Standing Up to the Madness: Ordinary Heroes in Extraordinary Times

Amy and David, as usual, do a fine job of detailing important current and recent historical events, providing facts and details and singling out those unsung heros usually ignored or barely mentioned by the mainstream media and press.

"Standing Up to the Madness" tells of everyday people who take a chance and stand up for what they believe in and become the greatest power in America. Both current and historic turning points are covered. Montgomery Bus Boycott - 1955 (Rosa Parks) - lasted over a year. A resulting case went to the Supreme Court which overturned bus segregation. Malik Rahim protesting the failure to rebuild much of New Orleans post Katrina. The group "Common Ground" resulted - a group of volunteers. Meanwhile, the disaster was transformed into a windfall for Bush cronies' companies. Public schools became privatized, and much public housing eliminated. George Christian, executive director, along with four other mild-mannered librarians forming the board of Connecticut libraries sharing a computer system, stood up toe FBI agents demanding information on library users to "protect against terrorism." There were 143,000 such requests in 2007 - no judge approval required. Only one led to a terrorism conviction, while 1,000 requests admittedly broke the law or regulations. The American Library Association encouraged libraries to use software that automatically erases records of book use - provided the book is returned and fines paid. The Connecticut libraries obtained ACLU legal support, and the government eventually dropped the case. The Pentagon Papers (1971) exposed how the government secretly expanded the Vietnam War in the 1960s and then lied to cover it up. Nixon then ordered a break-in to Ellsberg's psychiatrist to get evidence to discredit him. A survey of 1,600 government scientists in 2007 revealed nearly half perceived/experienced pressure on climate change information released. Dr. James Hansen, America's preeminent expert on climate change was required to have all site postings, papers, and interview requests reviewed by NASA P.R. staff - specifically a 24-year-old George Deutsch who was a political appointee lacking even his claimed B.A. degree and wanting to prove "intelligent design." The Executive Branch also slashed Hansen's budget 20% retroactively (40% effective), and brought in sci-fi author and global warming denier Michael Crichton for White House advice in 2005. This section also cites considerable Congressional testimony and review showing blatantly biased editing. Industry is now making large grants to university research centers. The Goodmans also report the contradiction between U.S. prosecution of German "enhanced interrogation" (sleep deprivation, hypothermia, stress positions) of non-uniformed Norwegian resistors, vs. our logic for doing the same at Guantanamo Bay. The authors overreached, however, writing about Raed Jarrar, an Iraqi emigre, who became upset that his wearing a T-shirt with an angry slogan in Arabic and English while trying to board a plane caused a negative reaction among passengers and federal agents. The Goodmans and Jarrar should have had more sense to try to make this an example of courage, instea

Amy and David Goodman provide good evidence to be shared with our government officials. Just as their heroes stood up, so must we. With the recent election, we must "hold our representatives feet to the fire". I became an adult in the 60's and have lived the times described. President-elect Obama has said he is listening. Let us, right and left combined, let him know, with hard evidence support, what we require of our government as Amy and David have represented so well.

STANDING UP TO THE MADNESS BY AMY GOODMAN AND DAVID GOODMAN: The award-winning and bestselling brother and sister team Amy Goodman (popular and successful host of the TV and radio show Democracy Now!) and David Goodman (an investigative journalist), authors of Static and Exception to the Rulers return with Standing Up to the Madness. The Goodmans strike out on a new path in, aiming to not retread on the familiar ground of endlessly criticizing the Bush administration and its endeavors, but to report and record grassroots stories of people from across the country who have suffered under the current regime, and how they have fought back and gained some ground. The stories in the book are grouped into subjects on how science is being threatened, schools and education being threatened, the war in Iraq, and simply "Standing up to the Madness." There is the story Malik Rahim, a native of New Orleans who was there when Hurricane Katrina struck, and is still there now trying to rebuild the ravaged country and its torn and exiled people. Rahim tells of the little help he has seen from the government, and what there remains now. He also provides startling insights into the horrific acts of racism that are now commonplace in the ruins of the city. But Rahim has started a charity group from scratch, Common Ground, that is now strong and increasing in size and popularity, providing aid and shelter to the many citizens of New Orleans that still have no where to call home. Raed Jarrar, a US citizen originally from Iraq, tells the story of his being prevented from flying on JetBlue because he was wearing a T-shirt that read "We Will Not Be Silent" in both English and Arabic. Clearly it was because of the color of his skin, and with help from the original manufacturers of the T-shirt, he was able to make a stand for freedom of speech. Librarians across the country tell their story of standing against the Patriot Act and its supposed allowance of turning over library members reading histories. Psychologists speak out against the use of their members being used as litmus tests and decision makers when witnessing torture at Guantanamo Bay. American soldiers back from Iraq tell the true story of what was really taking place in the Middle East, and why every day is another step in the wrong direction. It is easy to criticize the Bush administration, but the authors of Standing Up to the Madness challenge the reader to do something other than criticize. Through the voices and lives revealed in this book, one can see that change and justice is possible, and with an epilogue of advice and suggestions, it gives one fuel to begin the change that is necessary to make American the land of the free once again. For more reviews, and writings, or to buy yourself a copy, please visit www.alexctelander.com

This book is third installment of the Goodmans' chronicling of the investigative researches and discoveries of the journalistic odyssey which is Democracy Now, in my opinion, at least, the most important public project of the past decade. The word from Radio Free America is there to remind us that we do not live by bread alone. I wax Biblical, because the holiest thing one can do at this point is to stand up for our rights. The Goodmans, with characteristic attention to the crucial detail, make this point clear in the book which discusses, some of the key incidents shaping the contemporary political milieu, ranging from the plight of the Connecticut Librarians to the fate of the Jena Six, and the issues emerging from them. To think that the "average American" is now to be counted among the "voiceless" masses of the world, in the wake of the fascist ideology which infects the Bush regime, the complicity of our subservient mainstream corporate-owned media, and the spineless, apparently calculated compliance of the "opposition" party, is to realize how far the ideals of democracy have fallen in our dear nation. But, the Goodmans focus on hope here, in these inspiring portraits of those ordinary folks who had the courage to stand up for what they knew, and because of their stance we now know, was right.