Human Rights and Liberties Books

As a Pastor,I've heard many a good sermon and read many spiritual books. But nothing compares to Alan Clement's ability to spellbind the reader with his magnificently written true life stories. He weaves together into a beautiful tapestry his own brand of Buddhist philosophy, political knowledge, science, wisdom and chutzpah that also seems mysteriously to encapsulate the reader as well. What I found even more intriguing in "Instinct For Freedom" are Alan's honestly-written and courageous choices and sacrifices he has made in life in pursuit of spirituality, freedom, truth and enlightenment. Any and all spiritual seekers from any belief system (or none) should definitely read this book.

In reading most spiritual books, I've noticed that there's a subtle gap between the well-meaning view portrayed, and what I actually feel and experience in reading. You know when you get a used book, and the prior reader has underlined and written, "How true!" Well, it's like other spiritual books have an undertone of "I wish it were true."

In contrast, Clements' words are alive with authentic conviction, and the unmistakeable clarion ring of truth. There's not a trace of pontification. This man has lived an incredible life. He's able to capture the essence of real spirituality and deliver it live and wriggling to the reader. I don't know how he does it. But, as a writer myself, I know that there's only one way he could do it. By really living it. And clearly he does.

He came back down from the mountaintop, so listen up, folks, cause he's really got something worth hearing.

...though I think Mr. Clements should not hold his breath while waiting for humanitarian impulses to saturate the planet. If all is one (whether in the quantum, holographic sense, or in the more traditional sense), then it is only "it" rearranging "itself" when living things appear to consume and/or exploit one another. It may only be an infinitely-manifesting (fractal) consciousness at play. In short, I have become skeptical of any and all conclusions drawn by us. Perhaps we are just a dream, as suggested by Chuang Tzu. I doubt whether we are nearly so important as we would have ourselves believe. How much would the earth miss us?

Instinct for Freedom is deeply inspiring and liberating. With his insightful and passionate voice, Clements compellingly urges each and every one of us to uniquely become ALL that we are, and in doing so expand the experience of freedom for ourselves, and for each other.

An absolutely amazing read! Open your heart & mind and experience what it could be like to be a divine human being living life wide-open and in complete freedom - beyond all dogma, nationalism, tribalism & religion.

I had the good fortune of seeing Alan in action during a recent retreat - now here's a guy who lives & loves life with reckless abandon. This planet needs guys like him big time if there's going to be any evolution of human consciousness beyond our current self-centred pettiness.

Wonderful information. Dr. Klein backs up his positions with actual facts and science, something that the other side doesn't do. His explanation on how our government views science as just another argument to circumvent when it comes to sexuality is worth the price of the book alone. Great read!

I had to read this book for a Human Sexuality class for a graduate class and even though the class is over and I did not finish reading the book I cant wait to finish it. The book is great at explaining topics such as teen pregnancy and sex education. A MUST READ!!!

"The battle lines have been drawn, and it's not just the think tanks and advocacy groups that have stakes in this war. The sexuality of everyone is at risk, making America's War on Sex a must read for all citizens" says Bill Taverner, M.A. Co-Founding Editor, American Journal of Sexuality Education. Author Michael Castleman reports "America's War on Sex--the title may sound a bit hyped, but it's isn't. It's true: Social conservatives have truly declared war on sex, and no one lays out their agenda better than Marty Klein in this frightening and cogently argued book. Frightening because sexual civil rights are in jeopardy. Klein describes how the forces of sex-negativity are working to set up camp in our bedrooms.

Honored CAMFT (California Association of Marriage & Family Therapists -)member, Dr. Marty Klein is making people angry with his newest book, America's War On Sex. And rightfully so! Upon delivering this outstanding book the AASECT (American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists) Best Book of the Year Award at a sex therapist conference in June, Dr. Joy Davidson stated that she was angry while reading this book and that everyone in America, especially therapist, should be too!

