Hi Art. My name is Mike Adams. I write a weekly column - mostly on issues in higher education. I am seeking verification that you sent the following email:
Hello Colleagues, Please consider re-joining the section, we are only eight members short of our goal!!!For those of you who do not know me, my name is Art Jipson and I am the secretary-treasurer of the Marxist Sociology section of the American Sociological Association. I am writing to encourage you to re-join our section. The need for critical scholarship has never been more urgent! The rise of ever increasing irrational Neo-Conservatism, the rise of racist two-seed theories as well as troubling levels of acceptance of Neo-Liberal apologies for oligopolies, screaming right-wing attack squads sabotaging the health care debate and the increasing dominance of increasingly ugly sexist, racist, and classist theological worldviews demonstrate the increasing importance of critical social thought and activism!
…At present we have 392 members of the Marxist Sociology Section. We need to have 400 by the end of the day on September 30th to qualify for another session at the annual ASA meeting. Please consider encouraging students and colleagues to join the section! I have continued to contact several previous members of the section (that could be you!) with information from the association in the hopes of encouraging more critical scholars to join with us in advancing needed analysis and activism at the association. If there are any questions, please let me know.
To join the section quickly, folks can go here. If you have recruited some new members who have used the website and had any difficulties, please let me know.
If you are sponsoring graduate students or others or for those who are not yet members of the section or are sponsoring others, please follow this link.
…We recognize that the bureaucracy of the ASA is not always supportive of critical scholarship and activism, all the more reason to work to advance critical work! Those of us in the section continue to encourage the participation of all critical sociologists who believe that it is possible to remake the world with the interests of the many rather than the few. Join us and continue that fight. Thank you for your consideration.
Best, Art
Hello Mike, Yes, that was me. The Marxist Sociology Section of the American Sociological Association needed to recruit new members. The drive was successful.
Can I be of any assistance? I would love to see you [sic] column.
Best, Art
Thanks Art. I guess I'm confused by a few things. I'm getting the impression there is a conservative uprising in America. But I'm not sure there is a neo-conservative uprising as your letter suggests. What do you have in mind when you use the phrase "ever increasing irrational Neo-Conservatism”? For the record, I am not defending neo-conservatism. I'm just not sure there is much consensus on the meaning of the term.
Mike
Hi Mike,
I was referring to the configuration of theological, political, and irrational conservatism as exemplified by the "Birthers" movement, Sarah Palin, and the antics of Glenn Beck. I use Sara Diamond's research as a starting off point for that kind of labeling.
Best, Art
Art, that doesn't come close to answering my question. But let's move on. In your missive you refer to the "increasing dominance of increasingly ugly sexist, racist, and classist theological worldviews." This confuses me, too. Which theological worldviews are you referencing?
Mike
Art, I see you are not going to answer my polite inquiry concerning “sexist, racist, and classist theological worldviews.” But the question is important so I will make my inquiry more specific. Does the Marxist Sociology section of the ASA concern itself more with conservative Christianity or with radical Islam? Right now there is an effort to impose Sharia law in portions of Michigan. As you may know, Sharia law allows Muslim men to freely beat their wives. It also calls for the public execution of homosexuals. Will the Marxists in your group take on these Muslim extremists?
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Mike
Art, in your missive you refer to “screaming right-wing attack squads sabotaging the health care debate.” I am assuming you support a government takeover of the health care system – a safe assumption since, of course, Marxists want a government takeover of everything. Are you at all concerned that a single-payer system violates the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution? And what are your concerns about the recent polls showing Americans oppose national heath care? Are you really advocating changes everyday people want? And what will you call America if your Marxist revolution succeeds? Will you call it The People’s Republic of America?
Mike
Art, I noticed that you used the term “critical scholars” in your email. The term “critical” is code for Marxist or communist. Why don’t you simply call yourselves “communists” instead of using code? The people who pay the taxes that are used to send you to these sociological conventions earned that money via capitalism. Don’t they deserve to know they are funding an assault on their own cherished values? Shouldn’t they know their tax dollars are being spent on meetings where “critical scholars” are planning a revolution against them? Or are you not really committed Marxists who believe it may be necessary to launch a bloody revolution in order to overthrow their capitalist oppressors? In other words, do you just like to call yourselves Marxists because it is chic or cute? If you aren’t serious about what you say then should you be riding to these conventions on the backs of the taxpayers – the people who do serious and meaningful work, which might not be considered chic?
Mike
Art, I am wondering whether the Marxist Sociologists will be reviewing the latest film by Michael Moore, which talks about the evils of capitalism. It would seem that Mr. Moore would love American capitalism. Do you know of any other nation where an obese college drop-out can become a millionaire without bathing regularly?
Mike
Art, you may have noticed that several hours went by between my first message to you and the last series of messages, which I sent and you ignored. I was out at the gun range with a US Air Marshall. I spent a couple of hours firing a 9mm, a .357 magnum, and a 12-gauge magnum shotgun. Then, he let me shoot his .357 sig auto and his M4 assault rifle. We talked at length about those who would attempt to take over this great nation through the use of violent force.
We suspect that you and your friends who call yourselves Marxist Sociologists are merely blowhards who (with the possible exception of some of your feminists) lack the testicular fortitude necessary for a true Marxist Revolution. But if we are wrong we are ready to turn you back. I hope you keep any violent revolutionary tendencies in check.
This is my final communication. Best of luck to you,
Mike S. Adams
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