Date: Mon, 07 Apr 1997 01:35:13 -0400
Subject: Re: M-G: Re: Proyect and the "Trotskyists"!


Doug Henwood wrote:
> 
> Vladimir Bilenkin wrote:
> 
> >Should I conclude that you're in general agreement with the rest of my post?
> 
> And why should you do that? I thought it was pretty rich that you should
> criticize a non-academic, who, whatever his virtues or vices, has been
> involved in numerous real political struggles over the years, for being
> bound to middle-class academics, while you take the anti-academic activist
> pose, while being an academic busily engaged in translating Walter Benjamin
> into Russian. Now I think that's a fine thing to do, as long as you don't
> criticize others for their lack of political engagement.
> 
> So what about those janitors?

So we are not in general agreement, after all. Too bad.  Speaking of Proyect, I admire 
your loyalty to a friend.  But in this case you've expressed it in a misguided way.
I believe it was Adorno to have said that friendship in our age is impossible other
than on the basis of shared politics.  To defend your friend then is to defend
his political views and actions.  You've failed to do this.  Now, can you enlighten
me as to why translating Walter Benjamin into Russian is a "fine thing to do" 
unless the translator criticizes others for their lack of whatever?  Does the same 
apply, say, to a business observer who criticizes Robert Malecki "whatever his
vices or virtues"?

Could you also point out that place in my original post that could be interpreted as
critical of P. for his "lack of political engagement?"  And if you fail to do this,
will it be fair to say that you have blatantly misrepresented the essense of 
my critique?  

It's too late. I'll address your "where are those workers" tomorrow.

Vladimir

PS. Till recently, my wife was one of those NCSU "janitors." Any janitors in your
family for the last one hundred years, Doug?


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