The New American Revolution

October 31, 2005
Mostly a stage upon which to beat her stridently individualist chest and congratulate herself for melding seemingly contradictory political ideologies, this book opens with Bruce, a pro-death penalty, gun-owning, pro-choice lesbian feminist and former NOW chapter president who lives in San Francisco and is a Fox News contributor, hailing the 2000 election as "a message from the nation" that we were ready for someone "who was, at his core, decent." Bruce lashes out against liberals, whom she says carry around so much hatred toward the country that it has begun to infect the globe, and explains her unique politics by reasoning "party loyalty takes a backseat to the safety of your family and this nation," and "there's nothing more radically individual these days than a liberal who doesn't conform." Given the current bevy of accusations swirling over the Bush administration and its handling of intelligence, Bruce's extended attack on the "deep depravity of the American Left" seems like a victim of bad timing. Readers willing to wade through Bruce's frustratingly frequent invocations of "hate," "savage" and "evil" will hear the call to readers to think for themselves instead of relying on the party line, be it on the left or right. Unfortunately, her thesis is buried beneath mountains of dismissible rhetoric.

November 15, 2005
Michael Moore, John Kerry, Jesse Jackson, and Elton John, as well as organizations like the ACLU, NOW, and the UN, count among the members of radio and print commentator Bruce's (The Death of Right and Wrong: Exploring the Left's Assault on Our Culture and Values) -The Hate America First Club. - Her vitriolic screed argues that those liberals who support multiculturalism are an assault on the -new American radicals - who believe in family values and have strong faith. Apparently, all liberals who have not seen the way as shown by Bruce have neither values nor faith. She maintains that the -New American Revolution - began on 9/11 and was reaffirmed by Bush's 2004 reelection. Liberals and a significant number of conservatives would question this contention in the wake of the unfulfilled claims about the Iraq war and the slow response to Hurricane Katrina's devastation. Bruce's allegations are not demonstrated convincingly; public libraries can pass on this one.

Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.