Activism Books

Below is a letter I received which reviews my newest book, Spiritual Activism--The New Spiritual Bible. The review is by artist Rob Butts, who is also the illustrator for Spiritual Activism--The New Spiritual Bible. Rob Butts also co-authored, with his wife Jane Roberts and with Seth; Seth Speaks, The Nature of Personal Reality, The Unknown Reality, The Nature of the Psyche, The Individual and the Nature of Mass Events, and numerous other world class metaphysics books. Rob Butts was also the co-host of the original Jane Roberts-Rob Butts-Seth Spirituality (ESP) Class of Elmira New York.

Here is Rob Butt's book review of Spiritual Activism-The New Spiritual Bible.



Dear Christina:

Many thanks for Spiritual Activism (The New Spiritual Bible)... I think you've written a very penetrating and provocative work-and with more books to come, yet! Congratulations on offering so much help to so many of us-you are helping us gain new insights into this very evocative world/reality we're all creating...Your book is very nicely presented, also. (We) certainly appreciate your devotion and dedication to our reality...

Sincerely,

Rob (Butts)

This was very much the first anthology that specifically addressed contemporary grass-roots orientated social movements of the Asian Pacific Islander American community. The essays are diverse and useful, allowing the reader a full picture of the issues that the APIA community have organized around. Glen Omatsu's essay is astounding clear, concise, and his ability to "tell it like it" is gives readers a true sense of what community-orientated leaders have to say. Not only does this anthology address struggles with other communities but also within the diverse APIA community itself. In a nut-shell, this anthology puts it all together.

M. Fethullah Gülen Gülen`s vision for the future is an inspiring hope, where peace and justice are maintained in the world.This is a promise in the divine revelation for the "righteous," who are expected to be the driving force in reaching this goal. Attaining this rank, however, requires that they be ordained with certain qualifications and virtues as once manifested to the highest degree in Islamic civilization. In this book, Gülen reminds us of these virtues and shows the path that those lofty souls have followed in the past, leaving behind exceptional models.

This is a "must" book for anyone seriously interested in the events in Greece during and after WW-II. The author was part (and eventually the head) of the British mission with the Greek guerillas so he was an intimate observer of what was happening. I lived in Greece during these awful years and in spite of my young age (I was 15 at the end of the period described in the book) I have a lot of recollections (when people shoot at each other in the streets in your town you take an early interest in politics). I found the book quite impartial and comprehensive. (I am sure that parts of it will infuriate the right and other parts will infuriate the left.) The author correctly points out that the Greek civil war was primarily an internal affair and external influences (by the communist countries in favor of the left and the US and Britain in favor of the right) were not as big as each side claim about the other. His closing statement is that (to the Soviets) "The rank and file of the KKE, and in particular its leaders, were expendable. Without a trace of compunction, Stalin let them go to their doom." Elsewhere (p. 233) he points out (correctly in my opinion) that "The rebels failed because the mass of the Greek people was against them." The internal nature of the conflict (with outsiders providing material support but not manpower except in one brief phase) is a fact that was forgotten when the Greek civil war was used as a paradigm to justify the US participation in the war in Vietnam.

The book describes at length the inconsistent behavior of the communist leadership but it does not mention what, in my opinion, was the main reason for that behavior. During the German occupation many people joined the communist led resistance to fight the Germans. Many of them were also not happy with the Greek government that was in power before WW-II. The communist leadership mistaken thought that these people would also be in favor of a socialist state. As the communist leadership pressed harder more and more people turned against it. Therefore the large support they had during WW-II eventually evaporated. The true attitudes of the Greek people are described very well in the book "Eleni" by Nicholas Gage. Readers who are not familiar with modern Greek history may also find "Eleni" easier to read. Personally I believe the two books complement each other very well.

I found Tax Back America an extremely entertaining and informative read. When I embarked on reading a book of this genre I was concerned about the dryness of the subject. When I found myself 60 pages in without setting the book down I knew it was time to reflect on the concepts which Mitch Roth had so fluidly laid out. Not only were there many proposed ideas to reshape our legacy concept of taxation. In addition that legacy was clearly outlined in an extremely entertaining fashion. Taxation is used in order to promote behavior, and the behavior posited by this book may surely change our direction and enhance the lives of our children. A worthy read.

I liked this book because it is a useful academic work that is (surprise) entertaining to read. The author has a knack for presenting complicated concepts in an accessible and often humorous way, then backs up her points so they are meaningful to educators. Reed's research is thorough and appropriately exhaustive: just a few paragraphs in it's clear that she knows what she's talking about. Yet the reason I remained engaged in the book is that the author doesn't lose sight of her audience. Reed's observations are practical, significant, and in many ways a relief for anyone who has felt frustrated or ineffective trying to create change as an educator or administrator. This book helped me understand the role we all play in the complex nature of the educational process. It left me feeling empowered and inspired.

Claire Wolfe's Think Free To Live Free: A Political Burnout's Guide To Life, Activism And Everything should be read cover to cover by anyone who has every dedicated themselves to a political, social, or philanthropic cause -- most especially the controversial ones! A life-long activist, Claire Wolfe effectively focuses on the fatigue factors that create the phenomena of "burnout" and how to resuscitate passion and altruism out of the ashes of disillusion and cynicism. Think Free To Live Free should be in every public library and NGO reference collection in the country!

As every American learns in elementary school, after having been rescued from slavery by the Union Army during the Civil War, Black people waited nearly a decade before starting to fight for their civil rights under the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr.

This book of 16 outstanding essays goes a long way towards correcting this horrendous error in our national "remembering," demonstrating that Blacks began their struggle for freedom and human dignity the moment the first slaves arrived here in bondage.

Some authors deal specifically with the process of creating (and sanitizing) collective memory, our experience of the past (memory) vs how we organize it (history.) For example, the mere title of Peter Wood's "Slave Labor Camps in Early America" puts a new spin on our romanticised image of the genteel Plantation. Scott Sandage's "A Marble House Divided" explores the political life of the Lincoln Memorial as a "memory site." Other essays focus a critical lens on specific episodes, such as the rise of Black radicalism in the South immediately following the Civil War, the voter registration movement in Florida 1919-1920, or intellectual pan-African feminism embodied by the first and second wives of Marcus Garvey.

A thought provoking and much needed collection.

Thank you Chad. America should know this "awful truth". By the way, we in Appalachia are still holding the same protest signs that these brave people held up in this book 30 years ago.
Help us America.

Winner of the RESILIENT RESISTANCE:THE MYERS OUTSTANDING AWARDS 2003!

Kevin K. Kumashiro, director of the Center for
Anti-Oppressive Education, El Cerrito, CA.,

Kumashiro is first and foremost an educator. He is committed to
empowering educators to deal with anti-oppressive techniques and strategies in the everyday classroom situation. In Troubling Education he highlights the negotiations necessary to introduce sensitive subjects.

Kumashiro interviews activists and makes us question ourselves and the role we play in contributing to social problems and bringing about social change.

The book was easy to read and hard to put down. I hope he writes more on the subject!!!