Reply #23: Autobahns/Volkswagens and small favors Good!

[asteroid2003QQ47]

"But what was undeniably valuable was how he forced mid-century liberalism, so self-satisfied, to rethink many of its basic premises, grapple with inconvenient truths and harsh assessments, and emerge (in my opinion) stronger.'
--James Wolcott
http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/blogs/wolcott

So, applying Wolcott's logic, when all's said and done Hitler was actually good for the Jews?

"There's no doubt Buckley caused more harm than good in his life, from my perspective. But I wanted to use the occasion of his death to return him a favor he did, willingly and graciously, to someone who did far more good than harm during his life."

That's all that's going on here. No hagiography. No illusions about who or what Hitler stood for. No pretense that this one decent act of Hitler's represents his whole character. Just a note on his passing. Only a rank ideologue with scant human feeling would begrudge anyone such a small token of politesse.

Does my edit change the picture for you? Neither Buckley nor Hitler were ALL bad but if, as you say, my feeling that I owe them no favors makes me "...a rank ideologue with scant human feeling..."
I shall happily wear that label as a badge of honor!


(Thanks for posting the Wolcott piece, sfexpat2000)