What do you think?
Rate this book
Standing Up To the Madness: Ordinary Heroes In Extraordinary Times
Standing Up to the Madness not only is a timely, inspiring, and even revolutionary look at who wields the greatest power in America--everyday people who take a chance and stand up for what they believe in--but also offers advice on what you can do to help. Where are the millions marching in the streets to defend human rights, civil liberties, and racial justice? Where is the mass revulsion against the killing and torture being carried out in our name? Where are the environmentalists? Where is the peace movement? The They are everywhere. The award-winning sister-brother team of Amy Goodman, host of Democracy Now! , and investigative journalist David Goodman traveled the country to detail the ways in which grassroots activists have taken politics out of the hands of politicians. Standing Up to the Madness tells the stories of everyday citizens who have challenged the government and prevailed. As the Bush administration has waged war abroad and at home, it has catalyzed a vast groundswell of political action. From African-American residents of deluged New Orleans who are fighting racism and City Hall to regain their homes; to four Connecticut librarians who refused to spy on their patrons, challenged the USA PATRIOT Act, and won; to a group of high school students who were barred from performing a play they wrote on the Iraq War based on letters from soldiers; to the first U.S. Army officer to publicly refuse orders to deploy to Iraq, charging that his duty as an officer is to refuse to fight in an illegal and immoral war, Standing Up to the Madness profiles citizens rising to extraordinary challenges. And, in the process, they are changing the way that politics is done, both now and in the future. In communities around the United States, courageous individuals have taken leaps of faith to stop the madness. They could only hope that if they led, others would follow. That is how movements are born. What begins as one, eventually becomes many. In that tradition, the authors have included the ways in which any individual can take action and effect change.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
22 people are currently reading
527 people want to read
About the author
Amy Goodman
45 books269 followersAmy Goodman is an American broadcast journalist, syndicated columnist and author.
A 1984 graduate of Harvard University, Goodman is best known as the principal host of Pacifica Radio's Democracy Now! program, where she has been described by the Los Angeles Times as "radio's voice of the disenfranchised left". Coverage of the peace and human rights movements — and support of the independent media — are the hallmarks of her work.
As an investigative journalist, she has received acclaim for exposés of human rights violations in East Timor and Nigeria. Goodman is the first journalist to receive the Right Livelihood Award. Her brother is investigative journalist David Goodman.
A 1984 graduate of Harvard University, Goodman is best known as the principal host of Pacifica Radio's Democracy Now! program, where she has been described by the Los Angeles Times as "radio's voice of the disenfranchised left". Coverage of the peace and human rights movements — and support of the independent media — are the hallmarks of her work.
As an investigative journalist, she has received acclaim for exposés of human rights violations in East Timor and Nigeria. Goodman is the first journalist to receive the Right Livelihood Award. Her brother is investigative journalist David Goodman.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
April 1, 2017
Q:
It is business as usual in our one-party state.
(c)
Q:
In 1942, a group of students and their professor at the University of Munich in Germany responded to the tyranny and oppression of the Nazi regime by secretly publishing and distributing a series of six leaflets. This nonviolent resistance group called itself the White Rose. Its leaders included Hans and Sophie Scholl, a brother and sister who were devout Christians, and philosophy professor Kurt Huber. The students typed the leaflets, ran off copies, and secretly sent them by courier to cities around Nazi Germany to be left in public places. They wanted to ensure that Germans could never say that they didn’t know what was happening in their name. And they hoped to inspire their fellow citizens to rise up and actively oppose the Nazi regime.
Hans and Sophie Scholl and Kurt Huber were caught by the Gestapo while distributing their sixth leaflet. They were tried for political crimes in the Volksgerichtshof, the so-called People’s Court, and beheaded. Today, numerous buildings and streets in Germany are named for the Scholls and Huber. Polls show that they are considered to be among the most admired people in all of German history.
As their fourth leaflet implored:We will not be silent. We are your guilty conscience. The White Rose will not leave you in peace!
(c)
Q:
is up. You gotta go,” he said. “You can’t be in here protesting.” The silver-haired vet was baffled. Then the officer pointed to the problem: Ferner’s black T-shirt said “Veterans For Peace.” It featured a picture of a dove carrying an olive branch, the logo of the national peace group.This could mean only one thing: The aging seaman was a threat to national security.Ferner tried to convince Adkins to go back to his duties “guarding against serious terrorists.”The officer flipped open his badge and said, “No, not with that shirt. You’re protesting and you have to go.” Ferner facetiously suggested the cop arrest him for his T-shirt. Within seconds, the veteran was wearing handcuffs and heading to jail. The charges: disorderly conduct, a weapons charge (Ferner was carrying a small Swiss Army knife), and criminal trespassing. He was fined $275.“I’m sure I could go back to Officer Adkins’s fiefdom with a shirt that said, ‘Nuke all the hajjis,’ or ‘Show us your tits,’ or any number of truly obscene things and no one would care.“I have to believe that this whole country has not yet gone insane, just the government,” said this veteran for peace. “This kind of behavior can’t be tolerated. It must be challenged.”
It is business as usual in our one-party state.
