June 30, 2006
White Guilt by Shelby Steele
This is an excellent and easy read. Shelby has a personalized style that gives it the feel of a one on one chat as he weaves in his personal experience with a meandering analysis of societal trends. His explanation of disassociation as a reaction to white guilt over past slavery and segregation is stunning in the clarity it brings to the debate on race relations.
Disassociation is described basically as replacing real solutions to race disparity with make work activities or set asides designed to demonstrate that whites care regardless of their effectiveness. The efforts are designed to assuage white guilt and present the appearance of caring rather then achieve any real change. In the end its all about making white people feel better about themselves. An important negative result of this is that any real advances get tainted as underserved.
Shelby’s description of personal responsibility as a cruel joke under slavery and segregation is insightful. Imagine being expected to be a responsible person and then denied the opportunity to fulfill this responsibility. His analysis of how this was later transformed into absolving blacks of all personal responsibility leading to the destruction of many black families just as equality and the ability to live the dream was being realized so some could achieve power reads like a great American tragedy.
I could not put this book down.
Posted by Sid at 12:50 AM | Comments (0) | Book Review
June 28, 2006
Godless by Ann Coulter
This was arguably Ann's best book. I marvel at the fervor over the Jersey girl comments because it was frankly right on target within the context of what Ann was trying to say. These women had built a political movement around their husband’s deaths which elevated them and was used to shield them from and objective analysis of their inane comments. Even more interesting is how little of the book was even about this subject. Any supposedly open minded individual who swore off reading this book based on the MSM characterization of those passages has fallen prey to the oldest ploy in the world, that is find the most outrageous comment in the text, mis-characterize it and pretend the rest of the book is more of the same. There is no doubt these women are enjoying their influence and notoriety, anyone who says different is a fool.
Now to what the other 99% of the book was about. Ann does a splendid take down of evolution. That is what makes this book interesting from my reading. In particular she points out evolutions touted reliance on "science" which she demonstrates to be the fraud that it is. Literally all of the “evidence” for evolution is either fraudulent or speculative at best. If anything, the fossil record suggests intelligent design, seeding visits from space aliens or some other unspecified stellar intervention which is considered an unthinkable conclusion. This conclusion refuting evolution through natural selection is supported by two basic suppositions.
First, microbiologic mechanisms so complex they cannot be developed through slight modification through natural selection. Even Darwin (who had no access to advanced cellular structure knowledge) posited in his theory that finding such mechanisms would invalidate his theory. How can evolutionists square a belief in Darwin with his own test that refutes his theory?
Second, a lack of evolutionary dead ends in the fossil record. If evolution through natural selection is true, where are the animals with partial but incomplete beneficial traits? If anything the existing fossil record suggests a very linier design to evolution. What is most damning is recent fraudulent attempts to fake it.
Still you have to feel a certain amount of sympathy for people who swear to the validity of a theory which (in their eyes) disproves the existence of god, even though people of faith consider it perfectly compatible with their religious beliefs.
Be sure and read this book. I had fallen way behind on this subject and it was a nice up to date refresher on the issue.
P.S. Beware if you are a public school teacher. That chapter will send you ballistic.
Posted by Sid at 06:43 PM | Comments (0) | Book Review
April 03, 2006
The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam by Robert Spencer
This book is an excellent and easy read which I highly recommend to anyone who wants a picture of the Quran based upon its actual text and a view of history that actually includes a historical reference other then the one pushed by Muslim PC apologists.
Be very clear, Islam wants peace but it wants a peace rooted in Islamic law. Islamic law is all about expanding Islam even if it means oppressing, subjugating and destroying its opposition. Jesus wanted his kingdom spread by enlightenment. Muhammad wanted his message to be spread by the sword if need be, something Jesus never advocated. Moderate Muslims are in direct conflict with the teachings of Muhammad in the Quran in this respect. Plurality is a fallback position in a long term battle for supremacy, all of which is made clear in this text.
