WOW! I am totally going to this. I live like a block away. Hitchens has brass balls to do this, though. Galloway is a loonie, and I can't imagine but there'd be many Sheehanians in the audience.

I would love to be there. For anyone that hasnt seen a good only fashioned British debate, this could be one for the ages. Granted, with Galloway involved it probably wont be as ingraciating and polite while utterly devastating as a true English dust-up should be. Hitchens is the man, but you cant argue with a child like Galloway. I'm fairly certain both sides will walk away assured they won, but of course a Galloway victory is just staying out of prison or away from the hangmans noose where he probably belongs.

A debate with Galloway is a pretty simple affair: He gives a pompous lefthead sermon, then sues you for disagreeing with it.

Gee, do you think I can make some money by scalping tickets?

OK, there's me, and now I need four other fat middle-aged guys to go and stand in a row of seats, shirtless, with H-I-T-C-H painted on our ample guts.

Callimachus - LOL. (And could you get your bellydancing wife to head up the row?)

IMHO, she's far too beautiful and classy to be seen in the same house with a bunch of Philly sports nuts. But maybe I can get her to do her Rachel Brice thing on the other side of the hall. It would complete the whole Roman circus atmosphere.

Wife

Amy Goodman as the moderator...Callimachus, I would have thought that, etymylogically speaking, that moderator and moderate come from the same root word. Having heard Amy's show Democracy Now!! a few times, I'm sure that can't be the case.

Hitchens must be trembling at the thought of facing the devastating double threat of the two Gs.

moderate (adj.)
1398, from L. moderatus, pp. of moderari "to regulate." Related to modus "measure" (see mode (1)), hence, "keeping within due measure." The verb is attested from 1432 in the sense "to abate excessiveness;" meaning "to preside over a debate" is first attested 1577.

I'm confused. Where exactly is this event, and when?

Thanks

New York, NY
Wednesday, September 14, 7:00 pm
Debate with Chrstopher Hitchens
Baruch College Performing Arts Center

I should have linked to the ticket info for NYC.

Thanks so much! Go Hitch!!!

Why do we dignify someone like Galloway with a debate? It just gives him a chance to lie. Why does Uncle Sam have to let him into the country? Would you let an alleycat into your home to drink milk from a bowl next to your easychair? Galloway should be in the alley sleeping in a trash bin. And to call him "left"? Left used to mean something once. Today it's just a new cover for wrecking civilization. Ask George the rabid alleycat where the $$$ comes from for his various nefarious activities. He is supposed to have recently taken part in a conclave in Egypt where "Leftists" like Tony Benn and various Islamofascists got together to plan joint strategy. If you must go see George, ask him whether, while he was in Egypt, he asked the authorities why they were oppressing the Copts, why they were administering unequal justice to Muslims and non-Muslims [i.e., Copts, etc]. Then ask how does he dare call the mass murderers in Iraq "insurgents" or "resistance" when what they mostly do is commit mass murder against Iraqi civilians, including Kurds, Shiites, Christians?
As for Hitchens, why trust him either? He has a nasty record on Israel and he dirtied the paper at the Nation once a decent publication like any alleycat not yet housebroken.

I gather from the tone on this site that you are all Fox News subscribers. What is startling is that rather than retaining an open mind here on Galloway, you all seem to have digested uncritically the smears pre-masticated for you by partisan sources, and are now regurgitating them here in lame, name calling rants. Both Hitchens and Galloway are to be respected as political intellectuals, and it would be a far more wholesome diet for you people to listen, consider the points and rebut them, rather than purile name calling. Argumentum ad Homenum is a low device and classically employed where the person fears to address the argument itself. I remind you that your own media was awed by Galloway, variously describing him as "blistering" and having achieved a "knock-out" at his hearing. By no means do I support most of Galloways politics, and would not vote for him, but he is certainly principled and bravely outspoken in defense of those principles. I do not see any US politicos coming to the British parliament to defend the Iraq adventure. Allegations that Galloway benefited directly from contributions to charities have never been backed with proof and must be treated as at least suspicious and probably mere slander. The Bush family is far more likely to have benefited from there association with the Bin Ladens through the Carlyle group. In the shaking of your rattles and the beating of your drums you are likely to drown out salient comment from a unique voice, and just because it differs from your opinion. That used not to be the American way. By the way, does anybody know of a web site or web radio channel I can catch this on?