(c)
Q:
In 1942, a group of students and their professor at the University of Munich in Germany responded to the tyranny and oppression of the Nazi regime by secretly publishing and distributing a series of six leaflets. This nonviolent resistance group called itself the White Rose. Its leaders included Hans and Sophie Scholl, a brother and sister who were devout Christians, and philosophy professor Kurt Huber. The students typed the leaflets, ran off copies, and secretly sent them by courier to cities around Nazi Germany to be left in public places. They wanted to ensure that Germans could never say that they didn’t know what was happening in their name. And they hoped to inspire their fellow citizens to rise up and actively oppose the Nazi regime.
Hans and Sophie Scholl and Kurt Huber were caught by the Gestapo while distributing their sixth leaflet. They were tried for political crimes in the Volksgerichtshof, the so-called People’s Court, and beheaded. Today, numerous buildings and streets in Germany are named for the Scholls and Huber. Polls show that they are considered to be among the most admired people in all of German history.
As their fourth leaflet implored:We will not be silent. We are your guilty conscience. The White Rose will not leave you in peace!
(c)
Q:
is up. You gotta go,” he said. “You can’t be in here protesting.” The silver-haired vet was baffled. Then the officer pointed to the problem: Ferner’s black T-shirt said “Veterans For Peace.” It featured a picture of a dove carrying an olive branch, the logo of the national peace group.This could mean only one thing: The aging seaman was a threat to national security.Ferner tried to convince Adkins to go back to his duties “guarding against serious terrorists.”The officer flipped open his badge and said, “No, not with that shirt. You’re protesting and you have to go.” Ferner facetiously suggested the cop arrest him for his T-shirt. Within seconds, the veteran was wearing handcuffs and heading to jail. The charges: disorderly conduct, a weapons charge (Ferner was carrying a small Swiss Army knife), and criminal trespassing. He was fined $275.“I’m sure I could go back to Officer Adkins’s fiefdom with a shirt that said, ‘Nuke all the hajjis,’ or ‘Show us your tits,’ or any number of truly obscene things and no one would care.“I have to believe that this whole country has not yet gone insane, just the government,” said this veteran for peace. “This kind of behavior can’t be tolerated. It must be challenged.”
July 30, 2015
In this book, Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! (and her brother) tell the stories of people taking a stand on crucial political issues, often against a huge well-oiled machine. For instance, some of the stories covered are a couple of public librarians against the FBI and a few low ranking Marines taking on the military industrial complex. Not only do the authors interview these “ordinary heroes,” but they give a good amount of information on the political backdrop the actions took place in; we don’t just hear about how activists in New Orleans are fighting for the poor black neighborhoods there, we get to hear about how the Bush administration totally dropped the ball on the Hurricane Katrina situation and the ugliness of the political aftermath. The stories are interspersed with shorter, similar stands from yesteryear, like Rosa Parks and Daniel Ellsberg.
This book was published about seven years ago, at a time when I was kind of taking a break from the news and politics. So although I had heard about some of these stories, there was a lot of new information here. The essays managed to convey a lot of information without getting bogged down in it. Each essay is fairly quick, and each one deals with a different subject, so it stays pretty fresh. I know reading hundreds of pages on one political subject can be daunting, even if one is interested in the subject, and this book avoids that problem entirely. The common thread is of course injustice (the “madness” that is being stood up to), but all the stories show a different facet.
The writing itself could be somewhat corny at times, but in a charming way (“But as the Bush administration was about to learn, these librarians were not going to be so easily ‘shushed’”). Also, despite being ostensibly inspiring stories about people standing up and being successful, some of the resolutions were still heartbreaking to me—for instance, in the case of the Jena Six.
I would like to see a book like this published regularly, maybe twice a year: there is so much going on and although people do stand up to injustice, a lot of times those stories aren’t told enough. It is easy to feel hopeless. As was mentioned in the book, it can be very lonely and even dangerous to make a principled stand. Hearing about people doing it, and being even moderately successful, is heartening.
This book was published about seven years ago, at a time when I was kind of taking a break from the news and politics. So although I had heard about some of these stories, there was a lot of new information here. The essays managed to convey a lot of information without getting bogged down in it. Each essay is fairly quick, and each one deals with a different subject, so it stays pretty fresh. I know reading hundreds of pages on one political subject can be daunting, even if one is interested in the subject, and this book avoids that problem entirely. The common thread is of course injustice (the “madness” that is being stood up to), but all the stories show a different facet.
The writing itself could be somewhat corny at times, but in a charming way (“But as the Bush administration was about to learn, these librarians were not going to be so easily ‘shushed’”). Also, despite being ostensibly inspiring stories about people standing up and being successful, some of the resolutions were still heartbreaking to me—for instance, in the case of the Jena Six.
I would like to see a book like this published regularly, maybe twice a year: there is so much going on and although people do stand up to injustice, a lot of times those stories aren’t told enough. It is easy to feel hopeless. As was mentioned in the book, it can be very lonely and even dangerous to make a principled stand. Hearing about people doing it, and being even moderately successful, is heartening.
