Events Books

This book made me sad. Because it is so well-written about subject matter that was beyond my belief, I have been shaken out of my idylls. Worse still it is so well documented that every item can easily be looked up and confirmed.

What brought me to this book was my reading in German the book by Murat Kurnaz, "Five Years of My Life: An Innocent Man in Guantanamo" in July of 2007. Not a detail of the legal matters mentioned by Margulies is in conflict with Mr. Kurnaz's first-hand account of his experiences as a prisoner. Margulies' book should be required reading for every Congressman and Senator in Washington, DC. I will not be able to rest now until justice is meted out to those who have committed such horrendous crimes against humanity.

Mr. Margulies and Mr. Kurnaz point out that "harsh interrogation" is far more than "water-boarding." Mr. Kurnaz was physically picked up and his head was placed under water while he was punched and kicked in the stomach. He was suspended from the ceiling for days, until he passed out. US physicians attended him, not to give relief from his suffering, but to keep him alive for more torture. He witnessed prisoners killed by US torture.

Margulies' book is an opportunity for education. May we all be better educated.

The author was the lead counsel for Rasul and other detainees in the noted Supreme Court case of 2004, Rasul v. Bush. The question in that case underlines the whole bitter debate with the Bush Administration: whether detainees at Guantanamo have the right to challenge their indefinite detention in a fair way. The other big issue in this book involves torture and how the detainees are treated.

The author notes that the United States has always been at the forefront in upholding the Geneva Conventions. Even during the Korean War when the North Koreans treated American POWs barbarically, the U.S. upheld the Conventions. Even during the unconventional Vietnam War when the Viet Cong did not wear uniforms and hid among civilians or when American fliers were tortured in North Vietnam, the U.S. honored the Conventions. According to the Red Cross everyone in enemy hands has some status, either as a POW under the Third Convention or as a civilian under the Fourth Convention. In the past the U.S. has served as a model in upholding these laws of war and had until recently established the moral high ground in the face of lawless torture around the world.

Bush keeps insisting to the American people: "We do not torture." He is not lying according to the narrow definition established in the Justice Department's legal opinion known as the "torture memo" by Yoo and Bybee, and subsequent revisions to that opinion. The author notes the veil of secrecy over the inner workings of Guantanamo, the careful screenings given to visitors, but Time Magazine obtained leaked records concerning the interrogation logs of Mohammed al-Qahtani, which reveal the kind of methods used: solitary confinement, sensory overload, induced hypothermia, sleep deprivation, various devices used to cause severe disorientation, various forms of humiliation; in other words, a systematic breakdown of the human personality, a psychological assault that can be done without laying a hand on the prisoner, intended to lower the detainee not just to the sub-human level but even to the sub-animal level (the chilling comparison by the interrogator to banana rats). The question becomes what else would be found if other interrogation logs were made available.

Secretary Rumsfeld referred to the detainees as "the worst of the worst." But are they really? Beyond the locked gate of national security, the author refers to numerous voices from the military and intelligence services who state that only a minority of the detainees have yielded intelligence of any significant value, that there have been "no big fish", that the majority were "dirt farmers from Afghanistan", or in the case of the author's clients, impressionable youth who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. The author notes that only 5% of all detainees were captured by Americans. The rest were rounded up by the Northern Alliance or by war-lords who were more interested in settling scores. The roundup was made even more of a farce by a Defense Department campaign to distribute leaflets offering a bounty for any terrorist.

In response to the Supreme Court's decision in Rasul for judicial review of Guantanamo detainees, the Administration undertook to set up CSRTs (Combatant Status Review Tribunals) in order to determine whether a detainee is an "enemy combatant". But the CSRTs have been so skewed in the interest of national security that evidence is withheld and charges are often hidden in a farcical way. The detainees are also prevented from presenting evidence or testimony unless it is "reasonably available". An example of the absurdity of this process is an exchange quoted here from the petitioner Ait Idir, a petitioner in the forthcoming Boumediene v. Bush Supreme Court case, in which the name of the accuser, an alleged al-Qaeda operative, is not named for security reasons.

The author describes the outlandish charges made against his client Mamdouh Habib from "confessions" he gave after his rendition to Egypt to be tortured. Fortunately for Habib, when they tried to render him to Egypt for a second time, the lid of secrecy was blown off by the press, and he was released without any charges and flown back to his home in Australia after three years of incarceration.

This book deserves a much wider audience. No matter how bad you think things are in Guantanamo, this book makes clear that the reality is ten times worse. Margulies is extremely knowledgeable about the issues, and he's a fine writer. It is hard not to feel ashamed -- and outraged -- by the injustices that are occurring under our flag. Let me add that I do not know (and have never met) the author, Joseph Margulies.

One of the few books I've read about any controversial topic that resists the temptation to start name-calling, insult-slinging and obvious political agendas.

Dr. Margulies succeeds in explaining legal arguments in a way that is engaging and not condescending. He addresses every question you could have about torture and then some. He does something many authors fail to do: he argues his point in a greater context than the argument itself. That is to say, anyone can argue torture in the context of laws or the Geneva Convetions. Dr. Margulies goes further and discusses torture in the context of security for civilians and soldiers and foriegn policy, and then also provides the background for the writing of the Geneva Conventions and why we have refrained from torture in the past.

Absolutely enlightening.

Robert McNamara noted (about WWII), "LeMay said if we lost the war that we would have all been prosecuted as war criminals. And I think he's right. He... and I'd say I... were behaving as war criminals." No question that the only thing that keeps Bush, Rumsfeldt, etc. out of jail is that fact that they are protected by our country's hard to challenge power. If we were a broken power rather than a great power, it seems certain that someone would try to lock them up.

This book confirms that many laws, national and international, regarding torture, detention, and so on have been willfully violated. It is a compelling and disturbing story. And the final chapters are still to be written.

