Book Reviews | |
Stillness: Daily Gifts of Solitude |
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Michael Moore brings to this book the same acute awareness and ironic critical powers of his films ("Roger and Me" and "Bowling For Columbine") and of his previous writing. He is in earnest, and, as Mr. Bush so often says, pointing his finger at us, "Let there be no mistake about it!" The difference? Mr. Moore's warnings are far more sagacious, based as they are on sound reasoning and thorough personal research.
Overall, the book is very encouraging even though it offers scathing criticism of Mr. Bush's wars, his willing sabotage of our civil and political rights, and the secret activities of his corporate and military cohorts. The hope comes from Moore's ardent belief in the ordinary American's ability to stop our country's downfall by the sheer force of the ballot box in 2004.
The crux of the matter is, in spite of many difficult problems, you and I are the prime movers of this government, a government which can betray our best judgment only when we are unwilling to take our responsibility as citizens. We must do everything we can, most of all communicate with each other about the dangers of giving up our participation in politics. We must stop permitting wars conducted primarily for the benefit of profiteers, stop taking the lives of soldiers and civilians and using our money for ever-more-disastrous killing machines, instead of for food, clothing, shelter, education and health care. And above all we must stop allowing a hystercal fear of "terrorism" to silence us and take away our freedoms under hastily passed laws like so-called Patriot Acts I and II.
Talk to family and friends, neighbors and passersby, Moore says. Read. Get informed. Ask questions. Pass information on to others. Have groups over for coffee and discussion. Organize teach-ins. Show films that present reasons to question current policies. Write letters to editors. Tell people not to be afraid. Tell them if we all use common sense and educate ourselves and others, and then vote, there can be a political awakening between now and the next presidential election--but not unless.
His thesis is that the main--perhaps the only--reason our country is behaving as an arrogant aggressor in the world, using its rememdous power and wealth in the destruction of human lives, is that the American people are not only poorly informed by popular media, but they are inhibited by a fear of being "different" and by the national myth of "Algerism." He blames Pollyanna Americanism that tells us if each one just works hard within the system, and keeps away from controversy, sooner or later we can all become healthy, wealthy and wise. Get over it! he says. Face the truth, and act together.
If in his desire to boost morale he somewhat overpraises or overestimates the social consciences of public figures like Wesley Clark and Oprah Winfrey, he is to be forgiven. After all, we need everybody, high and low, in this urgent need to build a better world for our children.
--Jean Gerard, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, retired college teacher, veteran peacenik, writer and general all-round disturber of complacency. And as if that's not enough, Quaker by 40 years of convincement. Everything started, nothing finished!
