The Euston Manifesto: Canadian Contingent


In today's Globe and Mail Terry Glavin writes about the Euston Manifesto and the discussion it has provoked. There's been an uproar since the manifesto was written back on March 29 and that might seem odd since it was "mainly just a reiteration of certain basic principles that have always united democratic socialists, progressives and liberals."

But the 1,857 (and counting) who have endorsed the document have drawn a line, divorcing themselves from those in the left "for whom the entire progressive-democratic agenda has been subordinated to a blanket and simplistic anti-imperialism." Or as manifesto co-author Shalom Lappin describes it, a rupture from the "socialism of fools."

A number of people here in Canada have signed the manifesto and Terry interviewed as many as he could find. I am pleased to be one of those "kindred spirits."

My favourite quote came from Nadia Khouri. Her reason for signing:
"The radical left's negative reaction to the whole question of humanitarian intervention, their tolerance for post-colonial tyrants and hereditary dictators, their sick 'root cause' explanations of terrorist butcheries of innocent civilians, their pathological anti-Americanism. I'm also stunned at the Western feminists' betrayal of their oppressed sisters in Muslim countries."

The online version of the essay is only available to paid subscribers but Normblog has a "condensed" version here.

You can read, and sign, the Euston Manifesto at: http://www.eustonmanifesto.org/

Terry blogs at: http://transmontanus.blogspot.com/

Posted: Sat - June 3, 2006 at 10:26 PM          

©