Re: Comment #14 Billy B

Both Hitchens >and Galloway are to be respected as political intellectuals

Where does one even begin..............? Suffice to say you would classify Mao, Adolf, Pol Pot et al as political intellectuals as well..........

watch carefully Ladies and Gentlemen, as we are currently in the midst of low garde civil war

I gather from the tone on this site that you are all Fox News subscribers.

Your first mistake.

What is startling is that rather than retaining an open mind here on Galloway, you all seem to have digested uncritically the smears pre-masticated for you by partisan sources, and are now regurgitating them here in lame, name calling rants.

From where did you obtain your pre-masticated information about Bush and the Carlyle group? Was it from divine inspiration, your own personal and tireless investigative reporting, or was it from (gasp!) partisan sources?

you are likely to drown out salient comment from a unique voice

A tired old Stalinist hack like Galloway can be called many things, but unique isn't one of them.

Pamela

One cannot begin to understand irrational relativism, it isn't relevant.

That and, I had no idea one must 'subscribe' to TV News. I know subscription applies to print but TV News, where have I been all this time? I had better get my tone 'subscribed' before I lose my membership.

GollyGee, I was hoping Jane would attend the NYC debate....I was rather looking forward to watching Galloway Fonda Jane 'Mentalmasturbation Hate America Fest' where everyone examines Eve Ensler's vagina. As a women I FEEL these things are important to my Sisterhood cause. Oh well. Maybe at the rally in DC?

What! Did Somebody say Galloway is running for office in America? Boy am I missing out by only reading sourced news information for myself... I should 'subscribe' to CNN to get the real truth.

Billy Brannigan:

Even a juvenile examination of Galloway's positions and statements reveal him for what he is. I give no credit to someone who sticks to his principles if the principles themselves are flawed and drenched in hatred. Know thine Enemy. He does not. No degree of otherwise attractive Scottish brogue can change that...at least not for those listening to the words as opposed to the mere melody.

Pamela: All of Mao, Adolf and Pol Pot were political intellectuals (albeit of murderous ideologies, and, in Adolf's case, of a low grade). It is clear that you only view a person as a political intellectual if they agree with you - something you share with Mao, Adolf and Pol Pot.
Mary: The Bush family are listed among the members of The Carlyle group, and G. Bush senior works for the group at an international level. That the Bin Ladin's were members has never been denied (they were asked to divest post 9\11). Search any of the New York times, Washington Post etc. I make no comment on the Carlyle group itself, merely stating that the Bush family traded with the Bin Ladins for profit, whereas no proof exists that Galloway profited from donations(unless you can direct me to a RELIABLE source). Galloway, for all his political waywardness, is a unique voice and far from a "tired .. hack" as was evidenced by your stunned lawmakers at his appearance in Washington, and their notable reluctance to call him back for more questioning.
Pamela: We subscribe (pay a fee) here in London to Fox, CNN etc. To subscribe also has the meaning of concurring. Your gynacological feminist satire is almost amusing, but a little old and dry.
Bruce: Was the 'principle' of staying in Vietnam for democracy worth sticking to, with it's 2 million civilian casualties? Are the principles on which you invaded Iraq flawless? Should the 'principle' of enforcing regime change in Iraq now be abandoned in the face of the lethal and dangerous mess created over there? If you are going to take such actions on our behalf, please at least listen to all voices so that you have the best chance of executing the matter competently. The net result is a very significant proportion of Iraqi oil production now de facto under the control of an Iranian gov. who are desperately seeking nukes for fear of invasion, the region is far more unstable and the world economy threatened. Exactly what you didn't want and exactly as predicted by voices within your own nation prior to the war. Voices not listened to. I am, by the way, totally on your side in Iraq through necessity, in that, since you are in there, you have to win .. if you don't, we are all in serious trouble. About 7-10 years and another £100,000,000,000 should do it.

Mr. Brannigan
Oh, you are from across the pond which explains why you believe every distortion written by the NY Times, Washington Post, et al is they only truth (so help me Stalin) so I forgive you BUT, I will take offense for giving credit to Pamela for the gyno satire, like all those 'good' Moveon.orgers say, 'I brought it, I own it, it's mine'.