Kudos to Drs. Loo and Phillips for bringing together and contributing to Impeach the President. While I have kept contemporaneously informed with respect to most of the issues addressed therein (read: I have been FREAKING OUT for 6 years now,) what made the book refreshing and, in my opinion, the best of its genre, was not just the excellent recounting of the egregious abuses perpetrated by this Administration, but that most of the authors asked, and attempted to answer - what can we do? And what really sets the book apart from all the others is that the authors acknowledge the reality that nothing - nothing - short of the most organized and best prepared citizen movement will bring about the change that is required if democracy is to survive.

This is a powerful, shocking, page-turning exposition of not only the impeachable offenses of Bush-Cheney, but the deeper empire-building pathology of these guys and others that make up an elite network of politicians, corporate leaders, military leaders, and intellectuals that have been working to dominate the globe - the aptly named, "Global Dominance Group." This work goes beyond the other Bush-Cheney impeachment books to reveal how and why we have come to our current crisis in this country, thereby providing the necessary understanding for eventually turning this country back into the vision of our Founding Fathers, a democratic republic that respects the rule of law and other "enlightened" principles of human rights, equality, and justice. A truly remarkable work of writing and research that will wake you up to the real workings and intentions of this administration.

I'm sorry that I am going to break up the five star party for this book, but to do less would be dishonest. While I found the book to be good, with useful information, I also found several flaws that hurt the book for use as a primary source for those that wish to learn about the possibility of impeachment of President Bush.

The book is written as separate essays by various authors on different subjects that could lead to the impeachment of the President. Each of the articles, alone, would stand nicely and be a valuable piece in a magazine. When grouped together, however, there is a repetition of information that slows the book down and makes it tiring to read. Better editing could correct this problem.

A more serious flaw is the promotion of rather abstract theories to use in an impeachment procedure. Voter fraud in 2004, for one, probably happened, but it would be almost impossible to investigate thoroughly and incorporate as an impeachment article. And, while global warming is occurring, I don't think you can impeach a president for lack of action. That would be a policy decision, and if it were an impeachable offense, it will make every president a sitting duck for everyone that doesn't like their particular policies.

Finally, use of arguments such President Bush's campaign in Haiti are flawed. It will be difficult to get an impeachment with traditional charges, let alone on something that most Americans haven't heard about and probably don't care about either. Muddying the water with these items will make impeachment more difficult, and failing to get a conviction a near certainty. In addition, the writings are too "liberal" for most main stream Americans...the same ones who get their news from Fox and their ilk.

Having said all of that, I do think the book is an important work that should be read by every American. It highlights the numerous failures of this President and would make for excellent background material on a possible impeachment. And, finally, I think this book will be used as a textbook for years to come when the failings of Bush are studied.

This book was eye opening for me. Warning: It is like taking the red pill, you can't go back to how things were before. Not only is the case against Bush and Cheney laid out clearly, there are also points made against the media in the US and how the government is being run. Each essay in each chapter forms a different part of the argument for impeachment. Topics range from all of the blunders and lies about Iraq, to global warming, to election fraud. This book is really worth reading, and when you are done you will never be the same.

This is a book that will answer questions and doubts that we have for our government, and it totally shatters the images that our government has been putting on to us. If you think you know how our society works (from reading and studying textbooks from school), read this book twice. This book will not only make its readers open up their eyes, but also to raise more questions about the society we are living in today.

I really enjoyed the book. I could't put it down. It was enlightening and very interesting to see that these highly placed women are confronted with some of the same issues as other women. I began to understand why there aren't more women occupying seats of power. Very relatable and valuable for women who want to shatter the glass ceiling in their own organizations.

This book is written by a team of two authors and it shows. The book often seems disjointed and repetitive. It lacks polish and feels more like an undergrad term paper than a serious, analytical work. The information is interesting, but it lacks any serious examination of the policies these women pursued and it has serious omissions. It sticks with women in Congress, but fails to examine other powerful women such as Madeline Albright, Sandra Day O'Connor, or Ruth Baider Ginsberg. In the end, the book seems myopic in its approach and fails to show any evolution in the role of women in politics over time. You don't get anything here that you couldn't get out of Ms. Magazine.

Clift and Brazaitis have done the world a tremendous favor by writing this book.

While there certainly have been others on the subject (notably Witt Paget and Matthews "Runnning as a Woman: Gender and Power in American Politics") both authors delve further by suggesting candidates that could actually have won in this past election.

Although they are bipartisan, the stronger feminist base within the Democratic party means there are more women officeholders(and therefore candidates) to choose from. Aside from a few notables like Margaret Chase Smith, Lynn Martin and Elizabeth Dole the Republicans do not have as many potential prospects and/or a high voter identification rate with other women.

Even though it is not explicitly a feminist polemic (ie they do not appear especially interested in examining things through women's studies tools and paradigms)both authors clearly want a moderate democratic woman running the country. Among those on the list are Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY)

Because the number of women who regularly vote in presidential elections has surpassed men since the mid 1980's, the presence of a woman candidate should not be taken for granted. The fact that politicians have increasingly moved post-cold war to traditionally "female" issues like education and children is not enough.

It is worth noting that Kennedy Townsend and Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) both made Al Gore's potential list of vice presidential candidates. Although I was disappointed he did not chose either woman, the incident does prove the book's almost prophetic staying power.

This book is a motivating resource for all women, whether or not they are interested in politics. It is very revealing about national attitudes surrounding women with political power and the likelihood of a female president in the near future. Clift and Brazaitis also provide brief but thorough political biographies of several important female politicians as well as information about political organizations every woman should know like Emily's List. Get this book now, and order a copy for all of your female friends and relatives!

I really enjoyed the book. I could't put it down. It was enlightening and very interesting to see that these highly placed women are confronted with some of the same issues as other women. I began to understand why there aren't more women occupying seats of power. Very relatable and valuable for women who want to shatter the glass ceiling in their own organizations.

