به جرات
میتوان گفت که هیچ داستان نویسی در ایران به قدرت و شجاعت صادق هدایت نتوانست نقاط
مثبت و منفی فرهنگ ایرانیان را به قلم بیاورد. هدایت که برای رشته ریاضیات به بلژیک
و دندان پزشکی به فرانسه، همراه گروهی از ایرانیانی که دولت برای تحصیل به اروپا میفرستاد
عازم این دو کشور شده بود، پس از آنکه درک کرد که علاقه او صرفا به ادبیات است، بدون
هیچ گونه عذر و بهانه و نگرانی از فشار دولت و خانواده ترک تحصیل کرد و به نویسندگی
پرداخت. او انسان آزادهای بود که زیر بار هیچ فشاری نمیرفت و سخنان خود را شجاعانه
بیان میکرد. این البته با فرهنگ سالوسی و همرنگ جماعت شدن اکثر ایرانیانِ دور و برش
تفاوت داشت، و بدین جهت دوستان او کسانی بودند که او را به درستی میشناختند و برای
افکارش احترام قائل بودند، حتی اگر مانند او نبودند. شخصی حاضر جواب بود و طنزی برخورنده،
و به مذاق عدهای زننده، داشت. گرچه بسیاری از دوستانش به دلیل این طنزش بدور او جمع
شده بودند. پیش از آنکه به فرانسه برود این زبان را در دبیرستان فرا گرفته بود و نوشتههای
فرانسه را به فارسی ترجمه میکرد. قرآن و بسیاری از کتب مذهبی را خوانده بود و بدین
دلیل مذهب اسلام را بخوبی میشناخت. انتقاد او از اسلام، و مذهب بطور عموم، در هر نوشتهاش مشخص است. از آنجائی
که به فرهنگ ایران پیش از اسلام عشق میورزید سفری به هند کرد و زبان پهلوی را آموخت.
نتیجهاش چند ترجمه از پهلوی به پارسیِ امروزه است. به دانش علمی، که به انگلیسی
به آن ساینس میگویند، علاقه داشت و گزارشات علمی را دنبال میکرد. آنچنان به زندگی
دلبسته بود که به هر چه علاقمند میشد در فراگیری آن کوشش میکرد. در اواخر عمر، در پی
یادگیری زبان روسی بود، که در نوشتههای آخرین او منعکس است. ولی شیفتگی او به فرهنگِ
پیش از اسلام بود، و این تنفرِ او را از اسلام و تظاهرات مذهبی و آخوندبازی بیش از
بیش میکرد. به قضا و قدر اعتقادی نداشت و حتی مرگ خود را با تصمیمگیری قبلی و هوشیاری
کامل انجام داد. اینکه او از زندگی مایوس بود و یا از نظر مالی در مضیقه بود و به
این دلیل خودکشی کرد، با توجه به توان و شخصیت هدایت مورد قبول به نظر نمیاید، و مشخصاً
زمانی به مرگ خود دست زد که به این نتیجه رسیده بود که زندگی پُربارش را به اتمام
رسانده بود. به این دلیل، پیش از مرگ تمام یادداشتهایش را سوزاند، چرا که آنها را قابل
خواندن توسط دیگران نمیدید، و ماموریتش را در
جهان تمام شده میانگاشت.
اندیشمند بزرگترین احساسش عشق است و هر عملش با خرد
Thursday, January 31, 2019
Sunday, January 27, 2019
Saturday, January 26, 2019
Before Venezuela, US had long involvement in Latin America
By The AP
January 25, 2019
Link: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/50966.htm
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro accuses the United States of trying to orchestrate a coup against him, and that allegation has resonance among many in a region where Washington has a long history of interventions — military and otherwise.
Ever since President James Monroe announced a sort of protectorate over the hemisphere in the early 19th century known as the Monroe Doctrine, the United States has involved itself in the daily affairs of nations across Latin America, often on behalf of North American commercial interests or to support right-leaning forces against leftist leaders.
That military involvement petered out after the end of the Cold War, although the U.S. has been accused of granting at least tacit backing to coups in Venezuela in 2002 and Honduras in 2009.
The Trump's administration leading role in recognizing Juan Guaido as the interim president of Venezuela returns the U.S. to a more assertive role in Latin America than it has had for years.
Some of the most notable U.S. interventions in Latin America:
January 25, 2019
Link: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/50966.htm
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro accuses the United States of trying to orchestrate a coup against him, and that allegation has resonance among many in a region where Washington has a long history of interventions — military and otherwise.
Ever since President James Monroe announced a sort of protectorate over the hemisphere in the early 19th century known as the Monroe Doctrine, the United States has involved itself in the daily affairs of nations across Latin America, often on behalf of North American commercial interests or to support right-leaning forces against leftist leaders.
That military involvement petered out after the end of the Cold War, although the U.S. has been accused of granting at least tacit backing to coups in Venezuela in 2002 and Honduras in 2009.
The Trump's administration leading role in recognizing Juan Guaido as the interim president of Venezuela returns the U.S. to a more assertive role in Latin America than it has had for years.
