He also thought the Khmer Rouge was a peaceful bunch. He continues to be out of his mind.

Dude, it's Noam Chomsky. His diction alone beats you with one half of itself tied behind its own back.

I think you have that backwards ghost, I'm staring at a book called 'after the cateclysm' which discusses the massacres in graphic detail. Dude spends a quarter of his time bitching about US involvement with the bunch. What are you talking about?

Well, I was remembering a book I read 10 years ago. I quick peruse and it seems he was 'skeptical at first' about the massacres. Accept my apology, and a coupon for a free entree at TGI FRIDAYS.

One of the things he does talk about constantly is the overstatement of the numbers of the massacre-US media had something like 4 or 5 million people dying (I'm remembering this all from manufacturing consent) while the actual number was something like 750,000-1 million. So it may have been in that vein.

I'll take your entree, sir.

Dude, this dude's last name ain't 'Chumpsky.' Okay?

There are opposition parties out there - they just are playing in a rigged system without much hope ...

Welfare at the highest level = Tenured Professor.

Like the second comment on the second comment on the page says 'Yes, especially in identifying the problem. What about the solution?' It's rhetoric to make himself look better than the others. Anyone can criticize and moan that the world isn't the way they want it to be, but what about actually doing something about it? What has he done other than write books that are inaccesible to someone that isn't quite educated or doesn't already agree with his views?

I always end up being the chomsky defender, and the guy doesn't really need it, but I find it irresistable because every criticism someone has of him is something he's answered very succintly in lectures and print

The solution is hinted to in the last paragraph, popular organization. It sounds bland, but its also the only way progress has ever been made. People hand out leaflets and raise money, write letters talk about and sometimes something happens. Half the reason any of the Bush admin's craziness has come out is there are teams of journalist and civil rights lawyers that are filing FOI requests every day and eventually something like vlad's link gets reported. I think people find this answer.

'What has he done other than write books that are inaccesible to someone that isn't quite educated or doesn't already agree with his views?'

Way more than anyone else I've ever heard of in my life. I'll give examples if you wish.

For the record, this very thread is the first time I've heard anyone have anything bad to say about Chomsky, and although I haven't made a study of his life's work or anything, I wouldn't rush to the conclusion that he's crap because a couple people comment to the effect that they don't care who he is or that he's 'out of his mind' (a non sequitur as far as I can tell).

Very bright and observant young man, well seasoned.