genocide”
Edward S. Herman
Monthly Review Press
July 20, 2010
http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2010/herman200710.html
Having looked a little more, there’s a vast amount of material on the subject online (a v long thread on WWIV Report for example, as well as several entries on yr own blog). Not having read any of it, it may take me a while to orient myself.
Pingback: Chomsky in Australia | slackbastard
Alternative Radio (Aust) is running a series of radio programs celebrating Prof. Chomsky’s visit to Australia.
These programs are exclusive to community radio in most capital cites and some regional towns.
Please visit http://www.araustralia.org for schedule details.
You can also email [email protected] for further information.
Pingback: Anarchy rules OK Chomsky tells Australia | slackbastard
Thought provoking as always Andrew!!!