July 7, 2009
This is a book that makes you proud of the Americans who stand up and say "No! No more, things have to change." Many of the people who are profiled in this book did not set out to take a stand, they made that decision on the fly and made a difference.
My favorite section is the one about the students at Wilton High School who were putting on a play, "Voices in Conflict" featuring the words of Iraq War Veterans. They had previously done plays that dealt with graphic sex, homosexuality, and violence, but this play was banned from being performed at the school. The subject of this play was war and that would not be tolerated.
The banning backfired because the story spread and the students were asked to do nine performances of the play at the National Theater in New York City and other theaters in Connecticut. After the last performance, the actors stated their feelings as they stood on the stage.
"Why is talking about the war 'sensational and inappropriate'?
Since when has war not been graphic and violent?
If they consider the words of the soldiers biased, why do they allow an army recruiter into the school cafeteria?
Why has the school been silent on these issues?
Why did it take a New York Times article to start discussion?"
My favorite section is the one about the students at Wilton High School who were putting on a play, "Voices in Conflict" featuring the words of Iraq War Veterans. They had previously done plays that dealt with graphic sex, homosexuality, and violence, but this play was banned from being performed at the school. The subject of this play was war and that would not be tolerated.
The banning backfired because the story spread and the students were asked to do nine performances of the play at the National Theater in New York City and other theaters in Connecticut. After the last performance, the actors stated their feelings as they stood on the stage.
"Why is talking about the war 'sensational and inappropriate'?
Since when has war not been graphic and violent?
If they consider the words of the soldiers biased, why do they allow an army recruiter into the school cafeteria?
Why has the school been silent on these issues?
Why did it take a New York Times article to start discussion?"
August 31, 2009
This is a beautiful and inspirational book about the real heroes in America, mostly people you never heard of. The most interesting story to me was the one about the 4 librarians in Connecticut who launched a civil liberties lawsuit against the American government and the FBI, when they were served with a "demand" for library records to show who was reading what books and what sites each individual was checking out on the library computers. As an attorney, i found it fascinating that the American government circumvented the entire legal system by serving this demand and a gag order simultaneously, thus avoiding the usual remedies offered by the subpoena and/or court orders. In other words, our very system of government was just ignored following 9/11, with that ridiculous Patriot Act. I knew this before, but it is so dreadful to see the exact tricks they used. The only reason I couldn't give it 5 stars is that it was somewhat repetitive and not easy reading, but that is really my problem. It's not a cliffhanger and it's nonfiction.
July 10, 2014
The title summarizes the book well. “Standing Up to the Madness” paints portraits of individuals who are resisting oppression, usually by the State. Given that these are stories covered by Democracy Now! Radio, it's not surprising that these strike me as being better as radio segments. While the stories are powerful as written, I bet they are more powerful heard in these “ordinary” people's voices. The writing is not particularly strong, but the stories are very compelling, and totally enraging.
My biggest complaint with the book is that the authors don't transcend reporting the stories. The stories provide a great opportunity to glimpse into the nature of the State, or the psychology of individuals, or an inquiry into social change, or a study of hope in America (The authors write, “Saying 'no' to injustice is the ultimate declaration of hope” (216). But why don't the authors ask how it is that Americans come to hope? See Rebecca Solnit's excellent “Hope in the Dark,” soon to be reviewed by me). There's no attempt made to explore the motivations behind these people's willingness to act, nor is there any indication as to why our government is so oppressive. The result is a journalistic brushstroke across a range of struggles.
The stories are diverse, though many deal with censorship: NASA scientists fighting the censorship of environmental research; high school drama students fighting the censorship of a play dealing with the Iraq war; psychologists fighting the censorship of colleagues' role in the torturing of political prisoners.
Another common thread I identified between these stories is how for many of these individuals, the oppression they were fighting intersected with their jobs. Injustices were being justified by their professions. The NASA scientists , psychologists, high school teacher, and librarians (fighting surveillance of patrons' check-out histories) fought back by appealing to the values of their professions. And so, the librarian, a public servant, stands off the government in the name of civil rights, a core value of the library profession. Even soldiers speak out against the war by calling upon their values of honor, truth, and duty.
For me, these stories are deeper than just “people standing up:” they also demonstrate how people develop loyalty to their professions. They also uncover the contradictions that can form in one's work, and call into question where the boundary lies between people's own actions and those actions that are just performed as “doing their job.”
My biggest complaint with the book is that the authors don't transcend reporting the stories. The stories provide a great opportunity to glimpse into the nature of the State, or the psychology of individuals, or an inquiry into social change, or a study of hope in America (The authors write, “Saying 'no' to injustice is the ultimate declaration of hope” (216). But why don't the authors ask how it is that Americans come to hope? See Rebecca Solnit's excellent “Hope in the Dark,” soon to be reviewed by me). There's no attempt made to explore the motivations behind these people's willingness to act, nor is there any indication as to why our government is so oppressive. The result is a journalistic brushstroke across a range of struggles.
The stories are diverse, though many deal with censorship: NASA scientists fighting the censorship of environmental research; high school drama students fighting the censorship of a play dealing with the Iraq war; psychologists fighting the censorship of colleagues' role in the torturing of political prisoners.