Also, are you trying to say Eve Ensler is old and dry? For if you are, I give thanks for 'speaking truth to power'. I always knew Fonda Jane (having heard my entire life every babbling chatter coming from her brain) was old and dry BUT, Eve? I thought she was a 'progressive thinker' young and wet.

Anyway, from across the pond please accept my peace offering of good humor in these trying times.

PS: My brain cannot relate to the intellectually genocidal mass murders thingy.

I was under the impression the Brits were for Liberating the oppressed (yet contained by our United Nations of peace, love and understanding world) Iraqis from a ruthless totalitarian dictator who used UN monies (meant to buy food for starving Iraqi people) to fund his many mega palaces, to fund Palestinian terrorist organizations, to throw rape parties for his sons, to provide Al Queda Imans santuary in Baghdad homes who planned the first WTC bombing, to provide land space to Al Queda affiliate Ansar al Islam to operate an Islamofacist training camp (BUT isn't saddam a secularist?) and to make Kofi Annan plus family, as well as, the Russian mafia and French banks very tres riche.

I swore I red in numerous milblogs that thousands of British soldiers joined in the Liberation cause.

Anyway, troops may be out of Iraq within 7 years but the war against Islamicfascism will take at least a generation (or two if Leftist Progressive continue aiding the enemy by using their 'hate all things American' propaganda campaign as a weapon of choice)

DOD in America offers a copy of Jihadist training manual for public viewing. Highly recommend reading.

I am indeed from across the pond - it was G. Bernard Shaw I think who described the US \ UK relationship as two peoples seperated by the same language. In fact I am Irish, and have ample historical and cultural inheritance to be very skeptical of all ideologies - in which I include religions, communism, capitalism etc. Trying times is true .. I really do hope things turn around in Iraq. By the way, I've never heard of Eve Ensler .. is she young and wet? Must look her up. And apols for being so tart re your satire .. it was actually good, off the cuff like that. Humour is good, so here:

Man on train sneezes, pulls out his plonker, wipes it, puts it back. Woman opposite is appaled. A moment later, he sneezes again and does the same thing. Woman - What is going on? Man - Sorry love, can't help it. Every time I sneeze I have an orgasm. Woman - Can't you take something for it? Man - I am; pepper

Susan, get real. The very borders of Iraq were drawn by lazy british colonialists drawing an arbitary line on a map with no account or respect for the areas cultures or demography - hence the kurd sunni shia mix. And whilst over there then they were pretty murderous. Saddam is a dog, but we in the west have funded and armed vicious, murderous dictators and regimes across the globe since the 1900's, and have often removed well intentioned governments in the process. Whilst millions starve near 50% of our populations are clinically obese, so we can hold no moral ground - We reek of blood, greed, murder and the rapacious exploitation of the rest of the planet.

Galloway, for all his political waywardness, is a unique voice and far from a "tired .. hack" as was evidenced by your stunned lawmakers at his appearance in Washington, and their notable reluctance to call him back for more questioning.

Our lawmakers are not accustomed to debate. Benny Hill could probably render them speechless. That doesn't mean that Galloway is not a tired old hack.

..and I'd hardly call Stalinism "waywardness"

George "Lord Haw Haw" Galloway isn't a Stalinist. He's a classic fascist who prefers a different uniform.

As I understand it, Stalinist ideologues caused mass casualties within Soviet borders whilst forcing a belief system onto it's own people; Fascism (German) was a system which caused a whole population to become complicit in mass casualties abroad whilst exporting their leader's ideology beyond their own country's borders. Any comments?

Stalinist ideologues caused mass casualties within Soviet borders whilst forcing a belief system onto it's own people; Fascism (German) was a system which caused a whole population to become complicit in mass casualties abroad whilst exporting their leader's ideology beyond their own country's borders. Any comments?

I guess you're asking which is worse - war or genocide?

Well, here are two examples - there was Britain's genocidal actions against the Irish during the potato famine vs. the Irish war of Independence during the early 20th century.

Which do you think is worse - the potato famine or the war of independence against Britain?

Which do you think totalitarian Galloway would prefer?

Billy

Self-loathing morally relative liberalism is a petrified zit on the face of self-loathing relatively moral Liberals.