I am a disabled person who was overjoyed to read David Ford's wonderful exposè. My progressive condition should be causing unbearable pain and spasms at this point...and DOES without this great medicine. Someday the truth will triumph because of people such as Mr. Ford and books as bold as his. Someday this book will be a collector's item, like the Soviet flag, because of works like this. I have heard Mr. Ford on talk radio, as well. With his survivor's courage and enlightened convictions-having won his battle with cancer with a big help from marijuana-David Ford provides a wealth of knowledge and insight into the absolutely ridiculous and ineffective War On Drugs. This WOD, this total misuse of our money, is being promoted by alcohol, tobacco, and pharmaceutical companies. Dirty politics? You bet! Marijuana is a superior product plain and simple, and more doctors would publicly agree if they could do so without negative consequences. After reading "Marijuana: Not Guilty As Charged," I would not be surprised if the future reveals some sort of conspiracy involving advocates for the gun industry and the DEA's War On Drugs...perhaps gun lobbyists pressing officials to pass WOD budgets to fuel more crime to increase the demand for firearms. In any event, the War On Drugs has achieved this: in every American city, illegal drugs are more readily available today than ever before. And not many consider the by-products of the WOD's destruction, the constant displacement of farmers in developing countries among them. CLEARLY, the War On Drugs has become an out-of-control habit supported by taxpayers coerced by ill-conceived laws. Mr. Ford's book has an easy style and light approach, but makes one think deeply...and hope for a sequel.

I have had the honor and pleasure to read "Marijuana not guilty as charged" and brought several copies of it for friends and family. As Glenn, one of the readers, so correctly stated, it should be in every household to not only inform but educate people. It once again proves that we are a spoonfed society and that it takes individuals such as this author, David R. Ford, to break through that barrier and do the work for us. I applaud you Mr. Ford on having the courage to write a book on a very controveral subject and bring the facts to a very misguided society. I am looking for (hopefully) more publishings of yours. Gratefully, Elisabeth M. Drews

I've been working with Cannabis Action Network for about 3 years now. I've recently walked away from doing any political work due to an armed robbery I fell victim to due to being in the wrong place at the wrong time. You would think that would have ended any relations I had with Marijuana at that point.

It's an interesting story but I wanted to say how after reading MARIJUANA: NOT GUILTY AS CHARGED and actually feeling a taste of the REAL drug war that does exist in America, this book helped me to not feel alone and to make sense of what is happening all around us that we take for granted or wish to not see and give our power over to those in Authority in whom we "feel" should be giving us the truth on drugs. When in most cases the story is far from the "truth" in America.

This book gave me encouragement to not be a VICTIM of the Crime of not knowing the facts on Marijuana and gave me a conviction in my heart to let the world know they're is healing, growth, and most importantly Hemp that can bring an impoverished land back to a land of healthy, strong, individually stable people.

After the robbery and learning so much about the legalization of marijuana from short excerpt of one page papers and people I came across, I then found this book. I had many books to choose from. this book seemed to have the right information and well spoken best of all it was all in one great book. I've managed to help many people while working as the Office Administrator for CAN after reading this book. Thank you David Ford for taking the time to reach all of the people you interviewed!

After talking to people across the US over the phone on counseling them for marijuana use while working at CAN I saw the overwhelming need of Americans who felt hopeless and alone due to pressures of family, church and friends.

I grew up living on the East Coast and this book helped convince me how wrong I've been in my thinking but that it's due to my upbringing and the way we are all taught in school and life.
This may be something we have all heard before but the way David Ford lays out the facts and in a well understood way brings one to a new state of enlightenment.

After reading "Marijuana Not Guilty As Charged" I have decided to become active in this marijuana movement. This book made me realize that marijuana is a medicine. I wonder how long our federal government is going to be wrong(about medical marijuana) to try to prove that they are right. This book addresses their own DEA administrative judge Francis Young and his support of marijuana. David R. Ford also talks about the "steppingstone theory" and addresses the fact that marijuana was once legal in this country and what happened among many other issues. This book has changed a part of my life. I now know that I cannot sit back and let everyone else do the work in the marijuana movement I have to join the fight. Like David R. Ford, I too can do courageous things to help. This book is a must read. In the book David Ford dedicates a chapter to NORML(National Organization to Reform Marijuana Laws) and ten things that you can do to relegalize marijuana.
David R. Ford is so sure of the benefits of marijuana he offers a $50,000 reward to anyone who can scientifically prove marijuana is not medicine. I think this book is a must for the "non-users" of marijuana as well as the users to gain some insight into this misinformed subject. Read this book it's possible that it could help you make the quality of life better for someone you might know or for yourself.

As a Caribbean person, who has lived most of my life in Guyana and Jamaica, I wish to highly recommend Dave Ford's timely book on the issue of marijuana use and persecution. Though Ford focuses on the problem in the USA he refers to other countries, and especially studies done outside of the USA which serve to support his thesis that marijuana is not guilty as charged. Ask the Rastafarians of Jamaica. He uses an impressive collection of facts to disclaim the various medical problems that are blamed on marijuana use. He shows how marijuana regulation got caught up in the attempt to deal with abuse of drugs such as cocaine and heroin and how the government bureaucracy for reasons which reasonable people can speculate on, refuses to correct. The noted Caribbean jurist, Aubrey Fraser, documented this same issue.

The hysteria surrounding the war on drugs creates a climate in which it is difficult for reasonable and workable approaches to drug use reduction and user rehabilitation to be implemented even though we have examples around the world of what works and what doesn't. A neglected aspect of the war on marijuana which Ford also discusses is how the war has drastically reduced the cultivation and use of hemp, one of the most useful plants known to man.

I would highly recommend Ford's book to anyone who is interested in the truth about marijuana and wants to be empowered to make an intelligent choice about what this relatively harmless intoxicant really is all about. It would be remiss if I did not also note that one of the things that is lost because of the irrational approach to marijuana use is the medical benefits of this plant. This has been the subject of study by scientists around the world, including specialists in Jamaica, the UK, and the USA and is one of the points Ford makes in his book.

