Re: [spam?] Re: "Slave State?"

[Stephen E Philion <philion@hawaii.edu>]

it's one of the funnier rhetorical devices used in american politics,
reference to slave state where workers change their jobs faster than you
can blink an eye...go figure.

steve
----- Original Message -----
From: Jonathan Lassen <jjlassen@chinastudygroup.org>
Date: Thursday, October 14, 2004 11:30 am
Subject: [spam?] Re: "Slave State?"

> I missed the debate and the spin last night, thanks for mentioning 
> this.
> Coulter's rhetoric is a bit overblown, but I don't think her 
> sentiment 
> is completely over the top. Slavery is the typical case of the 
> absence 
> of freedom, and this is a common trope for both wings of the US 
> state 
> and in common discourse as well. The AFL-CIO's case that China is 
> engaging in unfair trade is also the absence of bourgeious 
> freedoms in 
> China, and  you hear stuff like this ad nauseum in the press of 
> the 
> 'free world.'
> 
> The idea of 'generalized slavery' in 'Oriental despotism' is a 
> strikingly common idea in European thought, from Montesquieu on. 
> This is 
> the secret history of the discourse on 'civil society' in China.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Jonathan
> 
> Alaricvisi@aol.com wrote:
> 
> > Did any of you hear Republican cheerleader Ann Coulter condemn 
> trade 
> > with China because "China is a slave state" on CNN last night? 
> Is this 
> > an actual element of extreme right-wing dogma, or is it just a 
> product 
> > of her own unique blend of hubris and 'enthusiasm' (to put it 
> lightly)?>  
> > Her next claim was that anyone who talks about affirmative 
> action for 
> > anyone but black people is a racist, so I certainly hope that 
> she 
> > doesn't actually speak for anyone...
> >  
> > Sorry if this question is inappropriate for this list; if so, I 
> will 
> > certainly refrain from asking similar questions in the future.
> >  
> > Joe
> 
>