Before anyone tries to claim this book is nothing but a propaganda piece be aware it also clearly calls out Christians for atrocities they commit, an exercise in self examination that is all too lacking in Islam. The most interesting thing in the discussion was finding out that the Crusades were a self defense reaction to expanding Muslim aggression. An important fact that is ignored in today’s day to day debate on the subject. We constantly hear Muslims cry out over the injustice of the crusades but truth be told Christians had no choice. To ignore the unchecked expansion of Muslims would have been suicide.
Posted by Sid at 12:00 AM | Comments (0) | Book Review
March 19, 2006
Crashing the Gate by Jerome Armstrong & Markos Moulitsas Zuniga
I have a hard time finding books from the left I find interesting and this is another example of why. The Authors write,
"By late August 2005 we were at a cabin in Whitefish, Montana, with the first draft of the book due in a mere five weeks. We'd planned the Montana retreat months in advance to wrap up the book, yet we found ourselves scrapping all that we had written and starting from scratch."and it shows. They have produced a book that spends its first half retelling paranoid, vitriol fill tirades about the Bush presidency with the vulgar expletives edited out to give the book that PG rated feel. After this shallow raw meat to make the faithful happy they shelled out the money for the text they go on to talk about how everyone needs to become a rebel without a cause they can talk about.
It is telling that much of the book is spent talking about the left’s effort to find a message appealing to the electorate other then “choice” (killing unborn babies), “corporate responsibility” (expansion of government control of business), “union growth” (forcing more people to contribute to causes they don’t support), “United Nations negotiation” (turning our national security over to an incompetent and corrupt world body) and every other pet special interest that comes along. The book spends quite a bit of time talking about how these special interests (which are the base) should shut up or be ostracized from the debate unless they can keep their mouths shut until the party can manage to win. At least five cases are citing how the candidate managed to win an election by making sure the core issues of the Democratic Party were not ever brought up. The entire conclusion is spent bemoaning a coherent national message that would have broad based appeal.
So lacking a message to explain the Democratic defeat and dismissing the possibility that message may be the cause of defeat our authors blame the DNC and their consultants targeting Shrum in particular (the now 8 time looser). While I do believe they have a good point that the campaign dollars were wasted on these consultants I doubt any other consultant could have done better promoting the so called missing message of the Democratic Party that the authors complain about.
The book is full of instances where partisan blindness prevents the authors from seeing the forest because of the trees. They talk about how republicans are able to quiet and subjugate their special interests (particularly religious) while complaining about how those same interests control of the Republican Party. They talk about large donor control of the Republican Party then talk about how the Democratic Party is finally moving away from large donors (because of McCain-Feingold) and building a small donor network equal to the republicans.
The authors talk about building a big tent party where small differences don’t matter. Several pages were spent complaining about the DNC lack of support for candidates (Dean in particular for whom they worked) they didn’t think represented the best path for the party. How our authors square this with their attacks on Joe Lieberman and their attacks on Dean’s competition for leadership of the DNC is never even noticed. It appears they mean people in the party that have a differing consensus opinion can vote for Democrats as long as they keep their dang mouths shut.
What I find even more fascinating is the change now that our authors have become a part of the establishment. Paul Hacket became a netroots sensation during his house run which he lost (seems the netroots success is not much better then Schrum’s). He later went on to run for senate. He recently dropped out because current party bosses mislead him about a possible challenger and then went around behind his back drying up his donation base with telephone calls. When Hacket angrily dropped out of the race getting all his supporters stirred up in anger at the DNC our two author champions stepped in and tried to quell the agitation by turning on Hacket and supporting the democratic insider that had stepped into the race. So much for bottom up populist activism.
About the only good principled idea advocated in the book is the fifty state strategy. For this they could be commended. But I want the Democratic Party to run on its core values in all fifty states instead of develop the fifty state stealth strategy. If democrat leaders are open and honest about their intentions in all fifty states we could solidify republican control in every state interested in traditional family values free commerce, security and prosperity.
I recommend this book but only as a look into the fever swamp and how shallow it is. It’s fairly short and you can skip the entire thing if you visit the two bloggers websites because very little will be new. But it makes a good primer for those that haven’t. It also has the advantage of being written before the “idealists” completely sold out to their establishment bosses.