Why be angry while reading Dr. Klein extremely factual, and yet at times humorous, discourse on sex in America today? Because he is right! We, all Americans, are under attack by those who want to robe us of our sexual rights, freedoms and education! In this book Dr. Klein explains with great fines how abstinence only sex education is being promoted and funded by our government despite overwhelming evidence of its failure to deliver the results it has promised, how women's rights to purchase and own vibrators are being legally denied by an increasing amount of state legislators and how sexual mis-information is deliberately being promoted in an effort to take away rights from the GLBT communities!

The anger one experiences when reading this book is not limited to sex therapists or the general public either. It is vital that all psychotherapists read and understand the issues addressed in this book. Our clients come into our offices carrying guilt and shame for engaging in healthy sexual practices after being convinced by negative myths promoted to illuminate sex from our society. They struggle with issue around parenting stemming from fear based messages about children's sexuality. HIV, unwanted pregnancy and the lack of positive sexual expression is the result. We as psychotherapist have an obligation to know the facts about sexuality, to help our clients understand them, to debunk dangerous myths and to support our client's sexual education, personal development and positive sexuality within couples. That is why I say America's War On Sex is the most important book in our field today and is a must read by all clinicians!

Stephen L. Braveman, M.A., L.M.F.T., D.S.T.
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist # MFC 28926
AASECT Certified Diplomate of Sex Therapy
AASECT Certified Supervisor and Certified CE Provider
Gender Specialist - Clinical Member of WPATH
Tantra Facilitator-Practitioner
AASECT Western Region Representative
CAMFT Past President - Monterey Chapter
Author:
- "Innovative Methods of Treating Patients with Sexual Trauma"
in "Innovations in Clinical Practice: Focus on Sexual Health, 2007"
- "CPR for Your Sex Life: How to Breathe Life Into a Dead, Dying or Dull Sex Life"
(Co-Author: Mildred Brown, Ph.D.), 2007.

What I like most about Dr. Klein and his new book, America's War on Sex, is that he's not afraid to battle the bullies and bigots who have hijacked our country. With facts and footnotes up the wazzoo, Dr. Klein's no holds barred, easy to read and humorous polemic is a must for any American who cares about their freedom.

The factual basis of this book paints a detailed landscape of America's irrational persecution of and delusional obsession with all activities sex-related. If you're a like thinker, it will simply confirm your own beliefs, but if you're conservative, be prepared to have all the world's evils laid at your feet. This is the first time I've even heard the phrase "conservative feminist". You have only to look at Congressional (and state legislative) voting records to see that the war on sex is by no means a strictly conservative crusade (although the bulk of it is certainly initiated by them). I've read books on the topic by other authors, including Nadine Strossen, that are much more credible simply because they do not demonize the conservative right while excluding the liberal contribution to the war on sex. Nonetheless, while rather one-dimensional, it is also an excellent presentation of just how stunningly pervasive the problem really is.

Finally, nowhere in the 230 pages is there any mention of prostitution laws. Indeed prostitution, call girls, massage parlors don't even show up in the index. If laws banning the sale of sex toys deserve prominent coverage, one would think that laws against prostitution would at least earn an honorable mention. Unless one subscribes to the concept that the war on prostitutes is acceptable, that is.

I don't know the reason prostitution is left out, but it shouldn't have been. Surely, if the phrase, "your body, your choice" means anything, it gives you the right to use your god-given body as an asset to put a roof over your head and food on your table no different from a laborer, doctor, or sports star. But, beyond that, laws against prostitution sadistically deny one of humanity's most pleasurable and intimate communions to a class of people who are only likely to experience it through the services of a prostitute. That would include many handicapped people, those who have been maimed by war or accidents, those with serious birth defects, the home bound, the bed-ridden, and the just plain ugly (such as myself). If that doesn't deserve mention as part of America's War on Sex, then nothing does.

Reading this book, comprised of info from many sources, I got frankly angered by the way this administration, as well as others in the past, used tragedies and wars to take our freedoms from us and invade our privacy on a whim. I understand some liberties must be sacrificed in times of conflict. The government just after 9-11 was running straight from the executive branch without any checks and balances. Of course who would dispute or bring up civil liberties in times of crisis, obviously not anyone in the courts. People were labeled enemy combatants and contained without right to trial, any proof of guilt, and held months without anyone even knowing their whereabouts. Many were probably guilty, but some were innocent and in the wrong place at the wrong time. Our government wanted to get people to act as spies, surveying their neighborhoods, spying on neighbors, getting your library to turn you in as a terrorist for reading muslim literature or something containing dissent to the govt. Luckily that brilliant plan of ashcrofts has not gone over to will not be tolerated, and should not be tolerated by the citizens that are supposed to be the backbone of our democracy. Very informative book. AMerica must fight to revise this orwellian act that is the patriot act.

