Thursday 7 August 2008

A.C. Grayling and the Overthrow of Democracy

"...even one mile in the direction of any of their various paradises-on-earth would be a hell for all but those running the journey."

Philosopher A.C. Graying recently supported the recent right-wing nationalist attempt to overthrow the democratically elected government of Turkey through a legal challenge. Not surprising I suppose, he is a liberal defender of "moral values" and author of a 400 page book which asks "Was the Allied Bombing of Civilians in WWII a Necessity or a Crime?"

1 comment:

ACGrayling said...

I support secularism, not right-wing nationalism (doing which would be odd for someone on the left who has frequently attacked nationalism in print): you need to play pick-up-sticks with your categories. The right tends to be religious - have you noticed? - and the religious have taken to using democratic means to bring democracy to an end - the one-man-one-vote-one-time principle. And you need to read a bit more: my book on Allied bombing is premised on the claim that the Allied resistance to Nazism and Japanese militarism was right and just, but if we are right and just we must be frank about not letting ourselves off the hook for using indiscriminate mass bombing of civilian populations. - Let me see if I get your position right: you're in favour of indiscriminate bombing of civilian populations, and of Islamist politics...and of democracy? - Good wishes - Anthony Grayling