Posted by Sid at 12:48 AM | Comments (0) | Book Review
November 30, 2005
Do As I Say Not As I Do by Peter Schweizer
This book is just plain stunning. I am only half way through it but I can tell you already that it is a must read. I spend a lot of time reading news and commentary but this book blew my mind with details of the hypocrisy practiced by supposed compassionate inclusive liberals. One of the funniest items seems to be that liberals have hiring practices that would be hard to distinguish from the KKK and Michael Moore owning Halliburton stock is priceless. This stuff is on the level of Jim Baker and Jimmy Swaggart (conservative sex scandals) level hypocrisy and yet the left tolerates the conduct and holds them up as icons. I cannot wait to finish and you should go buy and read this book now.
Posted by Sid at 12:26 AM | Comments (0) | Book Review
November 22, 2005
Unhinged by Michelle Malkin
Being a voracious reader of the news and Michelle's website I was familiar with much of the material in her book. For those less versed in the lunacy of the left it is a must read if you really want to see behind the curtain to what the left really thinks and how far they will go to get there. Being out of power much of their behavior reminds me of the unruly child in a supermarket crying, kicking and screaming to get it's way. On the darker side it can become threatening and very often vulgar drawing on every negative and disgusting racially charged stereotype to cow their opposition. On many occasion it dips into violence, lawlessness and theft. Michelle does an excellent job of capturing this darkness at the heart of the supposedly compassionate left.
If you want to understand why I think so little of democrats and the left this book makes an excellent primer.
Posted by Sid at 12:37 AM | Comments (0) | Book Review
October 24, 2005
Welcome to the Ivory Tower of Babel by Mike S. Adams
This book gives an excellent look at the lie that is diversity, particularly as relates to institutions of higher learning. The book is largely a collection of editorials, many of which cover a lot of the same ground. While those earlier essays do have important insights to offer the book really gets interesting near the end.
The last area covered is an e-mail incident that occurred after 9-11 and the universities heavy handed efforts to appease an anti-American student by trampling Mike Adams privacy. The university practically wrote a what-not-to-do book while trying to resolve the situation.
After Ann coulter, Mike Adams definitely qualifies as my second favorite editorialist and you can read more of his work over at Townhall. His concerned citizen approach to much of his writings adds that extra touch that always brings humor to the subject.
Posted by Sid at 12:40 AM | Comments (0) | Book Review
September 29, 2005
Help! Mom! There are Liberals Under My Bed by Katharine DeBrecht
Not a particularly interesting looking childrens book but it will be a perfect gift for the children of your liberal friends. It holds no political punches.
Posted by Sid at 12:01 AM | Comments (0) | Book Review
September 25, 2005
Naked Empire by Terry Goodkind
This book kind of sucked. Almost like he ran out of ideas and decided to kill time and earn a little money until he could come up with something worthwhile. I just ordered Chainfire, hopefully it is better. I do have to wonder if his frontal assault on appeasement, utopian and communist ideologies rankles some in his audience.
Posted by Sid at 12:02 AM | Comments (0) | Book Review
September 19, 2005
In Defense of Internment by Michelle Malkin
I found this to be an excellent book. Like many I am not sure the evidence warranted the internment of so many innocent but I benefit from 20-20 hindsight. Profiling would have probably been a much better approach. At least this book does make the first honest effort to truly understand the issue as opposed to knee-jerk charges of racism that are so popular today. The United States was fighting for its very survival which justifies extraordinary actions. Michelle does an excellent job of footnoting and reference with many copies of actual documents involved. Something you will never see from internment critics. One thing is very clear; these were not even close to being concentration camps (like in Germany) as some would have you believe. If they are then we will one day be paying reparations to Boy Scouts for sending them to summer camp.
UPDATE: A recent hand written memo on food shipments has reopened the extent of internment as a method of protecting Japanese from vigilante mobs. Oddly this is being portrayed as evidence of the racist policies the part of our government when in reality it shows internment to be more of a practical response of maintaining order and saving lives in time of war. Granted it is a rather backwards method of maintaining law and order like placing people in witness protection programs on a large scale. But under the circumstances not a totally unrealistic approach even if only partially true. Michelle explores it more here.
