A note from one of our British correspondents, Nick Helweg-Larsen:
I was wondering if you would do a post which would lead to discussion etc. on RAWs thoughts on Ralph Nader.
I get the impression he didn't like him.
eg. in Reality is What You Can Get Away With:
SHELLEY MCCLOWN
Just tell us about the Space Brothers, please.
GUEST
Well, they look like dwarfs, and they’re all Ralph Nader fans. They kept talking about wearing your seat belt when you drive and eating wholesome foods and never farting in church.
and from a quick Google:
RAW says, "Every time I have to attach a seat belt I say 'God damn Ralph Nader' ..."
Do you think it was uncomfortable to him with his polio, or he was just grumbling, wanted the choice of seat belt/no seatbelt etc.?
My guess would be the latter -- I figure RAW didn't like being told what to do -- but what do the rest of you think?
5 comments:
As I read what Nick wrote, then the RAW quotes, I was going to respond, "I think RAW didn't like being told what to do."
Then Tom writes that at the end. I really think RAW thought it a meaningful symbolic protest to go against something like the gummint telling us we HAVE to buckle up. He probably buckled up anyway, because he'd read something on statistics. He just thought that sort of intrusion by Big Gov bothered his libertarian streak.
There are times when I read about the latest TSA idiocy, and I'm sorta glad RAW isn't around to see it.
RAW's comments in various places about being in hospitals seem like they stem from the same source as the Nader stuff.
Do I think RAW would've rather had Nader somehow win in 2000 over Gush and Bore? Yes, I think he would've rather Nader won. Because Nader had things to say about corporations, advertising...and there's a whiff there about banks and money, if you delve into Nader.
Perspective?
He also had a line he used in at least a couple of speeches where he said he resents the fact that he "has to buckle up just because Ralph Nader is a bondage freak."
Also, when I sent him Justin Raimondo's endorsement of Nader in the 2004 election, RAW forwarded it to his email list under the headline "Nader at nadir."
I guess I should call that a "kind profile" rather than an "endorsement." Though I'm pretty sure Raimondo did vote for Nader that year.
I didn't say "God damn Ralph Nader" until he helped the Republicans steal the 2000 election.
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