Re: Pound Quotes-- Racism, "Social Darwinism", Censorship, and Treason
People who believe that Pound was not a racist, or that his racism was an
insignificant or irrelevant part of his outlook might consider some of the
following facts and quotes. I present them with very little comment (lest I
am accused of bias or a "lack of objectivity"). Simpy read the quotes and
judge their significance for yourself.
First, regarding the importance of the Radio Rome Broadcasts (several
hundred pages worth) POUND HIMSELF gave an evaluation:
He said he didn't know where else "the young men of England and America
could get material to build their souls, or at least their mind for tomorrow
. . . except from my broadcasts."
About the war and "kikes":
"I mean If we can hold out a few months longer, the American electorate will
I think squash that unspeakable louse, that cunt of all infamy Roosevelt at
the autumn elections next year . . . . I am not convinced the kikes mean
England to WIN the war. . . . Isn't it time to be more specific about JEW
interests in Finland." Last letter to James Joyce. Joyce did not reply.
American culture was being destroyed from "hearin' kike radio."
"Clever Kikes runnin' ALL our communications system."
Words and phrases used often in the broadcasts: "Kikery, ... Anglo-Judea...
, Kike proganda...., judaeocracy"
Fact: Pound, by his own account was not ordered to take an anti- semitic
line by the proganda staff in Rome
Quote: "England is to be a Jew-owned deer park with tearooms . . ."
"Nothing can save you, save an affirmation that you are English. Whore
Belisha is not. Isaacs is not. No Sasson is an Englishman, racially.
[note the word RACIALLY, here--Can we say Pound merely uses words such as
"kike" to "symbolize" the usurers?] No Rothschild is English . . . no
Baruch, Morgenthau, Cohen, Lehman, Warbuh Kuhn, Khan, Schiff, Sieff, or
Solomon was ever yet born Anglos - Saxon. And it is for this filth that you
fight."
Pound said, Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin presented a "trianual Darby and
Joan of the three hebraicized governments."
On the issue of censorship:
Introduction, drafted by Pound, for the announcement of his appearances on
the radio:
"Radio Rome, acting in accordance with the Fascist policy of intellectual
freedom and free expression of opinion by those who are qualifed to hold it,
following the tradition of Italian hospitality, has offered Dr. Ezra Pound
the use of the microphone twice a week. . . . "
On the issue of treason. Recall previous discussion of the constitution.
Read the constitution and then the following Pound quote, and judge whether
Pound was guilty of treason.
US Constitution, Article 3, Section 3:
"Treason against the US, shall consist only in levying War against them, or
in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort."
EP from Rome:
"You do not know what has HAPPENED. And the first thing to DO about it is
to pull OUT OF this war --- a war that you never ought to have flopped into.
Every hour that you go on with it is an hour lost to your and and your
children. And every sane act you commit is committed in HOMAGE to Mussolini
and Hitler. Every reform, evey lurch towards the just price, toward the
control of the market is an act of HOMAGE toMussolini and Hitler. THEY are
your leaders, however much you are conducted by Roosevelt or sold up by
Churchill. . . You follow Hitler and Mussolin in EVERY CONSTRUCTIVE act of
your government . . ."
More on the anti-semitism:
At least three times he suggests starting an anti-Jewish "POGROM UP AT THE
TOP . . . "
In 1938, when Italian Jews were banned from public office, from working in
major industries or on large farms, and from marrying non-Jews Pound told a
Jewish acquaintance: "I'm sorry for you, but they have done the right
thing."
July 1942: Pound endorsed the "truth" of the Protocols of the Elders of
Zion which supposedly proved the existence of a worldwide Jewish
Conspiriacy:
"For God's sake, read the Procols . . if the last copy hasn't been taken
out of the book stores. They were printed twenty years ago. I never
bothered to read 'em til I had learned all that is in them from other
sources, thereby convaidatin' the evidence."
Pound admitted the protocols were a forgery but countered: "The Jews have
worked with forged documents for the past twenty four hundred years."
He said it was ridiculous to admit to having a few likeable Jews as friends.
Anyone who you happened to dislike was probably Jewish. "What chance the
Frenchman you dislike ISNT a Frenchman AT ALL? They are everywhere ...
Kill 'em off at the top. Pogroms that start at the bottom are NEVER so
effective."
"THE ANGLO-JEW WORLD IS FIGHTING THE GERMAN phantom, NOT THE REALITY."
"Hitler having seen the Jew puke in the German demcracy was out for
responsibility ,. . . .STUDY HISTORY . ... LOOK AT THE HISTORY."
"I RECKON HITLER HAS BEEN LIED ABOUT MORE THAN ANY MAN LIVING EXCEPT
MUSSOLINI"
When speaking about events in China, Pound on several occasions refers to
the Nationalist leader (who was fighting the Japanese invasion) pejoratively
as
"Chiang Kike Shek."
[For Chinese readers this is read in light of Pound's support in the Radio
Speeches for the collaborator Wang Ching-wei who helped the invaders, at a
time when the Japanese were pursuing policies of mass extermination,
torture, etc. .... These crimes, like the rape of Nanjing were racially
motivated]
---------
---------
The above quotes are just a few excerpts from letters and speeches. Most of
these can be found in biographies. Hundreds more can be found in the
complete radio speeches (edited by Doob).
A brief word on a recent post by Carroll Cox. I thought it was brilliant to
explain Pound's cultural significance the way you did. It is quite subtle,
and deserves careful and repeated reading. I understand you to say that
Pound deserves to be studied not as an "aberration", but as an artist who
crystalizes many of the fascist sentiments of his time (and the neo-fascist
sentiments of our time). To demonize him --- that is, to say he is a"demon"
in ways that others are not --- is to cover up and avoid addressing the
latent (and not so latent) manifestations of racism, classism, hierarchy,
anti-semitism, elitist (anti-democratic tendencies) in this society.
Pound, as an "aware" artist, blatantly express these aspects of culture ---
of his times, and ours--, and for that reason (and many other reasons, of
course) he is worth studying, and should not be dismissed. Pardon me if
this is an over-simplified summary of the view you express. But this is a
large part of what I get out of it.
Best regards,
Wei
________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com
|