Another common thread I identified between these stories is how for many of these individuals, the oppression they were fighting intersected with their jobs. Injustices were being justified by their professions. The NASA scientists , psychologists, high school teacher, and librarians (fighting surveillance of patrons' check-out histories) fought back by appealing to the values of their professions. And so, the librarian, a public servant, stands off the government in the name of civil rights, a core value of the library profession. Even soldiers speak out against the war by calling upon their values of honor, truth, and duty.
For me, these stories are deeper than just “people standing up:” they also demonstrate how people develop loyalty to their professions. They also uncover the contradictions that can form in one's work, and call into question where the boundary lies between people's own actions and those actions that are just performed as “doing their job.”
June 20, 2009
My labmate Tim sent me an email on Wednesday (April 15th) saying that Amy Goodman “Democracy Now! fame, and my heroin” [sic:] was speaking on campus at noon. The place was packed, and it’s the best way I could have imagined to snap back out of the Qualifying Exam bubble I’ve spent the last several months in, and re-engage with the world at large.
One of the excuses for the tour is the paperback release of Standing up to the Madness: Ordinary Heroes in Extraordinary Times by Amy and David Goodman.
Now that I’m a tenured grad student, I can actually allow myself to read for pleasure – guilt free! So I went to the library that Thursday, and picked up the hardcover, which came out last year.
What I liked about this book is what sets it apart from other political books of today. Amy and David don’t just provide us with a laundry list of wrongdoing by the Bush administration, congress, various governmental agencies, as well as highlighting some of the ongoing local struggles. Though the book is chock-full of such details, they are all provided in the context of a particular vignette. What’s more – instead of simply stating the problems, or providing an outline of the authors’ opinions regarding what course of action should be taken, the book highlights the work average citizens have already done to oppose injustice, censorship, racism, etc. One example is T-shirt “terrorist” Raed Jarrar, who wore a shirt with the words “We will not be silent” – written in both English and Arabic – a reference to the White Rose – and was forced to put another shirt over it because JetBlue customers were threatened or offended. With the help of the ACLU, Jarrar sued the TSA and JetBlue, who ended up paying $240,000 to settle the discrimination charges.
Like Hochschild’s King Leopold’s Ghost (1), this book is non-fiction that reads like fiction. Not because it is well-written, though it is, but because of the shocking realities of the content. Leadership cannot be taught, it can only be revealed. Standing up to the Madness gives us dozens of snapshots of the ongoing work of ordinary heroes.
1. which, after I first read it in 2001 became my measuring stick for gauging the quality of non-fiction↩
One of the excuses for the tour is the paperback release of Standing up to the Madness: Ordinary Heroes in Extraordinary Times by Amy and David Goodman.
Now that I’m a tenured grad student, I can actually allow myself to read for pleasure – guilt free! So I went to the library that Thursday, and picked up the hardcover, which came out last year.
What I liked about this book is what sets it apart from other political books of today. Amy and David don’t just provide us with a laundry list of wrongdoing by the Bush administration, congress, various governmental agencies, as well as highlighting some of the ongoing local struggles. Though the book is chock-full of such details, they are all provided in the context of a particular vignette. What’s more – instead of simply stating the problems, or providing an outline of the authors’ opinions regarding what course of action should be taken, the book highlights the work average citizens have already done to oppose injustice, censorship, racism, etc. One example is T-shirt “terrorist” Raed Jarrar, who wore a shirt with the words “We will not be silent” – written in both English and Arabic – a reference to the White Rose – and was forced to put another shirt over it because JetBlue customers were threatened or offended. With the help of the ACLU, Jarrar sued the TSA and JetBlue, who ended up paying $240,000 to settle the discrimination charges.
Like Hochschild’s King Leopold’s Ghost (1), this book is non-fiction that reads like fiction. Not because it is well-written, though it is, but because of the shocking realities of the content. Leadership cannot be taught, it can only be revealed. Standing up to the Madness gives us dozens of snapshots of the ongoing work of ordinary heroes.
1. which, after I first read it in 2001 became my measuring stick for gauging the quality of non-fiction↩
November 29, 2011
Although some of these essays are a little repetitive, two of them are *so* good that it is worth getting the book just to read them. One is the story of the students at Wilton High School who battled a scarily pro-Bush Administration censorious regime at their own high school in order to put on a play that was not even anti-war, but merely used soldiers' own first-person narratives to convey the brutal reality of wartime.
The second, equally stellar essay profiles heroic librarians [also in Connecticut] "on the frontline of democracy," as they battle the Bush administration's US Attorney in CT [who boasts that "The Patriot Act is my mistress"] over a National Security Letter request for patron records. I can't recall reading another piece that so perfectly captures the "banal evil" of the Patriot Act.
The second, equally stellar essay profiles heroic librarians [also in Connecticut] "on the frontline of democracy," as they battle the Bush administration's US Attorney in CT [who boasts that "The Patriot Act is my mistress"] over a National Security Letter request for patron records. I can't recall reading another piece that so perfectly captures the "banal evil" of the Patriot Act.