Some of the most notable U.S. interventions in Latin America:
Venezuela - The U.S. Game Plan For 'Regime Change' And How To Respond To It
By Moon Of Alabama
January 25, 2019
Link: https://www.moonofalabama.org/2019/01/venezuela-the-us-game-plan-and-how-to-respond-to-it.html
January 25, 2019
Link: https://www.moonofalabama.org/2019/01/venezuela-the-us-game-plan-and-how-to-respond-to-it.html
Yesterday the U.S.
recognized a right-wing 'leader of the opposition' in Venezuela Juan Guaido as
the president of the country. A number of right-wing led countries in South
America joined in that move. Cuba, Bolivia and Mexico rejected it. Russia,
China, Iran and Turkey continue to support the the government of the elected
President Nicolas Maduro and spoke out against the coup attempt. The European
Union has no united opinion with the neo-liberal led France being pro-coup and
Spain standing against it. Venezuela must prepare for a multi year conflict while doing
everything to keep it as short as possible.
Saturday, January 19, 2019
Testing Theories of American Politics
Note: This is a copy of the online PDF version of the princeton printed copy of this article, which is not presented properly here. For reading original version of this interesting article, please refer to the following link:
https://scholar.princeton.edu/ sites/default/files/mgilens/ files/gilens_and_page_2014_- testing_theories_of_american_ politics.doc.pdf
Testing Theories of American Politics:
Elites, Interest Groups, and Average
Citizens
Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page Each of four theoretical traditions in the study of American politics—which can be characterized as theories of Majoritarian Electoral Democracy, Economic-Elite Domination, and two types of interest-group pluralism, Majoritarian Pluralism and Biased Pluralism—offers different predictions about which sets of actors have how much influence over public policy: average citizens;
economic elites; and organized interest groups, mass-based or business-oriented.
A great deal of empirical research speaks to the policy influence of one or another set of actors, but until recently it has not been possible to test these contrasting theoretical predictions against each other within a single statistical model. We report on an effort to do so, using a unique data set that includes measures of the key variables for 1,779 policy issues.
https://scholar.princeton.edu/
Testing Theories of American Politics:
Elites, Interest Groups, and Average
Citizens
Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page Each of four theoretical traditions in the study of American politics—which can be characterized as theories of Majoritarian Electoral Democracy, Economic-Elite Domination, and two types of interest-group pluralism, Majoritarian Pluralism and Biased Pluralism—offers different predictions about which sets of actors have how much influence over public policy: average citizens;
economic elites; and organized interest groups, mass-based or business-oriented.
A great deal of empirical research speaks to the policy influence of one or another set of actors, but until recently it has not been possible to test these contrasting theoretical predictions against each other within a single statistical model. We report on an effort to do so, using a unique data set that includes measures of the key variables for 1,779 policy issues.
Monday, January 7, 2019
The United States is First in War, But Trailing in Crucial Aspects of Modern Civilization
By Lawrence S. WittnerJanuary 01, 2019
Maybe those delirious crowds chanting “USA, USA” have got
something. When it comes to military power, the United States reigns supreme. Newsweek reported in March 2018: “The United States has
the strongest military in the world,” with more than two million military
personnel and vast numbers of the most advanced nuclear missiles, military
aircraft, warships, tanks, and other modern weapons of war. Furthermore, as the
New York Times noted, “the United States also has a
global presence unlike any other nation, with about 200,000 active duty troops
deployed in more than 170 countries.” This presence includes some 800 overseas U.S. military bases.
In 2017 (the last year for which global figures are available), the
U.S. government accounted for more than a third of the world’s military expenditures, more
than the next seven highest-spending countries combined. Not satisfied,
however, President Trump and Congress pushed through a mammoth increase in the
annual U.S. military budget in August 2018, raising it to $717 billion. Maintaining the U.S. status as “No. 1” in
war and war preparations comes at a very high price.
Has Trump Been Outmaneuvered on Syria Troop Withdrawal?
By Senator Dick Black
Link: https://consortiumnews.com/2019/01/03/has-trump-been-outmaneuvered-on-syria-troop-withdrawal/
Link: https://consortiumnews.com/2019/01/03/has-trump-been-outmaneuvered-on-syria-troop-withdrawal/
Trump’s possible backtracking on
withdrawal from Syria means he may have been once again outmaneuvered by the
Deep State, says Virginia State Senator Dick Black.
Following
the outcry after President Donald Trump’s announcement that he was pulling U.S.
troops from Syria, it appears that Trump may be succumbing to political
pressure. U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) visited the White House on Dec. 30
and afterward told reporters: “We talked
about Syria. He told me some things I didn’t know that made me feel a lot
better about where we’re headed in Syria,” Graham said. Trump’s withdrawal plans are “slowing down in
a smart way,” Graham said, according to NBC News.
The
Washington Post added: ” ‘Graham described Trump’s decision as ‘a pause
situation’ rather than a withdrawal, telling reporters, “I think the
president’s taking this really seriously.”
Graham said: “He promised to destroy ISIS. He’s going to keep that
promise. We’re not there yet. But as I said today, we’re inside the 10-yard
line, and the president understands the need to finish the job.”
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