Hillary Johnson's fascinating book, first touched upon in her article in Rolling Stone is a compelling read. The poor response by the CDC and the NIH to an epidemic that has now affected more lives than both AIDS and Lung Cancer is tragic. Ms. Johnson's beautifully woven story (though at times technical) would make for a very moving film in the tradition of And the Band Played On.

The author does an outstanding job of revealing how some of our most "respected" agencies in western medicine attempt to deal with what they can not define, despite what the patient says. Through constant shifts in focus, we are shown how several different groups deal with this syndrome. The writings illicit a tremendous amount of rage at the incompetence, pain at the ignorance, and confusion in the beurocratic anchors. This book reads like a mystery, and keeps you intrigued until the last page. It concludes like the reality of the search for this anomoly- with no 'pat' answers.

I read this book when it first came out. I would highly recommend it to any health care professional, any sufferer, or any relative of any sufferer. Society has come a long way over the years. Around 1990 I took a copy of one Dr. Jay Goldstein's books on chronic fatigue to a lecture on another subject. One of the other attendees picked it up, read the title, and disdainfully tossed in back on the table declaring, "Chronic fatigue? There is no such thing. It's only depression." On the other hand, myths are still all too common.

Back to this book. It leaves me dumbfounded how many of the issues clearly dealt with in this book are still reported incorrectly. Example: Epstein-Barr virus. It has widely been reported that since EB virus does not appear in clusters/epidemics, and that antibodies are present in a very high percent of the population, attributing chronic-fatigue to and EBV outbreak is, well, wrong. And that the doctor(s) should have known that.

However, in the book is it made clear that the doctors at Incline Village where an outbreak occured did know that. So when one of the doctors started seeing many of his patient's showing up with positive blood tests for EBV, he sent some samples to a researcher. The researcher found an antibody pattern that was not indicative of new infections, but rather of a recurrence or reactivation of a prior infection. This was a pattern the researcher had never seen before, and implied another cause, possible a weakening of the immune system. But not an epidemic of new EBV cases. By the way, that also argues against the assertion some have made that EBV is a possible cause, although it should be ruled out clinically.

The book is replete with many stories and issues, that differ remarkably from what is commonly reported about this issue.

One final chilling note. In the book dozens sufferers are introduced, some in depth, some obliquely. In an annex at the end of the book, the is a short follow up on many of the sufferers. What is chilling is how many have died.

This is the most informative book I've read on Chronic Fatigue. The reading is dry at times, but very informative. This book is about the Center for Disease Control (CDC) involvement in investigating CFS up to the date when the CDC was found quilty of misappropriation of funding for CFS research. Anyone new to the illness should have this book in their library, even if it is just used for references.

This book really gives you an understanding of how and why ME has been stigmatized, ridiculed and ignored as much as it has. It makes it very clear that it was not a mistake or an oversight at all but that it was in fact utterly deliberate. The pure stupidity and lack of basic human compassion involved is astounding. It's important to know how we've ended up in this mess so we can see how we might get ourselves out I think. It's also important that we not underestimate how low these people will go - its lower than you could even imagine.

A must read if you are well enough to tackle such a long non-fiction book, it'll just blow your mind and really fire you up about how badly we have all been treated historically and the...well you'd have to call them evil, people behind it all. A fantastic book to fire up your activism urges.

After reading Jaffer Ali's "Palestine and the Middle East", I realized that there is no `other side of the story'. Mr. Ali goes beyond propaganda and spin and shows us that the conflict raging between Israel and Palestinians is a matter of basic human rights denied to an indigenous people by a military occupying power. In dozens of short essays, we are shown that the desperation created by Israeli oppression has pushed an unarmed population of Palestinian civilians to stand in the street and futilely throw rocks at the tanks and armored assault vehicles of the Israeli army. I repeated the same question to myself as I read every different form of abuse carried out by Israel: "What would I do if I had to live under these conditions?" I commend Dandelion Books for having the courage to publish this book in today's climate.

Tom Zegar

This thoughtful, provocative book is a must-read for anyone wanting to know the truth behind the turmoil of the Mid-East. Ali is not a radical, he offers the point of view not seen in American media. As with all conflict there is another side - Ali offers this to us, as well as a more believable reason for the invasion of Iraq. Our current leadership has an agenda - one that does not set well with the rest of the world, and might not set well with the American people if they KNEW what it was. Read this book - it's a real eye opener.

Jaffir Ali takes us on both a very personal journey of what it means to be Palestinian in both the land of plenty and the land of desolation and humiliation and offers succinctly explanations for the conflict, explanations not redily offered in the mainstream media, media that is complicit in the web of obfuscation and silence. This is an eminently easy read, far from the thickly layered writings of Noam Chomsky or the intellectual depth of Edward Said's "Orientalism" , Jaffir Ali's quick fire essays are a perfect introduction to the Middle East/Palestinian crisis for readers who are only now beginning to realise that "there's something wrong with this picture" and is an excellent springboard for any wishing to learn more about the machinations of post WW2 colonial aspirations. Jaffir Ali's "Palestine and the Middle East: A Chronicle of Passion and Politics" should be required reading in at least Political Studies 101. Reccomended further readings: "The Fateful Triangle" by Noam Chomsky Black Rose Books...ISBN: 0920057-21-7. "Orientalism" by Edward Said available from this website. For continued updates on the Israel/Palestine situation subscribe to the excellent internet newsletter Viewpoint edited by Jaffir Ali.viewpoint@gophercentral.com

As an American of Palestinian decent Mr. Ali guides the reader through the passion that motivates and inflames the political issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He is clearly anti-violence and committed to peace---a peace that is only possible through empathy and accountability. Mr. Ali illuminates the reasoning of desperation without validating it. He demands a worldwide even application of standards concerning occupation, in particular in Israel.

