Dear M. Chomsky,
I've had the opportunity to be introduced to your work while studying in a Montreal univerity a few years ago. The books you have written and the intervews you have given have been so inspirational. It's very reassuring to know that people like you will voice the opinion of the portion of the people that is against the mainstream ideology.

A very happy birthy and long and healthy life to you M. Chomsky. We need you.

From french canada
Nathalie

I would just like to thank you Mr Chomsky for showing me and others that we have to be optimistic and that it is still uselful to act for a better life in our community. I would say selfishly: long live Chomsky ! Bon anniversaire, on espère vous revoir chez nous en Europe.

Dear Mr Chomsky,

I was channel surfing on a lazy weekend when at high school and hit upon the Movie/Doco “Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Mass Media” on SBS TV in Australia. As I was watching I thought, “hey, man, that’s what I’m thinkin.” Although I have read now pretty much nearly everything that you have written my first impression remains the dominant one. You have the ability to articulate what I think most people know at a gut-intuitive level with the real trick being converting that common awareness to political dissidence.

You stand out, I think, mostly because intellectuals are fraudsters. I think that you have a real commitment to rationality and this is, in my experience, very rare. It is for this reason that I seek out your interviews and articles as events happen; not because I think you are always right, but because I know that you are at least honest and that what matters to you is what actually happens to real people.

At a personal level in email correspondence I have always been taken aback by the fact that you actually, like, reply. How many emails do you get? Mate, I reckon it must be in the many thousands per day. By contrast with other intellectuals you don’t even get a courtesy reply.

These are the reasons why I think you stand out and, despite misgivings about a personal tribute project like this that you might have, all the tributes you get are richly rewarded.

I wish you a happy birthday and you and your family a happy holiday season and a very happy new year.

Sincerely,
Marko Beljac
Melbourne, Australia.

Vancouver's StopWar.ca Coalition was honoured to have Noam Chomsky as our keynote speaker at our rally in March 2004 protesting the one-year anniversary of the invasion of Iraq.

Noam's participation in our event helped bring out a big crowd. At least 15,000 people listened attentively, as Noam spent half an hour outlining the machinations of empire. It was one small example of the invaluable work he has been doing for nearly half a century - articulating penetrating and honest dissent by exposing the crimes of U.S. foreign policy in Vietnam, East Timor, Haiti, Iraq, Afghanistan and beyond.

If more academics and intellectuals followed Chomsky's trailblazing commitment to activism and social justice, we would be living in a better world. As for the dangerous and troubled world we do live in, we need Chomsky's insights more than ever.

The members of our coalition wish Noam and his family all the best on his 80th birthday.

I have a pretty good idea how Noam will feel about this site. He may not even look at it, although I hope he does. He will probably feel ambivalent since he doesn’t like the idolization that occurs around any one person, particularly him. His quote that “We shouldn't be looking for heroes, we should be looking for good ideas" comes to mind. Well, Noam has been giving us such good ideas- from revolutionarily brilliant ideas, to old truths- in such clear, articulate and understandable ways for so long that a page like is totally warranted. Happy 80th Birthday Noam! You are an inspiration to so many. We can thank you by taking your good ideas, passing them on, and using them to make a difference in the world the way you have been for decades. Thank You Noam!

Not long ago, i heard and audio version of Orwell's 1984. There I heard -as does Winston- of the existence of „The Book“. When Winston gets it, he begins reading it by the first opportunity he finds. Then he begins reading:

„...War is peace ... But it was also clear that an all-round increase in wealth threatened the destruction — indeed, in some sense was the destruction — of a hierarchical society ...It was possible, no doubt, to imagine a society in which wealth, in the sense of personal possessions and luxuries, should be evenly distributed, while power remained in the hands of a small privileged caste. But in practice such a society could not long remain stable. For if leisure and security were enjoyed by all alike, the great mass of human beings who are normally stupefied by poverty would become literate and would learn to think for themselves; and when once they had done this, they would sooner or later realize that the privileged minority had no function, and they would sweep it away. In the long run, a hierarchical society was only possible on a basis of poverty and ignorance. (...) The essential act of war is destruction, not necessarily of human lives, but of the products of human labour. War is a way of shattering to pieces, or pouring into the stratosphere, or sinking in the depths of the sea, materials which might otherwise be used to make the masses too comfortable, and hence, in the long run, too intelligent...“

It is striking how well our society is described by Orwell, we live indeed in 1984. J. Pilger recently called this „a corporate dictatorship“. I guess Lluis Llach would say: „segur que tomba, tomba, tomba, ben corcada deu ser ja!“.

Everytime I read and re-read one of your books, articles or lectures if feel a little like Winston, holding „The Book“. And every time it is such an illuminating and striking experience.

Thank you so much for your work, your example, your courage and your integrity.

Happy Birthday!

You never seize to amaze or enhance my critical thinking; to further question the role of the mainstream media and writers. May you continue to enlighten us for another 80 years!

Thank you Professor.

As a political analyst, I consider you 'America's Orwell'.

As a moral & political philosopher, I consider you an 'America's Socrates'.

Happy 80th - and beyond.

In a time of neo-liberalising education systems the fact that Noam keeps going is profoundly inspiring. The clear powerful analysis of actual power, leading by example and commitment, means that even in the depths of management hostility and indifference, especially in the university system, one can see what is possible and what it means to take responsibly. He shows that one can refuse the infantilising mechanisms that reduce everything to soap powder. The world would be a much worse place without Noam, and the many who have been inspired by him.