Posted by Sid at 12:12 AM | Comments (0) | Book Review
August 17, 2005
Rewriting History by Dick Morris
This book was hard to put down. While I don't necessarily buy all of his analysis the anecdotes about working with the Clintons were fascinating. I can now see why some establishment democrats are not too enthused about her running. Her insistence on total loyalty and ruthlessness towards enemies could be frightening. Combining that with a closet full of skeletons ripe for harvest could make a serious run for president problematic depending on the national mood and press tenacity. This is a book well worth reading especially when you consider she may be running in 2008.
Posted by Sid at 12:01 AM | Comments (0) | Book Review
August 09, 2005
Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner
A very disappointing book. This book confuses taking a shallow and unfocused approach to analysis with taking an innovative and non-traditional approach to analysis. While some of the analysis was quaint it also came across as shallow and pointless. Two examples stand out.
First, drop in crime rate is because of increase in abortion rate. How do you spend 30% of your book making that case and then end it with a token reference to the fact that many consider one million abortions an important factor in the discussion when it turns your hypothisis on its head. It talks about how the death penalty has no effect on crime but isn't that what abortion is? Preemptive death penalty? If anything this analysis proves that the death penalty is the most effective method of reducing crime. Also there is no analysis on the impact of birth control at all which surely would have just as much impact if not more then abortion. Thats like ignoring the elephant in the living room.
Second. The last third of the book discusses the impact of genetics, parents and peers. By the end of the book each one ends up getting full credit for how kids turn out.
The book was a total waste of my time.
Posted by Sid at 11:57 AM | Comments (0) | Book Review
August 03, 2005
Michelle Malkin: Unhinged
This looks like its gonna be good.
Posted by Sid at 05:41 PM | Comments (0) | Book Review
July 17, 2005
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
J.K. Rowling just owns. The book continues the transition from the comical wonder to the serous. The book started out with a interesting plot twist but was a bit slow to develop from there. By the time you get half way thru though you cannot put it down. If you are a fan you will not be disappointed. I can't wait for the final installment. How this author continues to make the predictable feel like a surprise still amazes me.
Posted by Sid at 12:10 AM | Comments (3) | Book Review
June 27, 2005
Unholy Alliance by David Horowitz
This book picks up where Destructive Generation left off. So you thought those 60's radicals were gone? Well guess again. They are back and are working to undermine our efforts in the middle east today. They will not be satisfied it seems until America is some impotent second rate failed socialist experiment. Even if it means causing American failure in the middle east just like they did in Vietnam. But this time around they are feigning patriotism to hide their betrayal and shouting McCarthy if you question their motives.
This is a must read if you want to know the roots of the anti-war players in our current conflict.
Posted by Sid at 11:55 AM | Comments (0) | Book Review
Destructive Generation by Peter Collier and David Horowitz
This is the best book I have yet read on the 60's. I got my first taste of this topic in Radical Son by David Horowitz but this book takes a much broader look by going in-depth into other radical groups besides just the Black Panthers. I am constantly amazed how violent the "peace" movement could be. Another interesting theme is how opportunistic much of leadership of the 60's movement was then and is even more so now that they have turned in their anti-establishment lawlessness for establishment positions even though they are unrepentant for past actions.
What you may find more surprising is that these people have not gone away. Many of the organizations they created exist today and their more recent activities are exposed in Unholy Alliance by David Horowitz.
Posted by Sid at 11:53 AM | Comments (0) | Book Review
June 07, 2005
The Case for Democracy by Natan Sharansky
Natan Sharansky arguably understands the power of Democracy better than any person on the planet. It's a shame that one seems to need to live under a repressive government as a dissident to truly appreciate it. I must admit he shows more confidence in its power then even I do and many consider me unreasonable in my belief.
He makes excellent points about the responsibilities we owe to keeping our own Democracy strong as well as our responsibilities to spread this gift for our own good. His description of fear as opposed to free societies brings so many of today’s world events into sharp focus. A good portion of the book is set aside showing how world events were shaped as Democratic ideas began to spread within the context of these fear/free societies.