Mr. Ali's essays swing from erudite political treatises to gut-wrenching, emotional, and deeply personal testimonies. Whether he is analytical or impassioned he is always, and consistently, honest to the information and to the reader. After reading "Palestine and the Middle East" you will never be able to hear "the news" without hearing the bias.

Must reading for anyone who wants to understand failures and create the dialogue that will bring peace in the region.

I was born in 1945, so I do not remember the creation of the state of Israel and all that went into that. I do know that I was raised only hearing one side of this issue and I do know this. One side is NEVER the WHOLE story. What the author does is CLEARLY give the other side to this contentious issue. Is there a solution to the problem of the Middle East? It will take someone FAR smarter than I to answer that question - but I will say this. A START to the solution is for the world to see both sides of the issue - presented in a thoughtful intelligent manner. This book does this - who knows? When history looks back on what happens over the next century, this book may be responsible in great part for something we never thought to see. When I was a teenager - and much older than that - we never thought to see the Iron Curtain fall. Maybe Mr. Ali has contributed to a happy solution to a vexing - and world threatening - problem. As a devoted reader - maybe 2000 books at home, most of whom I have read - this is one of the most seminal books I will EVER read

I highly recommend this book. While it's pretty easy to make the argument that our country is better off continuing with a secular government, what is difficult is refuting all the false rhetoric, and there is a ton of it, from those that would prefer we mutate into a Christianist nation (as Andrew Sullivan would put it). Rev. Lynn puts forth a highly readable argument that our nation's future interest is best served following the legacy of our founding framers, an argument firmly grounded in the ideals that were ratified by the founding framers in our beloved Constitution.

Lynn is also no slouch in the history department, doing a far better job for example of refuting Christian Nation historical revisionism than Jon Meacham's American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation while requiring a lot less sentences to do so. In fact, Lynn sells himself short by using the back of the book cover to market his book to the choir; his respectful tone towards Christianity while defeating arguments we'd be better served with a Roy Moore fantasy could have garnered a more effective response from the public if he'd also marketed this book towards conservative Christians as well, many are whom are unaware of their sects' legacy of supporting separationism or how far their current day leaders really want to go in regards to increasing government power to endorse a particular version of faith (e.g., already working on attempting to re-supress birth control).

I'm knocking off a star for my standard reason: no footnotes, inexcusable in this day and age. As a member of the Americans United for the Separation of Church & State, I have complete trust in Rev. Lynn's integrity; but any author who wants to put forth an argument based on a set of premises should footnote those premises. I also thought his occassional references that he's pro-choice was uncalled for and reduce the odds of his changing minds of anti-abortionists. While the pro-choice platform stands a better chance of succeeding if we maintain our constitutional republic's disestablishment nature, the platform itself has little to do with the argument on whether we should continue to limit government power on religious matters. I can only assume that Rev. Lynn is out soliciting pro-choice interest groups to join AU, which I found distasteful.

As someone who has probably read too many of these separation argument books, here are some highlights I particularly enjoyed that are unique relative to other books I've read on this topic:

1. President's Grant's failed attempt to amend the constitution to remove mandatory Protestant instruction in public schools while refusing aid to religious schools to make Catholics more welcome in the public school systems; an effort that took place during one of the first times that Christianists were initially able to break down the wall somewhat (for a complete history, see Susan Jacoby's Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism).
2. The end-game objective of the Bush administration's efforts to fund religious organizations rather than government providing services directly as an end-run attempt around our civil rights.
3. The willingness of certain conservative Christian organizations to suppress speech on issues in staged debates (Rev. Lynn directly experienced this as one of the debaters), essentially stacking the deck on what questions could be posed to the forum and therefore censoring their events.

First let me say, the Rev. Barry Lynn writes very clearly and logically, so following his argument is easy. He explains what the First Amendment is, what it tries to accomplish and why we need it.

The simple truth is that most religions think they have the real truth, the whole truth and all of god's will, and hence everyone must believe in Jesus, Allah, the angel Moroni, Krishna or whoever. Even unbelieving atheists have a tendency to think they have "the real truth." The problem is, with everyone "knowing" the only and final truth, how do we live together without constantly arguing with one another. Obviously, we must be tolerant of the other fellows belief and agree to look for what we believe in common, and not constantly fight and argue.

In this situation all faiths must be treated equally, and especially the government must not prefer, or push, or support any one faith in preference to any other. It is especially important no government body, i.e. no public body, school, court, administration, etc. favor the Christian religion, because Christians are the majority, which might easily overwhelm a minority faith.

The First Amendment simply implements this concept. It informs the government to stay out of all religions, don't push any, don't even think of favoring any, don't even say a public prayer, for all prayers are sectarian supported by one but not another faith.

In Piety and Politics, the Rev. Barry Lynn makes an excellent case as to why the separation of church and state is so important for the overall health of these institutions. As Rev. Lynn points out, one need only look to other countries where religion and government walk hand in hand to see the negative effects each can have on the other.

Throughout, Lynn presents strong reasons why "religion, united with the raw power of government, spawns tyranny." Theocracies do not have the freedoms we, as Americans, cherish and religion does not need and infact suffers when the government is relied upon for support, both legislated and financial.

After a strong introduction that lays out the overall case for separation, successive chapters deal with several of the more specific area in which the Religious Right is attempting to break down the walls. From education to religious symbols to sound science, Lynn exposes the holes in the Right's arguments, provides strong arguments of his own and examines why we should all be concerned about these issues.

As a practicing Christian I am deeply grateful for writers like Rev. Lynn who are willing to speak up for the vast number of people of faith who believe strongly in the founders' foresight and wisdom in creating the first freedom, that of religion. I have no desire for the government to dictate what flavor or brand of religion will be the "chosen" one. I doubt that many people of faith do. Rev. Lynn's book provides not only great food for thought but also great words and information to use and share so we can all intelligently join this important debate and let our voices be heard.

