Comments on: Dossier on Ralph Nader

By: Simon Sellars

Simon Sellars — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 06:15:52 +0000

You do realise this is a site about JG Ballard, don’t you — not a political site?

By: Mrs. D. Armenta

Mrs. D. Armenta — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 02:28:36 +0000

Thank goodness the last two people commenting here have some education about Nader’s background and track record. I defy anyone to find anything Nader has done in his entire career that was self-serving, underhanded, or had hidden agendas.

Are you so cynical that you don’t know a great American, one of the greatest in our history, who has never stopped being on the side of “we, the people” –ever–when you see one?

Be thankful that there’s still someone with the stones to stand up to the corporate red and corporate blue money machines; be thankful for your kids.
Attitudes like “Nader’s a spoiler”, “It’s a wasted vote” and “Lesser of the Evils” sure as hell aren’t going to set a good example for them.

Ralph Nader will, though..like always.

By: Zachariah Bauer

Zachariah Bauer — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:13:42 +0000

I would like to echo Melissa’s opinion and say that awareness is what this country needs and he has been able to create it. Also his campaign team has sent me numerous e-mails attempting to get me involved which is awesome. Way better than Obama’s campaign has done. I want someone who can be aware of, creates awareness, and acknowledges what the problems actually are. His humble acts of creating organizations to benefit the consumer and beyond is very hard to ignore. When will we stop voting for the Democrats and Republicans? To respond to Crashman who will more than likely never read this; what you are saying is that the American people can not have a choice beyond the Major two parties because it steals votes from them. How naive can you be, to ignore the fact that other people besides Democrats and Republicans are running? To not acknowledge those individuals means you are close minded. I want the press and the rest of this country to accept that we have more than two parties. As a young voter I want to know that I have more options and that I can turn on the TV and see more than McCain and Obama, that I can see something or someone different.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:25:34 +0000

Wow! I can not believe the number of people who so quickly turned away from this good man! One man comes along that actually cared about what the majority of the people wanted and needed and not about Big Money. One man finally came and fought for the consumers right to know they could be safer. All this man has done to bring awareness to us when otherwise the corporations would have gladly kept us in the dark about the dangers of cars, air, water and more and instead of saying thank you to Ralph Nader and others like him we gladly throw him under the bus and blame one man for badly ran campaigns, bad ballot systems and the choice of The Supreme Court for putting Bush in office. And then to go so far as to blame him for this horrible war and the deaths of so many. Try putting he blame where it really belongs, then get mad then push to impeach Bush and Cheney who lied to us. While your angry at the right people check the voting in Senate, you will see that more Democrats pushed Bush’s agenda’s even more than the Republicans. Then check out the polling statistics for 2000 and 2004 instead of relying on a lie that was told by a Democratic party that needed a scapegoat to blame for their not fighting The Supreme Courts decision..They would have won that just like Gore won the election and had it stolen from him literrally by Bush!
Check out Mr. Naders past accomplishments that have benefitted Americans. They outnumber anything that any of the past and present candidates have done for The People even if you put all their accomplishments together.

I say shame on anyone who keeps badmouthing this man who dedicated 40 years of his life to bringing awareness to us and for all his contributions that really has mae life safer and better for Americans. I am actually crying because of this horrible treatment of this man. What has this country come to when liars and crooks of the people are practically worshipped but someone like Ralph Nader is talked about like he is crazy when he brought us the truth. I am truly saddened and ashamed.

By: Crashman

Crashman — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 19:36:34 +0000

Nader now exists in the USA as a rather frightening ghost of a political figure – whose
divisive entrance into the 2000 Presidential election as an independent drew away just enough votes from Gore to throw the whole US Presidency into the Bush Neocon era- whose consequences are now all too clear – i.e. a hideous and unnecessary Iraq War, a CO2-dying planet, and a US $ that is pitifully less valuable than it has ever been before – and perhaps justly so. Go ahead, smash his pudenda – he’s responsible indirectly for FAR more evil than he admits… OBAMA 2008! – Crashman

By: D. Monroe

D. Monroe — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 13:09:46 +0000

Re: Nader’s evangelical aspect…

Yes, point taken.

I wonder though, whether the scale and bitterness of corporate resistance to Nader’s ideas – which, in the main, were/are quite sensible: i.e., the auto industry’s extraordinary exertions to avoid even the slightest moves towards increased safety (the history is very revealing) created, or perhaps heightened, his evangelical tendencies.

I suspect that sometimes, your enemies reshape you.

Had the JGB of the past treated Nader’s fervor as part of a dyad – perhaps an effect whose cause was the auto industry’s equal (maybe greater!) fanaticism, hidden behind 1960s Grey flannel suits and calm appearances before congressional committees, we might have had a truly interesting treatment of the topic.

By: Simon Sellars

Simon Sellars — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:13:50 +0000

yeah, but he was so evangelical. i think that’s what ballard was getting at. nader had a bizarre messiah complex that clearly spooked jgb in the 60s, something that overrode the issues nader was expounding.

By: D. Monroe

D. Monroe — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 15:11:56 +0000

Intriguing.

But I prefer a more prosaic interpretation of the young Nader.

Decades ago, he said: simple technologies can make driving – or at least crashing – less likely to be fatal or even to seriously maim. Is there any sensible argument against using such technologies?

The answer was no.

It might have been interesting to hear GM execs use Ballardian language to defend their resistance to safety measures. Still, I’d prefer to walk away from a crumpling with my brain inside my skull and not on the dashboard.