Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0007793, Wed, 23 Apr 2003 11:10:34 -0700

Subject
Fw: Fw: anti-communism and Nabokov
Date
Body
----- Original Message -----
From: "George Shimanovich" <gshiman@optonline.net>
>
> ----------------- Message requiring your approval (86
lines) ------------------
> If Nabokov and politics is a valid topic then, Mrs. Diment, lets not
define
> boundaries on what can and cannot be said in a civil way.
> People change, careers are made and minds are being washed and using
purged
> relatives is valid on both sides of the argument.
> I, for one, like both Mr. Howerton's examples including "herd of
independent
> minds" from "Just War Against Terror" that I will read now.
> Note Nabokovian ring to it, - he among all modern writers was not in a
herd,
> but most of today's elites are.
> The more people are getting tired of it the more Nabokov works will
> enlighten. Can't tame him.
>
> Sincerely,
> George Shimanovich
> ----- Original Message -----
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Galya Diment" <galya@u.washington.edu>
> > To: "Vladimir Nabokov Forum" <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
> > Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2003 11:54 AM
> > Subject: Re: Fw: anti-communism and Nabokov
> >
> >
> > >
> > > ----------------- Message requiring your approval (67
> > lines) ------------------
> > >
> > > I think VN and politics is a valid topic. Both Don and I contributed
> > > articles which dealt with it and which came out in Discourse and
> Ideology
> > > in Nabokov's Prose, ed. David H. J. Larmour, Routledge Harwood
Academic
> > > Publishers, 2002. There was plenty of misunderstanding on both sides,
> > > including VN's. But let's PLEASE not drag the "JUST-WAR-ON-TERROR"
> > > discussion into it -- or whose blindness, moral or otherwise, is
> > > involved in that one. As a former Soviet subject whose family suffered
> > > directly during the purges, I deeply resent and reject the attempts of
> > > using the situation there and in Eastern Europe to justify current
> > > attempts at "preventive strikes" and "regime changes." This is NOT a
> > > discussion for this list -- but I could not help responding to Phil
> since
> > > he introduced it.
> > >
> > > Galya
> > >
> > >
> > > On Tue, 22 Apr 2003, D. Barton Johnson wrote:
> > >
> > > > anti-communism and Nabokov
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: Phil Howerton
> > > > To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum
> > > > Sent: Monday, April 21, 2003 2:21 PM
> > > > Subject: Re: Fw: anti-communism and Nabokov
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Don:
> > > >
> > > > I agree with you that it may be a question of a generation gap. I
was
> a
> > sophomore in college in 1956 when the Soviets brutally crushed the
> Hungarian
> > revolt, killing all those young, brave people in the streets, and I have
> > detested them and, indeed, all other totalitarian regimes ever since.
VN
> > and his family, you know, were sort of victims; like, say, Vaclav Havel
> and,
> > oh, about thirty million other folks.
> > > >
> > > > On the other hand, the academic failure to comprehend VN's feelings
> may
> > be just another instance of the kind of political stuff that we've come
to
> > expect from the "herd of independent minds;" an expression that Jean
> Bethke
> > Elshtain fondly quotes in her book, "Just War Against Terror," as a
> > description of the dominant intellectual class.
> > > >
> > > > On the still other hand, it may simply be a case of mass moral
> > blindness. But don't get me started, not here.
> > > >
> > > > Best.
> > > >
> > > > Phil
> > > >
> > > > Judge Philip F. Howerton, Jr.
> > > > 2812 Sunset Drive
> > > > Charlotte, NC 28209
> > > >
> > > > "To be proud, to be brave, to be free." Vladimir Nabokov
>