June 14, 2013
Amy Goodman rocks the party that rocks my body...no seriously, these were some great stories of common Americans that aren't blinded by the b.s. that this government forces down our throats. The chapter about the objectors to war was great-I am thinking very few service people know about it. The chapter on the Jena-6 PROVES that not much has changed since the Civil Rights movement in the dirty south. Trayvon Martin's murder is just another example. Would any town watch person in an all-black community chase down a white kid walking around their neighborhood? I don't think so. Things need to change and people like her won't stop until they do.
June 25, 2013
As a long-time admirer of Amy Goodman and "Democracy Now" I found these stories of integrity and bravery to be uplifting and hope-inspiring. Of particular interest, given the current issue with Edward Snowden, was Chapter 3: "Librarians Unbound". Looks like they were ahead of the game on what was going on under the Orwellian "PATRIOT" (Uniting (and) Strengthening America (by) Providing Appropriate Tools Required (to) Intercept (and) Obstruct Terrorism) Act.
As more media are owned by fewer and fewer people, voices like those of Amy Goodman become the more important and urgent to be heard.
As more media are owned by fewer and fewer people, voices like those of Amy Goodman become the more important and urgent to be heard.
November 2, 2009
I enjoyed this book a lot. It is a fast inspiring read. I enjoyed the part about the White Rose:"We will not be silent. We are your guilty conscience. The White Rose will not leave you in peace!" written during Nazi Germany. Any to tie it to today- there is a contemporary campaign will shirts that say "We will not be silent" in both english and arabic.
June 14, 2008
If you listen to Democracy Now religiously like I do, then this book doesn't add much, since it's mainly a collection of her reporting around a theme. But she does add a little more detail, and offers a very inspiring closing chapter that offers lessons and hope for everyone.
December 23, 2009
Inspirational read. Amy Goodman is great as always.
February 13, 2013
Real life stories of people who stood up to injustice and changed their part of the world
Read
November 7, 2017Dedication: "To our extraordinary mother, Dorrie Goodman, our hero"
This is a 2008 book, so of course it needs updates. Later books do include updates on the cases in question.
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements (Many of these people are associates of Democracy Now!)
INTRODUCTION: "We Will Not Be Silent" Epigraph: "First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Next they fight you. Then you win.--attributed to Mohandas K Gandhi"
I STANDING UP TO THE MADNESS (note that each new section can be easily located, because sections are separated by a black page).
Turning Point: The Montgomery Bus Boycott
1 Reclaiming Common Ground (New Orleans (specifically the Lower Ninth Ward) after Katrina).
2 T Is for Terrorist (A man is arrested and forcibly removed from a plane because he has a shirt that says 'We will not be silent' in English and Arabic.)
3 Librarians Unbound (One of the most pernicious parts about 'intelligence' personnel demanding that librarians release records on what 'suspects' read is that the librarians are forbidden to say who has been approached, and about whom. Then the government agencies argue in court that nobody's constitutional rights have been encroached upon, because nobody is allowed to complain about it in public court.
II SCIENCE UNDER SIEGE
Turning Point: Standing Up to The Madness in 1971: The Pentagon Papers
4 Some Don't Like It Hot--An important part of the debate between scientists and the growing class of 'know-nothings' is a failure to recognize the importance of uncertainty and peer review in science. The basic method of scientific research is to frame a hypothesis, and then try very hard to prove it untrue. It's not NECESSARILY the case that something that isn't proven untrue is therefore true...the problem may be in the research design. But the ATTEMPT to prove something untrue is the only way to test hypotheses. Therefore, the fact that scientists have tried to prove something untrue is not data in itself--it's methodology.
5 Psychologists in Denial--The fact that psychologists (nb--NOT psychiatrists) have participated maximally in the process of torturing 'suspects' is underreported (and often specifically denied by psychological associations). Part of the issue is logic-chopping. Thus, there's an attempt to argue that torture is not 'really' torture if it doesn't literally involve twisting limbs. Sleep deprivation, for example, is a TORTURE--and a very deadly one, sometimes causing brain damage or even death.
Also, there's an attempt to argue that constitutional and human rights don't apply in certain 'rights-free' zones--in Guantanamo; in non-Americans; in 'detainees' who somehow don't (theoretically) qualify as prisoners of war...
One of the reasons the UN established a UNIVERSAL Declaration of Human Rights is to prevent this sort of 'oh, this doesn't count' rationalization.
III STUDENTS STANDING UP
Turning Point: Standing Up to The Madness in 1976: The Soweto Uprising (note that many of these 'uprisings' are predominantly boycotts)
6 Voices in Conflict--Questions of the civil rights of students (free speech rights, free press rights, fourth amendment rights, etc) are often seeds fallen among thorns. In this case, student actors perform an honest play based on reminiscences of Iraq war veterans--and are censored and prevented from presenting the play. When professional actors and others hear of it, they offer the students a more open venue.
7 Justice in Jena--Imprisoning the victims of abuse is a common additional abuse--and when people come to protest from outside, the cry of 'outside agitators' is raised.