A few years back I was listening to a news report about how first time homeowners were struggling with the complexities involved in buying their initial home. The report stated that the Bush Administration was planning on using members of its faith-based initiative to help buyers navigate the confusing maze. HUH??? What does the church have to do with offering information on buying a home? I was already aware that Bush was attempting to allow faith-based groups to discriminate in hiring despite being government funded which made this kind of handoff of government responsibility even that much more offensive. As bad as I thought it was, it was far worse and far more cynical than I ever imagined.

Rev. Barry Lynn has long been vilified by the Religious Right but the truth is he may be about the best friend Christians have. The author writes, "church-state separation has been a great boon to religion". Among industrialized nations the United States has been rather unique in its continuing observance of expressed religious faith. The United States was also groundbreaking in its establishment of a secular government. Coincidence? Barry Lynn's argument is that it is America's secularism that has allowed religion to thrive. In most European countries the churches are subsidized by the state. As Rev. Lynn states, "They want for only one thing: congregants" So why is the Religious Right so eager to kill the goose that laid the golden egg. Lynn believes that the ultimate goal of the Religious Right is to create a theocratic state with themselves in charge. I have to respectfully disagree. As little respect as I have for Dobson, Robertson and the now deceased Falwell I really doubt they believe they are going to somehow take over the American government. A much more likely scenario is that the church would be consumed by the government.

George W. Bush has been characterized as perhaps the strongest ally that Christianity has ever had in the Oval Office. The truth is the Bush Administration has used religion more cynically than probably any administration ever. The faith-based initiative was nothing more than a sop to try and woo evangelicals and finally make some headway with black voters. Bush continually used religious issues and his own purported faith to try and shore up his base and push his agendas while religious leaders like Dobson and Robertson promoted policies important to Bush and the GOP. I can remember Dobson presenting a wish list to the GOP that included eliminating the capital gains tax because I guess that's what Jesus would want.

The author writes a much needed defense against claims by Rev. Jim Wallis that the ACLU and Rev. Lynn's Americans for the Separation of Church and State are nothing more than the flip side of the Religious Right. I wrote in a review of `God's Politics' that Rev. Wallis was way off base in his attack on secularism which was a real shame because he presents himself as a bridge between fundamentalists and moderates.

Rev. Lynn's point is that it is the struggle that makes the church strong. In fact struggle is an integral part of the Christian faith. As the author writes, "Why should they give more on Sunday if they already paid taxes to support religion?" Are churches going to work harder to attract members when they're supported by the government? It wasn't secularists or atheists who pushed for separating Church and State. It was Christians who hated having the government write prayers or give tax money to other denominations or ban certain beliefs. The people who dreamed of a wall of separation between church and state lived through the results of their union. Perhaps secularists and atheists should lobby for the wall to come down. It's likely to be the easiest and quickest way to render Christianity irrelevant.

I notice that Amazon is selling Piety and Politics paired with Letter to a Christian Nation in the Best Value section. I found Piety and Politics far more readable than Sam Harris's angry polemic. Between the two this is definitely the one to get.

`Piety & Politics' by The Reverend Barry W. Lynn is a catalogue of, as the subtitle states, `The Right-Wing Assault on Religious Freedom', from his position as director of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. For starters, let me say that I am in almost 100% agreement with everything Dr. Lynn says. He makes a far more reasoned and levelheaded case against the extremes of American fundamentalist Christians than the archly polemical `Letter to a Christian Nation' by Sam Harris. It is even superior, albeit far less broad in scope than Tony Campolo's `Speaking My Mind'. My agreement with the good Pastor Lynn may have something to do with our both having been raised in that most Christian oriented of blue state cities, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, home of, among other things, the Moravian church in America and neighbor, in Allentown, of the most important Lutheran-oriented college in the country, Muhleberg College.

If I have any argument with Pastor Lynn, it is in the fact that he does not look deep inside the psyche of the `Christian Conservative Right' and explain its workings. But, before getting further along with that thought, let me say that what Lynn has accomplished is utterly necessary and quite valuable. It reminds me of a cross between Al Franken's cleaning out the Conservative Augean stables of misrepresentations and the strategy of the first Bill Clinton presidential campaign, where his media staff examined opponents statements and news in general under a microscope, and immediately replied to any and every misstatement or refutable claim. It is that kind of vigilance which must be maintained if we are to maintain both religious and personal freedoms.

One thing which strikes me as really unfortunate about this struggle is that while Christian scriptures and the U.S. Constitution agree almost perfectly in letting the state do its thing and letting believers get on with their worship, or freedom from it, the Christian Right Wing persists in forcing their brand of belief on various venues of the country at large. One must even puzzle over how this agenda became connected with the Republican Party, since my most favorable depiction of Republican doctrine includes the principle of expanding, not limiting personal freedoms.

So, while Pastor Lynn's story is one of vigilance, it does little to help us understand the opposition.
Therefore, I offer this as a suggestion for Pastor Lynn's next book.

Please be clear that a large part of Christian doctrine involves vigorously spreading the faith, a doctrine that is amply stated in scriptures. While some denominations are more militant about it than others, bringing in new members to the Lutheran or Baptist or Anglican, or Catholic or Orthodox or Pentecostal or Presbyterian confession is on everyone's agenda. And, routine aspects of even the most mild-mannered denominations (my Lutheran denomination, for example) sound pretty militant in their native habitat. Just today we had a hymn which commanded us to be `...soldiers of the cross, Lift high his royal banner. It must not suffer loss...! Pretty strong stuff from a tame corner of Pennsylvania. Let me join this with the fact that I lived through exactly the same public school bible readings, prayers, and Christmas pageants in High School as did Pastor Lynn. For all I know, we attended Liberty High School together, albeit not in the same class. All this was quite taken for granted and pretty comfortable for an obedient Pennsylvania Lutheran teenager. One can even believe that prayers are genuinely effective in focusing our mind on the task at hand, so they would seem to be ideal as a mental ritual to get the day off right. (Of course, as Pastor. Lynn more than adequately demonstrates, things are not so rosy for the non-Protestants forced to either participate in or embarrassingly abstain from such rituals).