I read this book cover-to-cover on a flight from L.A. to New York, and found it both well-written and informative. Indeed, I thought it was such a good survey of the major legal issues in America's war on terrorism that I assigned it as required reading for my American Law & Terrorism seminar at UCLA.

This book provides the "backstory" for many of the key issues I plan to cover, such as prohibition of material support to foreign terrorist organizations and how that law squares with America's First Amendment jurisprudence. For the most part, this book takes a critical position against most of the current legal arguments advanced by the Bush Administration, e.g. that the President should be allowed to designate enemy combatants. But each article presents its argument in a fairly balanced way.

Also, the articles do a great job of explaining the law at a college-graduate level, as opposed to a lawyer's level. That's unusual for most books on the subject, and I think it makes this a must-buy for anyone interested in the subject.

Well being young and unexperienced I found this book very helpful, it really opened my eyes to a new way of looking at things. I liked the way most of the information seemed to be first hand, rather than just many assumptions.

In every era of this nation's history, there has been a small minority of wise and prescient thinkers who, unwilling to drift with the popular current, warn us of the forces threatening our basic freedoms. Labeled as agitators, often despised and feared in their own times, these are the people who take seriously the enlightened principles of the American Revolution. They said no to slavery when the rest of the nation was indifferent to it or saying yes; they protested child labor; they demanded the 8-hour day and the minimum wage; they said we must protect our air and water. Their passionate devotion to the ideals of democracy has chopped away at the greed and denial that grows in America like weeds if no one is watching. But whatever the issue, our nasty habit in this country is to ignore the voices of protest. Then we struggle and suffer and people get hurt, very hurt. Eventually the agitators of yesterday become the heroes of the new day. Why can't we learn to listen before the damage is done? This book is a compilation of essays that MUST be listened to. These people are telling us -- with passion, intelligence and good sense, and without greed or agendas and certainly without denial -- about the delicate balance between national security and civil liberties, about the crucial importance of the free trade of ideas, and the danger of popular intolerance of dissent. If we listen now we can prevent that moment for the historians of the future when they say, "How could they not have seen what was about to happen?" As Anthony Lewis says in his essay "Security and Liberty," "If we are to preserve constitutional values - the values of freedom -- understanding and resistance must come now." This book is a MUST READ for everyone who cares deeply about the direction of this nation.

Comprised of a series of scholarly essays on the gradual of secretive reneging of US civil liberties post-9/11, "War on Our Freedoms" is an important book for anyone living in the United States to read. Though some government opacity and reining in of rights is always needed in the wake of an event such as 9/11 or the war in Iraq, this book is a chilling reminder that there is a thin line that we seem to be crossing, unbeknownst to most Americans.

There may be no better book anywhere on the subject of the underlying principles of Freedom. Why have men starved for 6,000 years, then in a very short period of time seen prosperity explode? Private Property is one of the keys. The ability of a man to keep what he has earned and dispose of it as he will is a radical concept. The citizen who is protected from the plunder of thieves and of the State can do wonders. If the leaders of every developing nation were to read this book and apply its principles, they could kiss the IMF goodbye and solve their incessant economic woes. This is one of the best five books ever written on economics and freedom. My dad gave me a copy when I went to college - took me about five years to get around to reading it - wow! What I had been missing!

This book can create a general framwork around human history like not too many books that I have read. Expressed in clear language and organized in short, thought provoking sections.

This book, first published in 1947, is both a condensation and an amplification of Rose Wilder Lane's classic The Discovery Of Freedom. With Lane's consent, Weaver retold her story in his own way, making use of her ideas but adding material from his personal experience and from various other sources.

