As progressives rebelled against Democratic party orthodoxy in 2000 and worked hard to undermine Al Gore in an effort to elect Nader, against all odds, I made it my business to confront every one of them I could find with the probability and as it turned out, the FACT that they made the difference in 4 states, any one of which could have saved us from GWB and co and a million+ Iraqis from US. Eventually most progressives saw the light and the electoral war is where it is and should be; a life and death struggle for just a shot at a future for the human race.
I see the role many progressives are playing now, with tacit support of Hamas and explicit condemnation of the PA, as having similar rationale and possibly a similar affect on the struggle for a Palestinian state, leaving aside the One State – Two State debate.
Nader was right on the issues (largely). He not only had a right to criticize the Dem Party, he had an obligation to his supporters and by extension, humanity itself to do so. If he didn’t, who would and when if ever? His campaign was destined to go down in flames but it was vitally important that it get the attention of the broader public, at all costs.
Mercifully I won’t go on (you’re welcome) with parallels between that and Ali’s positions on the squad and Hamas and the holy rockets, it’s enough.
Ali must continue to point out hypocrisies and double standards, whenever and wherever but there are alliances and principles more fundamental than the fun and games of pointing out hanging snots, which must be seen to for their immediate critical importance in the non-academic struggle for real progress.