So if the Christian faith includes a belief in taking its message to all nations, how can a fellow Christian, the Reverend Lynn, oppose the efforts of the good Reverend doctors' Falwell, Robertson, et. al. This is surely why true Christian believers accost Dr. Lynn with such anger at Cleveland airports. One can go even further and cite the Christian doctrine that justice comes only from God (See Romans, especially), so how can courts dispense justice without Christian underpinning.

The problem with this belief is that Christians don't have a monopoly on the divine source for justice, as the Greeks had this idea at least 400 years before Christ (see The Orestean Trilogy by Aeschylus). Our legal theory does, in fact base itself on both traditions in maintaining the DISINTERESTED status of judges.

The problem with Falwell and Co, as Pastor Lynn adequately demonstrates, is that they have an almost total disregard for the truth, and consider the most transparently fallacious ad hominom arguments to be OK, as long as it's for THEIR Christian cause. The one saving grace is that they underestimate the intelligence of the American public, most of whom can sense the perversity of their arguments for what they are. The use of the worst kind of dishonest tactics coupled to an honorable doctrine leads me to the conclusion that Falwell, Robertson, et. al. are NOT interested in advancing Christianity, they are interested in personal political power. As such, they deserve no respect from honest Christians. I am all for encouraging prayer, Bible study, stirring hymns, and Christian liturgy, as long as my audience has signed on to the fait which recommends these practices.

I thank God for Pastor Lynn's vigilance and his sharing this information with us so that we can better understand this dishonesty.

Maybe it's because Jonathan has always been one of my heroes or maybe it's just because he was such an amazing person, but I found this book fantastic. It's beautifully written and does justice to Jonathan's story. I don't think a book has ever really made me cry, but the end of this book was so beautifully written and so powerful that I just falt out bawled. It was a great story that was beatifully written and has really made me feel a closeness to the character and to God alike. If the author ever reads this, I just want to tell you Ms. Rivers, that I really enjoyed it and I thank you for doing such a wonderful job with one of my favorite heroes from the bible.

Great book! Great way to learn about the different characters of the Bible! Francine Rivers is one of my favorite authors! I have read all her books and wish there were more!

I loved this book... I felt like I was right there with Jonathan sharing his thoughts. I found myself feeling so proud of his faithfulness to and love for God as well as his devotion to his father and to David. What a blessing!

F. Rivers always takes you into the life of her books. I love getting to know the time and life of when these things happen.

I thouroughly enjoyed this book. The writer stayed true to the person of Jonathan son of Saul and to the Scripture narrative.

Love him or hate him, Noam Chomsky serves a vital role to any thoughtful and/or politically minded individual in the United States today. By focusing on what you're NOT hearing from the major media sources and political powers, Chomsky engages his audiences by exhaustively cataloging his sources and letting them make their own decisions on what they need to do with the information.

This book represents some of the most accessible Chomsky that you can buy. Comprised of a series of interviews with Alternative Radio founder, David Barsamian, "Propaganda and the Public Mind" does exactly what you would expect it to do; exposing propaganda as a weapon used by the powerful, how it can be recognized, and showing the extraordinary impact normal people can have when they work towards the right sort of changes. Even while discussing grave issues, Noam manages to convey his faith that positive action is alive and well. As a lovely bonus to the interviews themselves, the resources section of the book will help you get as deeply into any of the subject matter as you dare.

I was thrilled by this book. If I were a doctor, I would prescribe an essay a day (which, unfortunately would only last a week for this book) as an antidote for the daily news.

This book in an important insight into how public figures make hay of the psyche of the populace. The less prepared we are to see and understand what's going on, the more they get away with and the more we and our children eventually pay for down the road. This book should be mandatory material at the highschool level.

Walter Jacques, Oklahoma City

This is an excellent book filled with great information about the world we live in. Chomsky is easy to understand in interview format and still gives loads of facts with logical conclusions.

For the price, this is a worthwhile book that presents a different perspective on politics and current events. Just be warned this is not an objective treatment on the science or implementation of propaganda. I was looking for a book that explored how propaganda works and is managed. Instead, the author spends a lot of time criticizing policy and those he considers the power elite. I appreciate the author's point of view but tend to discount criticism that doesn't come with proposed solutions, examples, supporting data and facts.

What differentiates this books from other's in Chomsky's canon is that it is a series of interviews, obviously, but in other ways it's an simplified guide to Chomsky's beliefs and journalistic pursuit of modern life. Chomsky is an amazing person and an excellent humanists and his insights will be sure to help you try to understand modern life better.

I worked for the Illinois primary committee through the full 1976 primary campaign and then attended the convention with the Illinois delegation.
I worked with Reagan's California people during the primary and Charlie Black and Roger Stone during the Illinois primary. Shirley has captured the essence of that campaign and written a book that should be a primer for any young gun that seeks to influence national politics. Well done Craig! A+.

Whether you agreed or disagreed with his policies, there's no denying that Ronald Reagan casts a long shadow over modern American politics. His landslide victory in the 1980 presidential election made conservatism the dominant theme of American politics - a theme which is running strong even today. When most people today think of Republicans, they automatically think "conservative". Yet, as Craig Shirley notes, until Reagan's victory that was not always the case. In "Reagan's Revolution", Shirley offers an engrossing account of a campaign that he (and many political historians) believe changed the face of the Republican Party, and ultimately, the nation. And it's not the 1980 campaign that Shirley is writing about. Instead, he describes Reagan's hard-fought, near-miss 1976 primary battle to unseat President Gerald Ford and capture the GOP presidential nomination. Without this losing effort, Shirley argues, Reagan would never have been nominated and elected President in 1980.