Part One: Comparisons and Contrasts, explores various puzzling questions of history and the concept of human energy. Part Two: The Old World Views, contrasts the fatalistic pagan outlook on life with the Judeo-Christian view of individual freedom and personal responsibility.

Part Three: The Revolution, looks at mankind's three attempts to attain individual freedom: the ancient Israelites, the golden age of Islamic civilization, and the American Revolution. Part Four: The Fruits Of Freedom, investigates the results of freedom, including the flowering of inventive genius that followed. It also explores the concepts of hope versus fear, freedom of choice, the dynamic versus the static, the moral versus the material, voluntary co-operation and the lessons of history.

The writing style is accessible and engaging and there are interesting quotes by people like Thomas Paine, Fredric Bastiat and Isabel Paterson. In an interesting way, the book illuminates many problems still plaguing the world today and traces them back to the ancient conflict between pagan fatalism and the principles of the Judeo-Christian tradition.

Of course there are non-religious philosophies of freedom that are based on reason alone, and the aforementioned Paine was a theist who was opposed to dogmatic religion. But whether one agrees with all of Weaver's points or not, The Mainspring Of Human Progress is a classic that remains an eloquent defence of the principle of individual freedom. The book concludes with a list of references, a bibliography and an index.

On the subject of individual freedom, I also recommend the work of Friedrich Hayek, Ludwig von Mises, Karl Popper, Alfred North Whitehead, Ayn Rand, Stefan Hoeller, Robert Nozick, Milton Friedman and Johan Norberg.

Lucky to have found this one in a "salvage store" that was copyright was 1953. Contains so much information amd simplified that its hard to put down. Enjoyed Mr.Weaver's prospective and I am curious to know more about the author...

At a time when fundamental economic understanding appears lacking, this book (though simplified) makes basic economic principles easy to understand. It is written in a simple format easily understood by all age groups, young folks (junior high school) as well as adults.
I have introduced all of my children to this book and they all agree that it enabled them to have a much better grasp on the realities of economics. If you find Econ 101 boring, read this book. It will provide ample incentive to "dig into" the subject. A "must read."

As long as men and women strive to civilize their society the problem of tolerance will remain, because the urge toward intolerance will not go away. The achievement of Dr. Cohen-Almagor's work is that it adds to our knowledge and awareness of this central problem of politics. His arguments are made in the context of classical liberal thought, of practical politics, and of jurisprudence.

A rare blend of philosophical skill & political sensitivity, of detached analytical and critical attitude and deep ethical concern and commitment to liberal democracy.

Raphael Cohen-Almagor maps the course of the struggle against Meir Kahane in the Israeli courts and legislature. But he places it firmly in the context of the traditional controversy over the limits of toleration, providing us with a rigorous examination of the damage principle as it applies to speech and expression. He forces us to face the question why, if we refuse to tolerate the damage done by thefts, assault, fraud or murder, we should tolerate the potential damage that can be brought about by aggressive or violent speech. His work blends together political philosophy, contemporary history, and constitutional theory. It deserves the close attention of students of all three disciplines. But it should fascinate and provoke also all those who wish to confront what is probably the principal dilemma of the modern democratic practice.

This book, although not particularly well written or well researched, does prove how the government of Israel targeted Rabbi Kahane. Both right-wing and left-wing governments violated Israel's own laws in order to try and stop Rabbi Kahane's rising popularity among Israel's young people. While members of the Labor party illegally negotiated with the PLO and have still not been prosecuted, Rabbi Kahane, an Orthodox rabbi, was accused of being a racist .. even though racism was not defined. The real tragedy that the book uncovers is that Rabbi Kahane, was immorally and illegally silenced because no one had answers to the uncomfortable questions that he raised. This book is anti-Kahane. For a more fair look a Rabbi Kahane's impact on Israel readers should look for Jay Shapiro's Meir Kahane: A Litmus Test for Israel's Democracy.