Well, if you what you say is true about those lazy Brit colonialists who colonized Iraq why then did Saddam declare war against America? Because we prevented him from invading an Arab neighbor? Because we buy petro?

When you say 'we in the west' I'm assuming you mean Europe in general since you are speaking from across the pond. Yes, European Colonizers did indeed 'reek of blood, greed, and murder' but so has a thousand of years of Middle Eastern Islamic imperialist who continue to this day hacking off the infidel's head (you might be next)

People are starving because either

-they live under a totalitarian regime or,

-they are being imperialized by the Western Environmental Green Movement which prevents the sharing of modern day agriculture tools, techniques, and technology with primitive peoples as to preserve those primitive peoples in their poverty in order for elitist Western Liberals to go on vacation and entertain themselves by watching how 'primitive people' living in mud huts burning cow dung to cook food look happy living in the Environmentally Correct museums of death created by the very self-loathing Liberals who are petrified of their very own Liberalism or,

-they are Hollywood celebrity stars/wantabe celebrity stars who will do anything just to be in FatMoore/OlivierStoned fictitious Leni Riefenstahl documentaries and on the cover of Vogue or,

-because the evil one=Hilter for oil eating black babies for breakfast because he did not sign the Kyoto agreement in the environmentally toxic wasteland of China and globalization is bad.

If self-loathing Liberals abhor themselves this much why not make such miserable living easier by moving to the land of Utophia where the Dictator provides free water, a cup of beans but not fuel to cook the food? Live it up!

Mary: I am not so much assessing the relative demerits of genocide v. war. I am contrasting the facts that whilst both Stalinism and Fascism created mass casualities, Stalinism at least did it primarily at home whereas Fascism exported. Further, the latter ideology was slavishly absorbed and advocated by the population as perfectly sound, and indeed of such moral and racial superiority that it demanded export to inferior countries and cultures. Personal beliefs that seem resoundingly obvious, incontravertable and self-derived at a certain time in history turn out later to be belief systems disseminated and inculcated (evidence Susan) by powers with agendas - often with disastrous consequences. In answer to you question (and both Galloway and Hitchens would back this) the potato famine and all colonial \ imperialist actions by outside nations on another are wrong. The Irish had an absolute right to fight for freedom from the British, as indeed did you Americans. Thanks for your open mindedness .. I will forebear from replying to Susan (she would take too long to de-program) save to say that the dreadful spectacle of third world anarchy in New Orleans, brought in part by global warming, might have made her comments more thoughtful ..

You say Stalinism at least did it primarily at home??

I guess I'm talking to a Stalinist then.

The British at least did their attempted genocide primarily at home. They believed that Ireland was their property and their home, remember? To them, it wasn't foreign soil.

The Irish war of independence and the American war of independence were both necessary; WWII was necessary, benefitting a large part of the population.

War is bad, but war is sometimes necessary. The people who call themselves "anti-war" are willing to tolerate genocide in the interests of peace and anti-colonialism, as you've explained here. Can you name one genocide that benefitted a population? I can't.

War is bad, but if I have to make a choice between supporting a war and supporting the anti-war/genocidal concept of "peace", I'll choose war.

George Galloway is an equal-opportunity totalitarian - he campaigns for and befriends fascist left-leaning Ba'thists and conservative fascist Islamists. The only governments he hates are democracies. No, I don't agree that British Stalinist Galloway would have supported an uprising of a pro-democracy Irish independence movement. He would have taken great joy in suppressing it, and he would have be pleased by the results of the potato famine, because that's what totalitarians do - slaughter millions of innocent, defenseless people, smiling as they die. But at least they do it primarily at home.

