David Mamet: Why I Am No Longer a 'Brain-Dead Liberal'

[MinM]

David Mamet: Why I Am No Longer a 'Brain-Dead Liberal'

Bush got us into Iraq, JFK into Vietnam. Bush stole the election in Florida; Kennedy stole his in Chicago. Bush outed a CIA agent; Kennedy left hundreds of them to die in the surf at the Bay of Pigs. Bush lied about his military service; Kennedy accepted a Pulitzer Prize for a book written by Ted Sorenson. Bush was in bed with the Saudis, Kennedy with the Mafia. Oh..

http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0811,374064,374064,1.html/full

here's my reply:

Congratulations Mr Mamet. From 'Brain-Dead' Liberal to 'Brain-Dead' NeoCon in a single bound (albeit not a very large bound). Is this a distinction without a difference?

Just to correct some of your revisionist history. Eisenhower, not JFK, got us into Vietnam. Eisenhower did however warn us about the military-industrial complex. Which apparently, like President Bush, you have learned to love the use of the bomb. Too bad you could not have shed your admitted 'Brain-Deadedness' in your conversion to "Conservatism".

Another historical fallacy in your argument was to draw a parallel between GWB43 and JFK. While JFK was reigning in his Generals (BuckNut;o) Curtis LeMay and Lyman Lemnitzer). The opposite has been the case under Bush/Cheney. The Generals, Adm. 'Fox' Fallon (a True Patriot and True Conservative) being the most recent example, have done all they could to reign in Dick and Dubya.

Certainly this resumé enhancing screed will stand you in good stead for your next gig. Writing for the 'Jack Bauer' character on '24'? Or writing the "news" for ABCCBSMSNBCFOXCNN? Keep up the good work Mr Mamet.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2950736&mesg_id=2950736

[groovedaddy]

1. Brain death is a huge problem in our culture! n.t

[rcsl1998]

15. Mr Mamet, You're Brain Dead Now Regardless Of Your Political Stripe...

[trumad]

2. Oh and your plays suck to.

[Teaser]

3. Ugh...I've been jonesing to watch Glenngarry Glenn Ross too.

.

[Jane Austin]

4. Good letter,

but proofreading can be your friend. :)

[vi5]

5. I gotta be honest with you on this...

I saw it linked at TPM, and then went to read it. It was 5 pages to click through and I couldn't for the life of me figure out what the hell he was really trying to say. Was it satire? Was it a turning the tables on terminology type thing? For someone whose writing style is so short and succint this was the wordiest piece saying so little that I've ever read.

[MinM]

6. Was it satire?

That .. or is Mamet channeling his inner Dennis Miller? :shrug:

[vi5]

7. I'm not sure...that's the thing....

Mamet is a smart guy. But this doesn't read like him which is why it struck me as odd. I don't think it's satire but that was my first reaction.

[Cronopio]

8. The David Mamet I've read and am familiar with does not digress.

A signature element of Mamet's writing and speaking is that it gets to the point quickly, and always has a point. Mamet built his literary reputation on being succinct. That meandering piece of gibberish on the Village Voice was anything but.

The David Mamet I'm familiar with wouldn't use the director's role in a play as a bullshit metaphor for the need for government. He would know that a play without a director would be a power struggle, not the solution to power politics. He would know that comparing GWB with JFK isn't an argument for or against liberalism. He doesn't stoop to facile comparisons or quoted stock phrases like "brain-dead liberal".

Either that isn't Mamet, he's joking, or he's joined the dark side and lost the plot in the process.

[vi5]

10. That's exactly it....

I've read most of his plays and seen them performed many times and you hit the nail on the head in your descrpition. I'm not saying it's definitely not him but as you accurately pointed out it just doesnt' read like him.

[dchill]

9. Here's the tell: There is no such thing as...

a brain-dead liberal.

[bronxiteforever]

11. I read Mamet's article and got lost in ego fog of the author. And history is not his strong suit

n/t

[enki23]

12. so he actually claims to have *been* the conservative's stereotype of a "liberal?"

.

[regnaD kciN]

16. ...and now, he's the liberal's stereotype of a conservative.

SSDD

[colonel odis]

13. is there a direct correlation between no longer being a brain dead liberal and

becoming a pitiable hack, producing garbage for network tv like "the unit"?

[rcsl1998]

14. Give Nixon Illinois & Kennedy Still Wins The Electoral Vote...

[GOPBasher]

17. WTF is the basic thesis of this piece? What is he trying to say?

This was one of the most ridiculous things I've ever read.