A letter from Bertrand Russell to fascist Oswald Mosely. I may print it up & hand it out.

[Are_grits_groceries]

BURN!

[secondwind]

1. Love, love this.. n/t

[handmade34]

2. K&R n/t

[mn9driver]

3. The Brits had sense enough not to elect Mosley Prime Minister.

Unlike us.

[Fast Walker 52]

4. that is awesome-- I love Bertrand Russell. A perfect sentiment for dealing with Trumpers-- then

first thing this morning I check the NYT and see that apparently the Dems new strategy is to work with Trump on common issues...

[BSdetect]

5. Great thoughts, one suggestion before printing

Type the words anew as the original is a bit fuzzy.

[mountain grammy]

6. I should like you to understand the intensity of this conviction on my part.

I may keep this line forever.

[oasis]

7. Great.

w

[smirkymonkey]

8. K&R

Very well said. However, he was too kind.

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. Talking of Russell, someone just updated his 1933 essay "The Triumph of Stupidity"

What has been happening in America is a matter of the gravest portent for the whole civilised world. Throughout the last hundred and fifty years, individual Americans have done more to further civilisation than the individuals of any other country; during the latter half of this period, Americans, collectively, have been equally effective in degrading civilisation. At the present day the most distinguished names in the world of learning are still American; a most degraded and brutal government is also American. Of the individual Americans whose work has caused America to be respected, some are in exile, some in hiding, and some have disappeared, their fate unknown. Given a few years of fascist rule, America will sink to the level of a horde of Goths.

What has happened? What has happened is quite simple. Those elements of the population which are both brutal and stupid (and these two qualities usually go together) have combined against the rest. By murder, by torture, by imprisonment, by the terrorism of armed forces, they have subjected the intelligent and humane parts of the nation and seized power with the view of furthering the glory of the Homeland.
...

http://evolvingthoughts.net/2016/11/the-triumph-of-stupidity/

The original: http://russell-j.com/0583TS.HTM

It fits scarily well.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

10. Transcript

22 January 1962

Sir Oswald Mosley,
5, Lowndes Court,
Lowndes Square,
London, S.W.1.

Dear Sir Oswald,

Thank you for your letter and for your enclosures. I have given some thought to our recent correspondence. It is always difficult to decide on how to respond to people whose ethos is so alien and, in fact, repellent to one’s own. It is not that I take exception to the general points made by you but that every ounce of my energy has been devoted to an active opposition to cruel bigotry, compulsive violence, and the sadistic persecution which has characterised the philosophy and practice of fascism.

I feel obliged to say that the emotional universes we inhabit are so distinct, and in deepest ways opposed, that nothing fruitful or sincere could ever emerge from association between us.

I should like you to understand the intensity of this conviction on my part. It is not out of any attempt to be rude that I say this but because of all that I value in human experience and human achievement.

Yours sincerely,

Bertrand Russell

[spanone]

11. K&R...