Assault on Reason ... scared me

[thunder rising]

Page 68: A political faction has degenerated into a quasi-religios sect. It is a sect that sounds as if it believes America is in the early stages of an idiological civil war. It promotes its core beliefs as if they are impervious to reason. And it is unleashing and encouraging ugly and violent impulses.

Page 71: What makes their zeal so dangerous for our country is their willingness to do seroius damage to our American democracy in order to satisfy their lust for a one-party domination of all three branches of government and the enactment of dogma as policy.

They seek nothing less than absolute power. Their grand design is an all-powerful executive using a weakened legislature to fasion a compliant judiciary in it's own image.

I have never heard nor even imagined Al Gore would put his name on a book this strongly opinionated.
Gore is NOT a Clintonite. No triagulating here. When Al Gore, a person whom I see as the most level headed individual, speaks like this it's a very clear warning. A person asked a few days ago if Bush would step down. In light of this book I'd keep my eyes open. Another person suggested we revisit gun control. In my opionion, if you take away our guns only Blackwater will have guns.

Read the book. It's not the same Al Gore you see on TV.

[AllieB]

1. Wow. What happened to Mr. Moderation?

I must say I'm impressed!

[speedoo]

4. Every DUer should read this book.

EVERY DUer.

Only then will we truly understand what we are up against.

[mconvente]

18. Waiting for the library copy to be available!

There are 20+ copies in the "BCCLS" system (Bergen County, NJ) and all of them are out!! I'll be reading it soon enough!

[speedoo]

25. Excellent!

I especially liked the bit about 20 copies being read as we speak.

[glowing]

2. I think I may actually read the book. Thanks for the post.

[IndyOp]

3. Welcome to DU Thunder Rising! You are right about the passion Gore

shows in TAOR -- how do we get him to show this on TV? :shrug:

I want him on TV exactly as he writes.

[MrSlayer]

5. He's merely stating what many of us have known for quite a while now.

These people are that bad. They will do anything to retain and expand power, anything. What Gore talks about here are the reasons why so many of us believe this administration, at the very least, stood aside and allowed 9/11 to happen if they didn't actually engineer the attack. Whatever it takes for them grab more power they will do.

[thunder rising]

9. I must disagree, there is a passage that states clearly

that this was not the case.

My take: Bush is an ideology and Jesus was going to keep everything fine. He did not and does not need to govern. He believes that Jesus will at the 11th hour turn the tides in Iraq and all will be well, just wait and see. Those of us in the "reality world" are numb at his disconnection.

[nebenaube]

10. no doubt there... n/t

[ellisonz]

22. Yup to the subject line although I don't particularly buy LIHOP/MIHOP.

I wrote my history junior qualifying examination on the dramatic effect of television on "material culture" and they told me "some of my ideas were unclear." Well, thank you very much Al Gore. Television has defined the very essence of American civilization. Even those who like to pretend they aren't under the consumer/corporatist guise soon revert to the basic fact that this particular mode of media defines the American way of life in a manner that is not just imperial, but down-right fascist. And as history teaches us, fascism is incredibly unproductive and ineffective in totality. Reason has always been under assault, Al has made no great error in emphasizing the distinct character of this new attack.

:evilfrown:

[Matariki]

6. Great post. Thanks.

i'll make sure to get a copy and read it.

and welcome to DU and all that ;-)

[Glimmer of Hope]

7. This is scary coming from someone from like Al Gore. He

knows what he is talking about.

[PDJane]

8. I have the book,

and will be reading the full thing as soon as I finish Palast's book.

I also have Holding the Bully's Coat by Linda McQuaig.

Perhaps I need some lighter reading???

[Nunyabiz]

11. I have been saying this same thing in Gores book

for over 5 years now.

"Life and Liberty for All Who Believe"

http://www.theocracywatch.org/taking_over.htm

http://www.yuricareport.com/Dominionism/TheDespoilingOfAmerica.htm

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/7235393/the_crusaders/

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0505/S00149.htm

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0505/S00197.htm

http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_lonna_go_060525_america_s_hitler_3a__p.htm

http://www.emagazine.com/view/?757




These people are delusional psychotics & stark raving insane.

[jwirr]

12. Your statement re: gun control is exactly what my family has come to

feel.

[Hamlette]

13. I did not like the book

hated it in fact. I don't see how Gore could run for office now.

I think he is condescending, I felt preached too and I do not agree that things are worse now. Worse than the civil war? Than the dark ages? And this is the result of the media? I'm not there. I kept thinking: no wonder the meida potrayed him as patronizing.

I think the hard part is to say there is an assault on reason but not be willing to talk about religion's part in that. He's a believer so he can't see it.

Harris, Dawkins and even Hutchins said it better. They at least make sense.

[NYCGirl]

14. So you didn't read Chapter 2, "Blinding the Faithful"? NT

[Hamlette]

17. yes, I read it, but how is that new? Isn't that what religion does?

And has done forever?

[thunder rising]

16. I don't think we read the same book

He made no such inference that "things" (whatever is meant by that) are worse than the the Civil War or dark ages.

I do agree that this is a statement of policy toward the present regime that he has not made public as forcefully as in this book in the past. And, I'm thinking that he's not trolling for our leftie support but stating to the "middle" that he has these views. And that is what scared me. If a career politician states such things he is indeed risking his career. Now it is up to us to support the man that would state clearly from a high position, that which we have mumbled about...

And like Thunder Rising shake this earth.

[ellisonz]

21. You're just stubborn.

Frankly, I think America's could use more *real* preaching and less patronization.

I have not read the whole book, but Amazon is working on it as I type.

[Taverner]

23. I'm an athiest, and agree with Dawkins and Harris, but...

This will take the same message to the Christians. The one point I've disagreed with Dawkins and Harris on is that we should show no respect for Theists, even progressive ones. Coming out of religion is not a quick process - it took me years to finally awaken. The way to awaken best from Religious haze is through reason - which is what Gore is pushing.

[Hamlette]

24. I agree, what Harris and Dawkins and Hutchins are saying is very difficult

it was even difficult for me, a 3rd generation godless commie pinko (more pinko than commie...its just such a great line.)

I guess after having read those three authors I just don't see where you draw the line. Religion has a terrible track record when it enters the public sphere.

Where reason ends, faith begins. People of faith say that proudly. How can you advocate reason and still say faith has a place?

The best we can hope for is saying religion must always be personal and no decision that impact others (or the earth or the environment or anything!) can be based on religion because religion is so plyable.

Damn Carter.

[Taverner]

26. Thing is, if we practice what Dawkins and Hutchins say - we alienate reasonable theists

And by my logic, they will eventually let reason win. This won't happen if we alienate them...

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

15. I'm Hopin To Pick It Up This Weekend. I Look Forward To Reading It.

[LSK]

19. It is a great book

[malaise]

20. It's the same Al Gore

check out his January 2006 speech. That was clearly the beginning of this book.

[AZBlue]

27. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

I really can't wait to read this book!

(btw, love your comment in your profile)

[MedleyMisty]

28. I bought it last night

But hasn't that always been extremely in your face obvious? I, along with many other people, have been saying it since 2001. The stakes have always been much higher than how many points the Democrats can put on the board versus the Republicans. We're fighting fascism, and if people haven't noticed it yet it's because they've got their heads firmly in the sand. Either that or when they read 1984 they thought it sounded like a good idea.