Sharansky has led an amazing life that adds the weight of experience to what he has written. This book is a must read if you are all interested in the power of freedom.
Posted by Sid at 12:01 AM | Comments (0) | Book Review
June 02, 2005
A Deficit Of Decency by Zell Miller
As a rule I have not found many second political books by a given author nearly as interesting as the first. "A Deficit of Decency" is no different in this respect. If you have not read "A National Party No More" you will probably enjoy this book more. It does have some nice anecdotes from the campaign which are interesting but I personally just like listening to Zell Speak. His words bring to life a time from the past I had a small taste of growing up, a time when simple things were big and purity was held in reverence. Reading Zell always leaves me with a great appreciation for my parents and their parents. And a deep sense of loss for a more noble time.
Posted by Sid at 12:06 AM | Comments (0) | Book Review
May 29, 2005
How to Talk to a Liberal if You Must by Ann Coulter
Not a lot new here if you read Ann's commentary on a weekly basis. It is largely a collection of those works with additional material. But if you want to get a good feel for Ann in the raw this is a good choice for a Ann Coulter primer.
Posted by Sid at 12:20 AM | Comments (0) | Book Review
May 28, 2005
Treason by Ann Coulter
If you can survive Ann's satiric style you will thoroughly enjoy this revisit of the life and times of McCarthy. McCarthy was the boogieman popularized at the beginning of the cold war. He had the audacity to believe there was a coordinated effort by communists here in the US and those in the USSR to defeat US policies. As it turned out he was more correct then many believed, especially his critics. As it turns out the Democratic party and Hollywood were riddled with communist sympathizers and spies. But as David Horowitz says, the broad brush approach used here to paint democrats as traitors does the book harm. After all, my own family was heavily democratic at the time and were hardly communists. Being deceived does not make you a traitor.
Posted by Sid at 12:30 AM | Comments (0) | Book Review
May 27, 2005
Why the Left Hates America by Daniel Flynn
This was an excellent and interesting read. This will be my "I dare you book", as in "I dare you to read this and if you do I will read the serious political book of your choice". It was basically a collection of the worst lies, delusions and abuses of the left debunked one by one. Before you on the left write it off as propaganda bare in mind it is very well referenced and I witnessed much of it myself in the news.
Posted by Sid at 12:03 AM | Comments (0) | Book Review
May 24, 2005
Give Me a Break by John Stossel
This book was hard to put down. If you have ever enjoyed John Stossels' TV work you will see this as Stossel distilled. He basically gives a short chapter on his most compelling works but as a bonus you get reaction from those reports as well. He describes himself well as a libertarian. Watching his transformation was also facinating. Particularly his recognition of his own blind spots. A definate must read.
Posted by Sid at 05:30 PM | Comments (0) | Book Review
May 22, 2005
Radical Son by David Horowitz
This book is nothing short of fascinating. It delves into the life of a 60's radical who finally finds his way. It is an inside view of events and lies that made up much of the anti-war and Black Panther movement. It exposes the anti-war movement ties to the communist movement worldwide from someone who was there. It tells the story of others that discovered the corruption and were murdered by the movement they had served so selflessly. As a rule, autobiographies can be very dry and self promoting. Not the case here, this does get slow in places as Horowitz lays out personal background, but when he hits the events that are now a part of history it reads like a suspense novel. Rather then self serving this book is a must read warning for utopian idealist.
Posted by Sid at 12:37 PM | Comments (0) | Book Review
May 21, 2005
A National Party No More by Zell Miller
As I read this book all I could think is this sounds like my parents and how they grew up (Except for the political involvement). The advice could have come from my own mom and dad. My dad regularly tells me he was born a democrat and he will die a democrat. Zell expresses the same sentiment but like my father, the party has left them both. And Zell gives an excellent review of why that is. This is a must read for any pre-Johnson democrat that is struggling for an understanding why their party seems to no longer represent their ideals.
Posted by Sid at 12:57 PM | Comments (0) | Book Review
