Passionate Declarations: Essays on War and JusticeFrom the bestselling author of A People's History of the United States comes this selection of passionate, honest, and piercing essays looking at American political ideology. Howard Zinn brings to Passionate Declarations the same astringent style and provocative point of view that led more than a million people to buy his book A People's History of the United States. He directs his critique here to what he calls "American orthodoxies" -- that set of beliefs guardians of our culture consider sacrosanct: justifications for war, cynicism about human nature and violence, pride in our economic system, certainty of our freedom of speech, romanticization of representative government, confidence in our system of justice. Those orthodoxies, he believes, have a chilling effect on our capacity to think independently and to become active citizens in the long struggle for peace and justice. |
From inside the book
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... young Americans . The belief , fostered in the Soviet Union , that " socialism " required a ruthless policy of farm collectivization , as well as the control of dissent , brought about the deaths of countless peasants and large numbers ...
... young people — the desire to help others ; to devote their lives to the sick or the poor ; or to poetry , music , or drama - been demeaned as foolish romanticism , impractical in a world where one must “ make a living " ? Indeed , the ...
... young people who want to be social critics , prodding the government from outside , like Martin Luther King or Ralph Nader . The advice is to get on the inside . Raphael is told , “ I still think that if you could overcome the aversion ...
... young black civil rights workers clubbed to the ground by state troopers and then attacked with electric prods , because they tried to bring food and water to black people standing in line waiting to register to vote . As a twenty - two ...
Contents
1 | |
32 | |
FOUR The Use and Abuse of History | 48 |
The American Class System | 147 |
Second Thoughts on the First Amendment | 182 |
The Black Experience | 231 |
ELEVEN The Ultimate Power | 278 |
NOTES | 303 |
INDEX | 333 |