Living in a country like Israel, which is beset by fateful ongoing conflicts from within and without, one is torn between impulses of appeasement and revenge, diplomacy and force, empathy and despair. A particularly difficult dilemma arises when dealing with hate-and-violence rhetoric against the Other - rhetoric which, ipso facto, challenges the selfsame democratic system that allows it to exist in the first place. It is this "catch of democracy" that Raphael Cohen-Almagor examines in The Boundaries of Liberty and Tolerance: the Struggle Against Kahanism in Israel. As a layperson in the disciplines upon which he draws - philosophy, jurisprudence, political science - I approached the book with some trepidation. Much to my relief, though, I found that it to be reader-friendly yet extremely thorough in attempting to delineate the boundaries of liberty and tolerance in a democracy.

From the outset, the decision to allow a racist demagogue like Kahane to run for a seat in the Israeli legislature raised ethical issues of the most troubling kind. The decision to revoke that privilege was no less troubling: as they fought to have Kahanism outlawed, advocates of tolerance and democracy came under bitter attack for defying the very principle which they claimed to support. The book provides a reasoned, thoughtful and comprehensive explanation of the ethical questions underlying this problematic position. And as we know only too well, no country is immune from such questions; i.e. from the emergence of would-be political parties brandishing blatantly racist or xenophobic slogans, or advocating blatantly racist or xenophobic measures. The analysis set forth in the book examines the most sensitive implications of such a development, particularly the need to reconcile the sacrosanct principles of freedom of speech, on the one hand, with the obligation to stem any tangible threat to democracy, on the other. In trying to gain a better understanding of this complex paradox, I found Cohen-Almagor's lucid description of the distinction between freedom of expression, per se, and infringements of the Harm and Offense Principles particularly enlightening.

I too believe, like the author (and indeed, who doesn't?), in the solution outlined in Epilogue - education - as the ultimate means of delegitimizing and eventually eradicating racist politics. And yet, while pursuing the educational route, it also behooves us to continue grappling with the excruciating moral and legal dilemmas which these politics force upon us. I would heartily recommend Cohen-Almagor's book as a quintessential case study, capable of shedding light on one of the most problematic challenges to the democratic system.

This book may be my most important since The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism (1982). It is a look ahead into the shape of the 21st century to come--its politics, economics and culture. Its focus is that bright crimson thread of human history, the search for liberty in all three spheres, in accord with the human hunger to understand and to choose freely and to take responsibility (and to evade it). I spell out why the 21st century begins locked within World War IV. (World War III, in retrospect, was "the Cold War.") Though not an expert, I try to meet the spiritual challenge of that false version of Islam (the religion), "Islamism" (a politicized desire to destroy others, dressed up falsely as the religion of Islam). I show how the desire of hundreds of millions of Muslims for prosperity, opportunity, and freedom from secret police and tyranny need not be in vain. Indeed, it may come to fruition in this century. I am not altogether optimistic, but there is a good chance that this may happen--and we must take work to make that happen. You cannot defeat terrorism by killing terrorists, but only by helping create a positive alternative, economic opportunity and political liberty, for young males especially (the source of so much violence),in the Islamic world. --Michael Novak, Washington, DC [A summary of the book may be found on my website, at www.michaelnovak.net]

The Universal Hunger for Liberty is a beautifully written and insightful book, unsurpassed in its depth of understanding. Michael Novak, one of the world's foremost theological thinkers, has demonstrated convincingly that the promise of democracy offers the best hope to people of all religions. His important message, if heeded sincerely, will serve to eliminate the most vexing problems that face us today.

This is a very interesting book about an extremely important topic. While many people band about words like globalization, multiculturalism, and clash of civilizations, Michael Novak has attempted to sketch an outline of a successful world civilization, a Caritapolis, in which all the world's religions and cultures could participate without losing their identity. More specifically, he is attempting to answer the question whether Islam can be incorporated into the benefits of democratic society without being untrue to its essence. He is especially to be commended for trying to describe the spiritual core of democracy and capitalism, that is the virtues and dispositions of character that enable the free society to function successfully. In short, this is the kind of book that deserves to be read and discussed by those concerned about the possibilities for a free and prosperous 21st century around the world.
Its main defect is that, in 230 pages, it attempts to sketch a picture of a possible world civilization, show how to best aid the world's poor and the environment, detail how Catholicism has dealt with the modern democratic movement, and show whether and how Islam can be reconciled with democracy. Because of this many things are asserted that need to be argued: for example, despite his frequent references to the Judeo-Christian inspiration of democracy and capitalism there is little attention paid to parts of the Bible that would seem to support an authoritarian society, divergences between Jewish, Protestant, and Catholic interpretations of concepts central to democracy and capitalism like free choice, or even the Catholic magisterium's explicit condemnation of many elements of democratic society in the 19th century. In fairness, a book that attempted to cover all the topics he treats thoroughly would probably span a 1000 pages or more and perhaps the book would lose some of its appeal if it was less broad in scope.
Nevertheless, despite its shortcomings, this is a book that deserves to be widely read and disseminated.

