Leftist Jingoism

MaxSpeak comments on this offering from Todd Gitlin in today's NY Times: "[Gitlin] trots out the slanderous box fabricated by the Right in the wake of 9-11 and neatly drops what he calls 'the American left' into it. Left analyses of the event were simple-minded, leftists were 'disconnected' from the human tragedy, patriotism was anathema. No evidence is offered; no names are advanced."

Don't fret, Max. Gitlin's done this before. You'd think in screeds like these an eminent sociologist would find it prudent to use some sort of evidence, or at least a direct quote from someone, somewhere.

Alas, though, this has become commonplace since 9/11, as many other liberals have resorted to precisely the same technique of criticising without citing and bashing without support, as Paul Street has noted.

Update: More comments from MaxSpeak here.