From: Dehede011@aol.com
Date: Mon Feb 03 2003 - 17:32:58 MST
In a message dated 2/3/2003 6:03:33 PM Central Standard Time,
avatar@renegadeclothing.com.au writes: and 10% by Heinlein’s streak of
neo-fascist libertarian-anti-welfare view of relationships
Avatar,
I assume that is a screenname. Who ever you are that is an amazing
statement. Let me break it down.
You call Heinlein a neo-fascist. Now fascist comes from Mussolini the
former Communist from Italy that started a clearly socialist/communist party.
So for simplification I will generalize and put down that you call Heinlein
a "socialist" libertarian-anti-welfare view or a person having that view.
So what is a libertarian? I gather from discussing libertarianism
with my libertarian buddies and reading Ayn Rand that a suitable one word
synonym for libertarian would be capitalist. So now we have you saying that
Heinlein had a "socialist capitalist" -anti-welfare view.
Interpreting anti-welfare is a little tougher in that welfare or as I
suspect you really mean the welfare state is associated with wide variety of
political types. Let me use.... -- no, I won't attempt to translate your use
of the anti-welfare term. I will put that down as (was it Korzybski that
used the phrase?) "spellable noise."
In the end I have to believe you are saying that Heinlein had a
socialist capitalist "spellable noise" view of the world? But I ask you how
can the man be a socialist capitalist at the same time?
Tell me are you at all aware that Heinlein ran for the legislature of
the state of California as a member of the socialist wing of the Democrat
Party in the late 30s and that he never publicly repudiated that position
insofar as I know? It is true. He was an admirer H. G. Wells and employee
of a Sinclair Lewis ran political organization. In fact Mr. Heinlein wrote
extensively for Mr. Lewis organization's publication.
However Mr. Heinlein often portrayed positions in fiction that we
believe depicted a libertarian viewpoint. Still Mr. Heinlein remained a very
private man. When he became a writer of fiction he stopped his advocacy
positions except privately. For the most part we don't know exactly what his
political or religious beliefs were. We do know he bristled if accused of
privately believing the positions put forth in fiction. As I carried on a
pen pal relationship with Mrs Heinlein (she handled fan relationships for
him) for almost twenty years. In a few instances I believe I have a
glimmering of what some of his private positions were. However as he kept
those private I shall respect his silence.
Ron h.
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