Novak challenges Muslims to find within their own religious and philosophical tradition the resources for justifying cooperation with the West in embracing a free and democratic social order. Along the way he revisits topics familiar to readers of his earlier works (the relationship between Catholicism and democracy; moral virtue and a capitalist economy). While much attention these days is paid to Islamic fundamentalist apologists for a war on the West, Novak has apparently done his homework and demonstrates the possibilities for moral renewal within Islam by appeal to their own tradition (the case made, in large part, not just by Novak but Muslims themselves).

Due to the unfortunate stigma attached to "neoconservatives" in the wake of the U.S. war on Iraq, I'm not sure how many would be inclined to read this book -- but their ignorance would truly be their loss. As with all of Novak's books, I learned a great deal (not only about Islam, but about Catholic social doctrine and political philosophy). I would encourage those with truly open minds to consider Novak's proposals for themselves. It is a book that deserves an answer.

"Paine and Jefferson on Liberty" is a true treasure for the general reader interested in the foundations of our nation and for the collector as well. Edited by Lloyd S. Kramer this small volume brings out the greatness of both Paine and Jefferson, in their own words. From Jefferson we have his "Summary View of the Rights of British America", a document as radical and important as his other great work the Declaration of Independence. Also his "Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom" is fully documented, a awesome epistle to the right of free thought. Jefferson's letters to James Madison attacking the right of monarchs and generations to eat up the substance of future generations by large public debt. Jefferson's First Inaugural Address, a monumental statement on free government, is documented completely.

Thomas Paine's great works "Common Sense", which spurred the fledgling colonies to independence, and his "American Crisis" articles were invaluable to the war effort. Next his "Rights of Man" , a brilliant and biting indictment of monarchy and aristocracy refuting Edmund Burke's earlier denuciation of the French Revolution. In Rights of Man Paine shows the idiocy and folly of hereditary government, and the oppressions it places on mankind. Paine is also the hearty exponent of republican government. He proposes a plan for a republican government in Great Britian, causing the English government to indict him for treason. Paine here shows himself the true advocate for republicanism and liberty. Overall a fantastic work. Anyone intersted in freedom and liberty should buy this small, beautiful volume.

This book contains excellent selections from the writings of Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson. Professor Kramer notes that these two men had very similar political views in spite of their very dissimilar backgrounds.

The three selections from Paine in this book are from Common Sense, The American Crisis and Rights of Man. A recurring theme with Paine was the absurdity of monarchies and hereditary ones in particular. He points out that a child or an idiot can rule over a nation with the flawed hereditary system of Great Britain. And he writes about the illegitimate nature of the British monarchy in its origins. He believes the ones who started the monarchy were ruffians and robbers.

This book has several selections from Jefferson. "A Summary View of the Rights of British America" and "The Declaration of Independence" cover similar themes. Namely, the terrible treatment of the American colonies by the British kings and Parliament is described.

In the "Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom in Virginia", Jefferson well makes the case for religious freedom. To coerce belief or punish opposing views is evil and foolish.

This book also includes various of Jefferson's letters to James Madison. A grateful letter to Thomas Paine from Thomas Jefferson is featured here. And Jefferson's eloquent yet humble first Inaugural Address appears.

In summary, this book well demonstrates why Jefferson and Paine are given credit for so influencing the thinking of colonial Americans. These two men helped produce the courage to act against tyranny.

