Comments on: We Didn’t Call it Communism http://nasblog.org/2009/10/02/we-didnt-call-it-communism/ The National Association of Scholars: For reasoned scholarship in a free society Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:15:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Peter Wood http://nasblog.org/2009/10/02/we-didnt-call-it-communism/#comment-6 Peter Wood Tue, 06 Oct 2009 03:40:34 +0000 http://nasblog.org/?p=89#comment-6 Dear Kiwi Sausage Makers, I am not entirely sure what version of the document you saw. The origianl had links back to the NAS website that includes more than two dozen essays, some o fthem quite substantial and carefully documented. Having spent 15 months researching and writing these articles without achieving much notice, we thought a "provocative" announcement aimed at campus newspapers in the U.S. might prompt some people to read the more substantial work. We knew, however, that some readers would look at the provocation and stop there. If you are as swerious as you claim, good. Let's resume the conversation after you have had a chance to read and reflect on our more serious work. There is nothing disingenuous about the comparison of the communist world with the West. We don't normally look in that direction because our focus is on the contemporary sustainability mnovement, particularly as it is being carried forward on the campuses of U.S. universities. You (or at least Lisa) brought it up and emblazoned a Soviet image on the text of our statement. It seems a bit odd that you complain now about our taking you seriously on the point. I would think that anyone who takes environmental issues as of great importance (we do) and who also understands that to mean that we must pay serious attention to the interplay of political and economic systems with the environment (we do) would at least wwant to register the facts we cited. No? Do you think them irrelevant? Peter Wood Dear Kiwi Sausage Makers,

I am not entirely sure what version of the document you saw. The origianl had links back to the NAS website that includes more than two dozen essays, some o fthem quite substantial and carefully documented. Having spent 15 months researching and writing these articles without achieving much notice, we thought a “provocative” announcement aimed at campus newspapers in the U.S. might prompt some people to read the more substantial work. We knew, however, that some readers would look at the provocation and stop there. If you are as swerious as you claim, good. Let’s resume the conversation after you have had a chance to read and reflect on our more serious work.

There is nothing disingenuous about the comparison of the communist world with the West. We don’t normally look in that direction because our focus is on the contemporary sustainability mnovement, particularly as it is being carried forward on the campuses of U.S. universities. You (or at least Lisa) brought it up and emblazoned a Soviet image on the text of our statement. It seems a bit odd that you complain now about our taking you seriously on the point. I would think that anyone who takes environmental issues as of great importance (we do) and who also understands that to mean that we must pay serious attention to the interplay of political and economic systems with the environment (we do) would at least wwant to register the facts we cited. No? Do you think them irrelevant?

Peter Wood

]]> By: kavitron http://nasblog.org/2009/10/02/we-didnt-call-it-communism/#comment-5 kavitron Fri, 02 Oct 2009 23:05:20 +0000 http://nasblog.org/?p=89#comment-5 I think what Lisa was referring to was that your argument sounds uncannily like anti-communist rhetoric – which, judging from your response outlining how communist nations were worse polluters than “the West” (an unashamedly disingenuous comparison) – is not an altogether ridiculous conclusion to reach. That said, this blog is not about spouting sustainable rhetoric either, in fact we would welcome and encourage criticism of the “agenda” – however whilst we felt your list of 10 reasons why Sustainability is a Waste was “provoking”, it was certainly not “thought provoking”, as you offered no evidence for your claims. As the self proclaimed “watchdogs”, we’d have expected a more reasoned approach rather sensationalist, uncertified claims. If you would please offer some insight into how sustainability is a “waste”, the negative nature of this political agenda (which admittedly, it has become in some places)and how our universities and educations are being sullied, we would be very open to promoting it on our blog. Thanks for taking the time to respond The kiwi sausage makers. I think what Lisa was referring to was that your argument sounds uncannily like anti-communist rhetoric – which, judging from your response outlining how communist nations were worse polluters than “the West” (an unashamedly disingenuous comparison) – is not an altogether ridiculous conclusion to reach. That said, this blog is not about spouting sustainable rhetoric either, in fact we would welcome and encourage criticism of the “agenda” – however whilst we felt your list of 10 reasons why Sustainability is a Waste was “provoking”, it was certainly not “thought provoking”, as you offered no evidence for your claims. As the self proclaimed “watchdogs”, we’d have expected a more reasoned approach rather sensationalist, uncertified claims. If you would please offer some insight into how sustainability is a “waste”, the negative nature of this political agenda (which admittedly, it has become in some places)and how our universities and educations are being sullied, we would be very open to promoting it on our blog.

Thanks for taking the time to respond
The kiwi sausage makers.

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