IV SOLDIERS OF CONSCIENCE
Turning Point: Standing Up to The Madness in The 1970s: The GI Movement (Resistance in Vietnam by soldiers, including desertion)
8 Peace Warriors--A soldier refuses to be redeployed to Iraq.
CONCLUSION: "We Are The Leaders We've Been Waiting For" (A guide to joining the resistance. This is probably the part most in need of updates).
NOTES (These are almost entirely bibliographical notes--but most of them are websites.
INDEX
This is a 2008 book, so of course it needs updates. Later books do include updates on the cases in question.
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements (Many of these people are associates of Democracy Now!)
INTRODUCTION: "We Will Not Be Silent" Epigraph: "First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Next they fight you. Then you win.--attributed to Mohandas K Gandhi"
I STANDING UP TO THE MADNESS (note that each new section can be easily located, because sections are separated by a black page).
Turning Point: The Montgomery Bus Boycott
1 Reclaiming Common Ground (New Orleans (specifically the Lower Ninth Ward) after Katrina).
2 T Is for Terrorist (A man is arrested and forcibly removed from a plane because he has a shirt that says 'We will not be silent' in English and Arabic.)
3 Librarians Unbound (One of the most pernicious parts about 'intelligence' personnel demanding that librarians release records on what 'suspects' read is that the librarians are forbidden to say who has been approached, and about whom. Then the government agencies argue in court that nobody's constitutional rights have been encroached upon, because nobody is allowed to complain about it in public court.
II SCIENCE UNDER SIEGE
Turning Point: Standing Up to The Madness in 1971: The Pentagon Papers
4 Some Don't Like It Hot--An important part of the debate between scientists and the growing class of 'know-nothings' is a failure to recognize the importance of uncertainty and peer review in science. The basic method of scientific research is to frame a hypothesis, and then try very hard to prove it untrue. It's not NECESSARILY the case that something that isn't proven untrue is therefore true...the problem may be in the research design. But the ATTEMPT to prove something untrue is the only way to test hypotheses. Therefore, the fact that scientists have tried to prove something untrue is not data in itself--it's methodology.
5 Psychologists in Denial--The fact that psychologists (nb--NOT psychiatrists) have participated maximally in the process of torturing 'suspects' is underreported (and often specifically denied by psychological associations). Part of the issue is logic-chopping. Thus, there's an attempt to argue that torture is not 'really' torture if it doesn't literally involve twisting limbs. Sleep deprivation, for example, is a TORTURE--and a very deadly one, sometimes causing brain damage or even death.
Also, there's an attempt to argue that constitutional and human rights don't apply in certain 'rights-free' zones--in Guantanamo; in non-Americans; in 'detainees' who somehow don't (theoretically) qualify as prisoners of war...
One of the reasons the UN established a UNIVERSAL Declaration of Human Rights is to prevent this sort of 'oh, this doesn't count' rationalization.
III STUDENTS STANDING UP
Turning Point: Standing Up to The Madness in 1976: The Soweto Uprising (note that many of these 'uprisings' are predominantly boycotts)
6 Voices in Conflict--Questions of the civil rights of students (free speech rights, free press rights, fourth amendment rights, etc) are often seeds fallen among thorns. In this case, student actors perform an honest play based on reminiscences of Iraq war veterans--and are censored and prevented from presenting the play. When professional actors and others hear of it, they offer the students a more open venue.
7 Justice in Jena--Imprisoning the victims of abuse is a common additional abuse--and when people come to protest from outside, the cry of 'outside agitators' is raised.
IV SOLDIERS OF CONSCIENCE
Turning Point: Standing Up to The Madness in The 1970s: The GI Movement (Resistance in Vietnam by soldiers, including desertion)
8 Peace Warriors--A soldier refuses to be redeployed to Iraq.
CONCLUSION: "We Are The Leaders We've Been Waiting For" (A guide to joining the resistance. This is probably the part most in need of updates).
NOTES (These are almost entirely bibliographical notes--but most of them are websites.
INDEX
Read
June 16, 2020This book was presented at the MCA conference we attended. This book gives examples of different people (standing up to the madness) when the government/media tried to take away their civil rights.
Why should other corps members read or not read this book?
It was interesting to hear again much of what was expressed at the conference, but through actual experiences people have had. This book left me feeling angry with this countries government and less trusting.
If you're in the mood for this type of book and want to read it, let me know I have a copy.
Why should other corps members read or not read this book?
It was interesting to hear again much of what was expressed at the conference, but through actual experiences people have had. This book left me feeling angry with this countries government and less trusting.
If you're in the mood for this type of book and want to read it, let me know I have a copy.
June 12, 2017
Well-documented and greatly-written in order not to burden the reader with facts and numbers, it is highly enlightening and kindles the flame of resistance in all of us. It is a perfect read in times of worldwide selfishness, open your mind, open your eyes and realize that not everything has to stay the way the politics put them.
Read this now! join the movement that wants to make our world a better place for all!
Read this now! join the movement that wants to make our world a better place for all!