In Reciprocia: Natural Political Philosophy, Liberty, Law & Government, Richard Rieben maintains that what he refers to as "reciprocia" is political liberty, pure in both theory and structure. He does not advocate any particular political agenda or advocates any conventional forms of political revolution, but instead, offers a revolutionary concept of liberty that is coherent, sensible, practical, useful -- and above all, possible. Reciprocia offers principles for describing law, structuring government, enforcing law, practicing government, and the application of principles as embodied in the legal code of a constitution. Reciprocia is unique and iconoclastic, informative and challenging, and of intense interest to students of political philosophy, political science, ethics, justice, economics, jurisprudence, and constitutional law.

When Rodney King asked "Can we all get along?" he was begging for someone to write this book.

Reciprocia is 400 pages of thought-inspiring stuff about liberty and how it can and should work. There's something here for everyone to disagree with -- and a framework that forces the reader to reexamine that disagreement. Richard Rieben demolishes the fraudulent "social contracts" of Hobbes and Roussea, and defines the state as something arising from the political contract, rather than as a party to it.

If you've busted your skull trying to figure out just what rights are and what liberty is, take two aspirin and read Reciprocia. You'll be glad you did.

I cannot think of a title for this review more clever and apt than Cassel's. If David Cole is the Samuel Adams of our time, then Elaine Cassel is the Mercy Otis Warren. This book takes on the herculean task of documenting the erosion of civil rights and liberties during the Bush/Ashcroft regime. To the extent that some topics about which she writes have been superseded by events (such as the Supreme Court's enemy combatant decisions, the 9/11 Commission Report, and the revelation of the government's torture memos), Cassel is the first to recognize that her subject matter is a moving target, with daily incursions that make up-to-the-minute comprehensiveness impossible. However, her book is still timely and current events only augment her point and serve as an "a fortiori" argument.

Not only does Cassel do a great job synethsizing the numerous instances in which we have surrendered liberty to purchase security, but she shows how this is a false tradeoff and offers real solutions, from staying informed to voting.

One can only hope that this book will become a victim of its own success, but we will have to wait until November to see. Meanwhile, for a cogent and important argument about how our leaders have eagerly sacrificed civil liberties in the name of fighting terrorism -- and how this strategy is unnecessary, unwise and unconstitutional -- this book is a must-read.

WAtch the dissolution of our once great and honored BIll of RIghts. We must read this book and weep for our lost once great nation. It is time to take action now. IT is never too llate. Never surrender. Read this book.

Famously we americans do not know our own constitution. We have been reduced to honoring a tri-color military banner once used for positioning on battlefields. We do not know our own Consitution, anymore than most self-proclaimed religious people have studied the Bible. We are ignorant of our own great Bill of Rights, and when we hear for the first time the rights we have, we figure it must be some communist liberal document. It is the rights our forefathers fought and died for. IT is the rights we now have lost forever.

REad this book and weep, grieve, and act.

If you've ever wondered why England is in such a pitiful state, or been a visitor and wondered why the cr*p hole you've seen doesn't really resemble anything you may have watched on the TV, then this book may fill in some of the blanks. Peter Hitchens has written a book that is at once superb, horrible, depressing, positive, thought-provoking, blood-boiling and true.

The adage, "stupidity is no respecter of education" could be God-directed at the culprits - politicians, police, the judiciary - who have, over the last four or five decades, compounded idiocy, liberalism, disatrous good intentions, weakness, political correctness, cowardice and naked insanity over and over again. The result is certain disintegration. The lunatics have not only taken over the asylum, they've set fire to the curtains and locked the doors.

A copy of this book should be inserted (figuratively speaking, of course) into any available orifice of nearly every MP, Chief Constable and High Court Judge in the land. The focus on the shameful MacPherson Report is worty of extreme scorn. Shame on them all. My opinion of the police was not good before, and it's through the floorboards now. Don't fear the threat of 'terror', fear the real danger of the loss of your liberty. I kid you not.

As for a blow by blow review, I'll just say READ IT - Hitchens should be given some kind of award for not letting this travesty pass unobserved. The 'knock on the door' is not that far away. No wonder they all flinch when he's on Question Time.

Yours,

Baby Cromwell, Nottingham, England