Shirley offers an excellent account of the sad state of the Republican Party in the mid-1970's. TIME magazine did a cover story in 1976 on "The Plight Of The GOP", and even hinted that the Republicans were on their way to extinction, like the Whig Party of the mid-1800's. At the grassroots level the "Grand" Old Party was outnumbered two-to-one or more by the Democrats in many parts of the country, and at the congressional level many Republicans seemed resigned to a permanent minority status. Shirley argues that the GOP's plight was mainly a result of the fact that the party had no clear agenda or direction. What passed for the GOP Establishment consisted mainly of moderate-to-slightly liberal Republicans from the Northeast, such as Nelson Rockefeller of New York, Ford's Vice-President, and Pennsylvania Senator Richard Schweiker. Reagan, the leader of the GOP's conservative wing, became increasingly disgusted with what he believed was President Ford's complacent "me too" attitude towards the Democrats.

When Reagan announced his challenge to Ford in late 1975, he was promptly opposed by most of the "Rockefeller" Republicans who still controlled the party's finances and organization. Running with only his own resources and fellow conservative insurgents, he mounted one of the strongest challenges to an incumbent President in American history. Shirley, who interviewed plenty of former aides and campaign associates for both Reagan and Ford, gives a breathless account of the fierce primary battles throughout the spring and summer of 1976. Early on it looked as if Ford would win easily, as he defeated Reagan in New Hampshire, Florida, and Illinois. After each defeat the pressure mounted on Reagan to quit the race and "join the team" for Ford. Yet Reagan refused to quit, and his persistence paid off with a stunning upset of Ford in the North Carolina primary (with some help from then-Senator Jesse Helms). After that the two men engaged in an increasingly bitter nip-and-tuck battle for delegates that lasted until August 1976, when the Republican Convention opened in Kansas City. Only then did Ford finally manage to nail down enough delegates to narrowly win the nomination, thus making 1976 the last time that a presidential nomination would still be undecided before a political convention started. Yet even in defeat, Shirley notes, Reagan "stole" the moment from Ford with a stirring and eloquent concession speech that left even many pro-Ford delegates in tears. It was at that moment, Shirley believes, that the modern "Conservative Revolution" in American politics began.

I do have one problem with the book, and that is Shirley's obvious bias towards Reagan. Shirley is a conservative activist who supported Reagan in 1976 and 1980, and while he does try to be fair to Ford and his team, it's pretty clear which side Shirley supported. Even so, the bias is not so blatant that it seriously affects the pace or flow of the story. Interestingly, neither Dick Cheney nor (especially) Donald Rumsfeld come off looking very good in Shirley's account (perhaps surprisingly, they both supported Ford instead of Reagan). Shirley describes the 1976 campaign as a good sportswriter might describe a classic World Series or Super Bowl. If you're a political junkie and have read such classics as Theodore White's "Making of the President 1960", then you should definitely enjoy this book. Recommended!

Craig Shirley has written a first class narrative of recent history in Reagan's Revolution.

It covers the 1976 Republican primary campaign, in which former California Governor Reagan challenged Republican incumbent Gerald R. Ford-- the only man to serve as American President who was never elected President or Vice-President.

Shirley does a good job of telling the story from each side of the the face-off, including the presence of current Bush administration members Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, who were members of the Ford administration.

A great work that provides insight into an important event in American history that is not often covered in such depth.

Shirley's work is also easily readable, often reading like a good novel.

Let's face it, history is effervescent with little, silent victories. The biggest victories (Waterloo, Gen. Washington, Robert Evans) always receive the press, the notoriety, and the Mucollough books (or novels, in her Lady Partisan's eyes). Now look at those little victories that receive so sparse a note. This is one of them. Now I am not a Reagan fan, I am not a conservative (I am not a Shirley of the same blood, for that matter, interestingly, I share my first name with one of whom the book is dedicated. Don't worry, I beith no rock a'tall).


Mister Shirley frankly just does a delightful job of allowing this little victory to finally breathe the air, the life it deserves. I was moved by the passages. The premise of this entire book has served as a footnote struck down by editors galore, which really allows Shirley to stretch out his pen and write as if this was a synopsis for a film based off of "Trivial Persuit." I'll explain: because this entire premise begins with so...trivial...a piece of tedium, that he has to work, to actually researce and write. His laurels lie within Washington, but in the Historical Nonfiction realm of popularity or even making a return on the original investment, Mr. Shirley is the one who must make the Book-Reader relationship work. In fact, Mr. Shirley has an even farther way to go than any other author and his or her piece, for while '76 is not chronicled (much), Reagan most certainly is, probably moreso than any other President of the 20th century. And handily, he places his name right in the top ranks of authors of these types of works. He does a fine job. He...persues...this silent victory right to its very last interesting note, and keeps the reader along the whole time. A worthy read, and a point made (double entendre if anyone's keeping score).


Note: For one of the reviews above, as far as factual errors, this book contains them only if the 150+ sources researched contain them. It seems based upon the 51 pages of bibliography that Mr. Shirley did not want to be wrong (and Rocky was simply a reference of the times, of the atmosphere, not a direct reference to any single item occuring on the stump in '76.

Craig Shirley's publication "Reagan Revolution" is a wealth for those who are seeking even even more information on Ronald Wilson Reagan. I remember thinking there needed to be a definitive account of the 1976 Republican primaries, and was glad to run across this account.

I enjoyed this book because there is so much new information about the 76 campaign and the inner workings of the Ford and Reagan teams. I felt like I learned much more about the Reagan team in 76 and really the great odds he faced in trying to unseat an incumbent president. It was especially neat to see how amazing Reagan was even without hardly any of the Republican Party establishment behind him. I think Reagan receives so much credit for his political skill, discipline, charisma, and intelligence just from this campaign.

Shirley is absolutely right in that he displays and unwraps the transformation of the GOP within this race. He understands the depth of the conservative moment, it helped since the author was a part of that movement. He also explains just how 76 was the launching ground for 1980. He understands that Ronald Reagan's political career was in many ways providential and revolutionary. Shirley's account is an exciting read and a descriptive and triumphant look at the greatest leader of the 20th Century.