September 16, 2018
The people featured in this book were good, like they were fighting oppression and that's all fine,,, but there was a little too much of like " the bush administration is bad, but the government is good" kind of thing, and there was a little excerpt about how the election of obama was as revolutionary, and like amazing all on its own, but the book was published in like 2008 before obama had even done anything in office ??? like the nobel piece prize,,, i guess thats what you expect hah
February 28, 2021
I read chapter three Librarians Unbound first and then was motivated to read the entire book. As a librarian the reminder was empowering. The statement, "we are the change that we've been waiting for" is timeless.
November 3, 2020
SIX WORD REVIEW: Jena Six, Iraq, predecessors to current...
February 19, 2009
The brother & sister team of progressive journalists Amy Goodman and David Goodman have collected several stories of people who came face to face with some of the evils of the Dubya Squad years but who made the sadly rare but always heartening decision to not take it lying down. They tell these stories in Standing Up to the Madness.
Over the course of the book, team Goodman tell us
* how the Common Ground Relief group got organized and fought back when the government tried to piggy-back an ethnic cleansing campaign on top of Hurricane Katrina
* how when an Iraq-born U.S. citizen got kicked off a flight for wearing a T-shirt with Arabic lettering on it, this inspired whole leagues of “I am Sparticus!”-types to challenge effective Arabic-on-transit bans with their own shirts
* how when the FBI started issuing National Security Letters to libraries — simultaneously demanding patron records without a warrant or court order, denying to the press and to Congress that they were doing any such thing, and issuing a legal gag order to the letter recipients prohibiting them from contradicting the lies — one group of librarians fought back and won
* how a determined climate scientist at NASA defied White House attempts to turn the agency in to a climate change denial propaganda arm, and bypassed the oil industry public relations handlers who had been put in charge of the agency press office to take agency research directly to Congress and the press
* how a small number of American Psychological Association professionals exposed that the association’s anonymous task force on complicity with torture had been stacked with pro-torture military psychologists in order to provide cover for psychologists who were helping the government make their torture techniques more precise and effective
* how a drama teacher and a group of persistent students responded to having their student play about the experiences of Afghanistan and Iraq War veterans banned by the school principle — by working harder to polish the play and taking it off-Broadway
* how a community rallied around the Jena Six
* how several soldiers have refused to deploy after coming to a crisis of conscience about war, or learning about the mendacity involved in the current set
All of this is heartwarming and can be inspiring. Team Goodman is writing a book of praise and celebration. Because of this, the episodes are not presented with much nuance or objectivity. They reminded me a bit of the sort of hagiographical stories about Jackie Robinson or Neil Armstrong that I would read in elementary school.
But that said, this would be a good book to inspire any progressive who wants to move on from having correct opinions to being capable of heroic decisions.
Over the course of the book, team Goodman tell us
* how the Common Ground Relief group got organized and fought back when the government tried to piggy-back an ethnic cleansing campaign on top of Hurricane Katrina
* how when an Iraq-born U.S. citizen got kicked off a flight for wearing a T-shirt with Arabic lettering on it, this inspired whole leagues of “I am Sparticus!”-types to challenge effective Arabic-on-transit bans with their own shirts
* how when the FBI started issuing National Security Letters to libraries — simultaneously demanding patron records without a warrant or court order, denying to the press and to Congress that they were doing any such thing, and issuing a legal gag order to the letter recipients prohibiting them from contradicting the lies — one group of librarians fought back and won
* how a determined climate scientist at NASA defied White House attempts to turn the agency in to a climate change denial propaganda arm, and bypassed the oil industry public relations handlers who had been put in charge of the agency press office to take agency research directly to Congress and the press
* how a small number of American Psychological Association professionals exposed that the association’s anonymous task force on complicity with torture had been stacked with pro-torture military psychologists in order to provide cover for psychologists who were helping the government make their torture techniques more precise and effective
* how a drama teacher and a group of persistent students responded to having their student play about the experiences of Afghanistan and Iraq War veterans banned by the school principle — by working harder to polish the play and taking it off-Broadway
* how a community rallied around the Jena Six
* how several soldiers have refused to deploy after coming to a crisis of conscience about war, or learning about the mendacity involved in the current set
All of this is heartwarming and can be inspiring. Team Goodman is writing a book of praise and celebration. Because of this, the episodes are not presented with much nuance or objectivity. They reminded me a bit of the sort of hagiographical stories about Jackie Robinson or Neil Armstrong that I would read in elementary school.
But that said, this would be a good book to inspire any progressive who wants to move on from having correct opinions to being capable of heroic decisions.
September 20, 2010
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 book reviews and exclusive author interviews, go to BookBanter.
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 book reviews and exclusive author interviews, go to BookBanter.
Read
June 16, 2020This book profiles the stories of some people who have stood up against oppression, war, unjust laws, and more. Amy Goodman (one of the hosts of Democracy Now! and her brother) David Goodman give journalistic reports about librarians fighting a national security letter, high school students up against censorship by their high school's administration and military personnel seeking conscientious objector status in the current war in Iraq. The stories build upon each other to show the role, and power, in community organizing and organized individual action against injustice.