Mary, I'm surprised at your employing such a dirty historical sophism in that the British thought Ireland was their own and not foreign soil. I presume you forgive or excuse their massacres in India, Africa, the arab regions etc. etc. on the basis that 'they thought it was theirs'. By the same logic the ethnic clensing and genocide executed against native americans and aborigines in Australia is to be excused because white colonialists 'thought it was theirs'. You are not wrong that war is in sometimes necessary: where Europe froze in inaction over Kosovo America bravely and rightly took action, and that is by no means the only time that America has acted bravely for the good of the world. But it must be a very last resort and thought through and executed properly and not sold on the back of trashy nonsense like WMDs or the neocon new empire ideas which are currently debasing your fine nation.
In the event that abuse and oppression of it's own population is enough reason to invade a nation, I'm afraid you're in trouble. With the highest prison population per capita in the world, the highest murder rate per capita in the world (excluding african war zones) the highest depression rates, highest obesity rates, and, as New Orleans has made amply clear, ethnic urban underclasses similar akin to the third world, you are less an example of a free, equitable society than a totalitarian culture imprisoned by the mindset of an hysterical, cruel and internationally aggressive version of capitalism. As such, I think we are obliged to invade and lead you all to a better quality of life. By the way, Galloway (and Hitchens, to the best of my recollection) have directly asserted the right of the Irish to self determination. Also, I am not a Stalinist - I do quite well thank you (property capitalist), which is why I have the time to progress your education, you lucky person. Lastly, for fear you think me a dry commie, here's a joke:

A good Irish man, John O'Reilly, met regularly with his toastmasters club.
One evening they were hitting the Guinness Stout and having a contest of who could make the best toast. John O'Reilly hoisted his beer and said, "Here's to spending the rest of me life between the legs of me wife!"
That won him the top prize for the best toast of the night. So he went home and told his wife, Mary, that he made the best toast of the night.
She asked, "Aye, what was your toast?" John said, "Here's to spending the rest of me life sitting in church beside me wife." "Oh that is very nice indeed, John!" Mary said.

The next day Mary ran into one of John's toasting buddies on the street corner. The man chuckled leeringly and said, "John won the prize the other night with a toast about you, Mary."
She said, "Aye and I was a bit surprised me self! You know, he's only been there twice! Once he fell asleep and the other time I had to pull him by the ears to make him come!"

Billy
How does one de-program an independent thinker?

After reading Chomsky and Zinn, I rebelled against their programing and freed myself from their illogical tyranny.

Susan, I am not advocating Chomsky (although a unique voice) nor the Zinn's of this world. Nor am I certain (as yet) that Iraq was a bad move in terms of pragmaticism or principle, despite the bovine scatology that got us there. But the neocons are the right's equivalent of Zinn, and I do not believe that international stability nor foreign cultures should be subject to the ideologies of either the right or left, religious or secular. We could very easily find the eventual prevalence of the west to be a pyric victory

I'm surprised at your employing such a dirty historical sophism in that the British thought Ireland was their own and not foreign soil. I presume you forgive or excuse their massacres in India, Africa, the arab regions etc. etc. on the basis that 'they thought it was theirs'.

Unlike you, I would not forgive a genocide under any circumstance. No population "belongs" to any leader. You forgave Stalinism in your previous comment. Are you now justifying slavery? If you are, I'm sure Islamist-supporter Galloway would agree.

Otherwise, your response is just the same Bush=Hitler, neocons-are-evil tripe that Stalinist/fascist supporters traditionally generate, slightly more eloquent than the usual. You forgot to throw in the global warming routine.

Nice joke.

Where can i get 2 tickets for the hitchens vs. galloway event. The box office is sold out. Is there anyone out there who bought 2 tickets but cannot go?

Check in my blog later tonight- I will give the pre-game analyis of what Hitch has to do to win.

He won't do what many here hope - there is much wrong with Galloway and his opinions, but there are real,legal reasons why he wins liberl judgements.

That being said, Christopher is now ranging his artillery and getting his game face on today.

George Galloway is a man with courage. The United States could use a few men with steel in their spines like him. The wet rags you have running your decadent country are the laughing stock of the world.

George, is that you?

Just listened to it and I have to say Galloway is almost unlistenable. He speaks so very poorly and contradicts almost everything he says. The only thing is when he comes around to cross over the currents he just gets LOUDER.
Example, 'freedom fighters coming to expel the occupation' next time becomes 'ISLAMISTS FESTERING IN THE OPEN WOUNDS LIKE ANTHRAX'

Galloway is a fascist buffoon surrounded by some very dangerous people, who are getting a bit sick of him in Bow, London (not seen for several months).

Hitchens is the only marxist worth listening to in America, his line of thought in this debate, is absolute. Utter logical ascendancy through to freedom.

Long live the Socialist international.

Richter.

Susan (#32)... how did you manage to do that? It's not easy, and I'm genuinely curious.