The book relates to my Americorps experience for several reasons. First is that Amy Goodman hosts Democracy Now!, which is probably the most successful independent, community media production currently produced (www.democracynow.org). The show airs on hundreds of radio and television stations around the country (including SPNN). The story questions power and provides many voices left out of mainstream media, which (I think) is the most important purpose of community media and public access television. Secondly, the book provides a model for affecting social change through journalism and storytelling, which is what I hope SPNN Youth programs, such as Set It Up, strive to accomplish.
I got the book at Savers (on a Wednesday, which is 40% off with a college ID) so I own it, if anyone is interested in reading it. While I knew of many of the stories that Amy and David discuss in the book, I think that it was a valuable and quick read about folks doing good work in their local (and global) communities.
The book relates to my Americorps experience for several reasons. First is that Amy Goodman hosts Democracy Now!, which is probably the most successful independent, community media production currently produced (www.democracynow.org). The show airs on hundreds of radio and television stations around the country (including SPNN). The story questions power and provides many voices left out of mainstream media, which (I think) is the most important purpose of community media and public access television. Secondly, the book provides a model for affecting social change through journalism and storytelling, which is what I hope SPNN Youth programs, such as Set It Up, strive to accomplish.
I got the book at Savers (on a Wednesday, which is 40% off with a college ID) so I own it, if anyone is interested in reading it. While I knew of many of the stories that Amy and David discuss in the book, I think that it was a valuable and quick read about folks doing good work in their local (and global) communities.
May 29, 2010
A nice a brief read, but a little too brief. Although Goodman sets up some really great examples of standing up for Democracy, there were too many stories that just didn't get me motivated enough to make changes. There was one story about the Jena Six, a group of African-American high school students who were imprisoned and wrongfully charged for their actions, that Goodman seemed to have stumbled on. I agree that the civil rights laws were breached in order to incarcerate these kids, but I do not agree with Goodman's argument that they should not be punished for their violent behavior. It really is a matter of to what degree they should have punished. The book did cast some light on stories that one would have otherwise never heard about, and that would have to be the good aspect of the book.
September 5, 2010
An easy, quick read. Was hoping it would be a little less depressing. It tries to be hopeful and encouraging, by structuring itself around activists who have stood up against global warming deniers, racists, censors, the military-industrial complex...but a couple of the battles were such uphill battles that reading about their description proved to be more depressing than encouraging. Still, an important read.
The best sections, IMO, are about the librarians who took on the Patriot Act, the Connecticut teacher and drama class who put together a play about the Iraq war, and the the "Jena 6" who discovered the South is still a very racist place when it comes to trying to get justice in the courtroom.
The best sections, IMO, are about the librarians who took on the Patriot Act, the Connecticut teacher and drama class who put together a play about the Iraq war, and the the "Jena 6" who discovered the South is still a very racist place when it comes to trying to get justice in the courtroom.
May 3, 2011
I should have read this book three years ago when it first came out (it largely focuses on issues during the Bush administration). But regardless of being a few years behind, I found the book an intriguing and engaging read. It includes inspiring stories of individuals who started grassroot movements to support causes they strongly believed in (whether that was standing behind the science supporting global warming, the treamtment of survivors in New Orleans after Catrina, protecting people's privacy in the library, or removing physcologists involvement from interrogations). The main message is that one person can make a difference, you should stand up for what you believe in and take action.
October 1, 2009
With the news raining disaster all around us it's refreshing to read this awesome collection of true stories about courageous everyday people. The stories presented here address mostly current concerns. From the Common Ground Relief organization in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans which grew out of government incompetence and indifference to the disillusioned soldiers who drafted the Appeal for Redress as an effort to give a voice to the voiceless in the military, these are all excellent examples of what can be done given the situation we have to work with. I wish there were more books like this, and I hope Amy & John get to write some of them. Democracy Now!
June 4, 2009
Democracy Now!'s Amy Goodman and her journalist brother David Goodman present a range of inspiring stories (covering everything from Hurricane Katrina to librarians taking a stand against the patriot act to conspiracies to hide the truth about global warming) about everyday folks and their heroic stories of activism and action. With government power at a seemingly all time high and with big corporate media seemingly complicit or too ignorant, these kinds of stories need to be heard so people keep fighting the fight.
September 28, 2011
Great book, I'd highly recommend it to anyone... unfortunately though many people would never read it, it's a bit too political for some people. My only critique is there is some parts that I wish were longer (because I was so wrapped up in the real life stories being told) and there were some instances where (in the interest of being thorough) they had a little too much of a full transcript from court cases, and I understand why they did this... but it can be a bit dry and tedious to read through...
August 31, 2016
This was a great book to read at this time of election year because a lot of the stories involve politics and people in government power. It was inspiring but also scary since it pointed out the consequences at first of standing up to power. Eventually triumphs happen but they take time and people to turn the tide and get support for causes. But support came and policies are changing, people are rebuilding, and this book took away some of the hopelessness I was feeling while watching current events in the news.
November 10, 2008
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was certainly inspiring and eye-opening. I think that it's important to read it with a little bit of discretion, however, because it's clearly written in support of one side of the argument. Anyway, I would recommend it to anyone looking for a something to restore their hope in "people power", oh, and to restore their fear of the government, because it does that too. enjoy
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews