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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
24 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
When will the media stop ignoring this story?,
By Bob Berkowitz (Miami, Fl) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Bohemian Grove and Other Retreats: A Study in Ruling-Class Cohesiveness (Paperback)
The Bohemian Club, a very elite club made up almost entirely, (the exception being Colin Powell) of rich, white, men who gather together in Northern California in late July. Anyone that has looked into this Club knows how fascinating the information is on this story and how elusive it is to try to get information about it. Let me just say how elite and how rich the members are that get into this club, our President, George W. Bush, his father, every Republican President since Hoover, Rumsfeld, Cheney, Powell, Gingrich, Andrew Card, Karl Rove, Walter Cronkite, many, many CEO's of numerous corporations, (I'm still trying to find out if any of Enron's people were Bohemian Club members)and more rich, white elite men.The interesting aspect of all this is what exactly goes on there and how come most Americans have no idea about this place when you would think the media would be all over it. There is high level security surrounding the club and it is located in a remote place in Northern California. There are many, many rumors of strange activities there but some things are almost beyond doubt: Bohemians get drunk, it is comparable to a college fraternity, there is some gay activity by at least SOME of the members, some drug use, (which almost points to a huge hypocrisy since most of these "conservative, religous, family values" types have spoken out publically against gay rights, and have spent billions on a so called drug war) Almost beyond doubt is the bizarre Pagan relationship with the Bohemian Club. First off, it is in midsummer, which is considered a very important time in the Pagan calendar, there is a huge owl statue that has been photographed there, there are widespread rumors of some sort of sacrifice being made there ALTHOUGH the Bohemians state that it is not a live human, but just a dummy. I don't want to get into that argument, BUT my question is WHY HAVE SOME SORT OF HUMAN SACRIFICE THERE ANYWAY? Fake or real? How bizarre and strange is that? There is a Bohemian Action Network there that makes regular protests against the Bohemian Club and until recently feminists have made protests there since no women were allowed to become members or work there, until recently. The Network's argument against the Club is not about the bizarre rumors but sticks to the more solid and mainstream argument that these elite and powerful people make speeches, Kissinger made one recently,and it is widely reported that in 68, Nixon convinced Reagan to stay out of the Republican primaries, and the 92, a Gulf War General told the Bohemians the actual number of Iraqi deaths but warned against telling the masses, (the other 95%), because we would not be able to handle it. That is a very common attitude at the elitist Club, that information and power should and ought to be put into the hands of the few since grassroots democracy would be dangerous, how dare the masses feel that they should rule. Anyway, the Action Network argues that important policy speeches made in the Grove should not be private for the ears of the 2000 or so rich, white elitist men that are at the Club, but should be made public for all of us to hear. A very convincing argument that is hard seriously debate. But of course that is not likely to happen and the aspect of the Club most people will be interested in is what exactly goes on there, and how strange and bizarre are the practices there. There, in a nutshell, is the Bohemian Club. The question is WHY isn't this unbelievably fascinating story being reported in the media. For those that may find this hard to believe at all, go to MSNBC webpage and search for Bohemian Club and you will find several articles on it. The Sacramento Bee and San Francisco Chronicle have also written articles about it. On the FAIR.ORG webpage, you will find an article written by respected journalist , Jeff Cohen, (One of the guys on FNC's "Fox News watch, he's the REALLY liberal and left wing one! Ain't he great?) He writes how two articles from People and TIME magazine were trashed by the editory at the last minute for unknown and mysterious reasons, well probably not so mysterious if one thinks long enough. Finally there is Alex Jones, and infowars.com, he's the man who claims, and I believe, snuck into the Bohemian Grove, and videotaped much of the activities there, of course hidden and from a distance, it appears legit to me and is truly a bizarre sight as men with hoods and torches worship the huge owl statue. If seeing that doesn't get you interested in the Club, Nothing will. I hope this was not a waste of time and people will put want to find out more about this place and why it isn't being covered by the media and what exactly these priveleged, elitist hypocrites are doing and saying there.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Fascinating and Bizarre Study of the Bohemian Grove.,
By New Age of Barbarism "zosimos" (EVROPA.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Bohemian Grove and other retreats;: A study in ruling-class cohesiveness, (Hardcover)
_The Bohemian Grove and Other Retreats: A Study in Ruling-Class Cohesiveness_, published in 1974 by psychologist and sociologist G. William Domhoff, is a fascinating study of several important retreats frequented by elite businessmen, politicians, scientists, artists, and other members of the upper-class elite. These retreats and in particular the Bohemian Grove retreat are infamous for the bizarre rituals which take place during the time spent there and for the often scandalous behavior of otherwise "conservative" businessmen that allegedly takes place there. It has been further maintained by some that during these retreats important policy decisions are embarked upon and indeed it is this fact that makes such retreats so notorious given the fact that what goes on there is not covered by the press. While the Bohemian Grove has for a motto "Weaving Spiders Come Not Here" and includes a bizarre ritual called the "Cremation of Care" in which a body symbolizing the cares of the world is cremated thus serving to remind the businessmen that they are not to engage in politicking while on the retreat, it has nevertheless been maintained that such retreats offer a socially cementing process whereby the elite become unified as a class. Such cohesiveness may ultimately serve to underpin policy decisions which have effects on the United States (and indeed the rest of the world) that serve the interests of the upper-class elite. Domhoff presents the essential thesis that such retreats (while frivolous affairs on the face of it) actually serve a deeper purpose in unifying the upper-class elite which in turn is reflected in the policy decisions of important political figures. Further, Domhoff will controversially maintain that this upper-class is really a ruling-class against the "pluralist" belief that various groups come together to make policy. However, whatever one thinks of Domhoff's ultimate thesis concerning the ruling-class, there is some fascinating and bizarre information to be found in this book concerning the goings-on at certain upper-class retreats (and in particular at Bohemian Grove). In recent times, certain conspiracy theorists have become fascinated with the events and bizarre rituals that go on at Bohemian Grove and have maintained that such rituals are linked to ancient cults, Satanism, etc. Whatever one thinks of these conspiracy theories however, the rituals and events of Bohemian Grove are certainly very strange indeed and ultimately serve to cement the social structures of the upper-classes.
This book begins with a Preface in which the author discusses the importance of retreats for various groups including for example scouts, ministers, students, athletes, musicians, and even cheerleaders. However, the author notes that retreats become particularly interesting when they are accompanied by bacchanalian rituals, first-class entertainment, illicit sex, and some of the richest and most powerful men in the country. This book will discuss three retreats (which all ultimately stem from the Bohemian Grove) - the Bohemian Grove, the Rancheros Visitadores, and the Roundup Riders. The first chapter of this book is entitled "The Bohemian Grove". The author begins by discussing the ritual of "The Cremation of Care", perhaps the most notorious and bizarre ritual practiced by the Bohemians in which a body representing "care" is cremated. The author then discusses "Jinks High and Jinks Low", mentioning two forms of theater that are performed at the Bohemian Grove - the "High Jinks" involving high theater which is described as very well done and the "Low Jinks" involving a similar theater but with a more bawdy theme of entertainment. Following this, the author discusses "Little Friday Night, Big Saturday Night" and "Lakeside Talks", noting the importance for such informal talks in the shaping of policy by important leaders or for new developments in science, the arts, or industry. The author also discusses "Cliff Dwellers, Moonshiners, and Silverado Squatters" (mentioning the camps that accompany Bohemian Grove each with its own unique flare) and "Other Delights" (mentioning some of the other entertainments of Bohemian Grove). In a particularly disturbing section entitled "Jumping the River", the author discusses the fact that the Bohemian Grove retreat is composed entirely of men, and thus given the fact that many of these elite and powerful men cannot be away from female companionship for any extended period of time there is a prevalence of prostitution in neighboring towns, an event the author refers to as "Jumping the River". The author then discusses "The Sociology of Bohemia", mentioning such things as "Geographical Distribution" (from forty states of the Union), "Social Standing" (almost entirely upper-class or high middle-class), "Corporate Connections", "Political Contributions" (largely contributions made to the Republican Party, though some choose to contribute to both major parties), "Associate Members" (talented Bohemians - i.e. the artists and performers who entertain the businessmen and politicians), "Professional Members" (elite businessmen), "Faculty Members" (university professors and scientists), "The Camps" (discussing the diverse array of camps that have sprung up around the Bohemian Grove retreat each with its own unique flare), and "The Guests" (guests of members). The author also discusses "The Bohemian Club", an elite rich men's club of San Francisco which is responsible for putting on the events of the Bohemian Grove retreat. The author discusses such things as "The Clubhouse", "Directors and Committees", "Becoming a Member" (the extreme difficulty in becoming a member and the elitism of the club as well as the lengthy waiting list for potential members), "Carrying a Spear in Bohemia" (meaning that each member is expected to be a "good Bohemian" and contribute to the events), and "The Spirit of Bohemia" (explaining how the Bohemian Club arose as a club of struggling artists in San Francisco in 1852 but in order to obtain the necessary financial support had to enlist the help of elite businessmen and thus became "corrupted by the bourgeois" as one artist put it and thus avant-garde thinking was eliminated from their ranks). The second chapter of this book is entitled "Other Watering Holes". Here, the author discusses the Rancheros Visitadores started by John J. Mitchell (a member of the Bohemian Club) and centered around horses, also involving quite a bit of tomfoolery by members. The author also discusses "Roundup Riders of the Rockies", a similar elite club to the Rancheros though of lesser and more local importance. The third chapter of this book is entitled "Do Bohemians, Rancheros, and Roundup Riders Rule America?" Here, the author outlines his theory as to why he believes the upper-class elite who engage in such retreats in fact constitute a ruling class. The author explains that not only do such men belong to organizations such as the Council on Foreign Relations, the Committee for Economic Development, and other policy-planning organizations, but that they are also Bohemians, Rancheros, and Roundup Riders. Thus, the author maintains that these retreats serve to achieve upper-class cohesiveness. The author discusses such things as "What Is a Social Class?" (considering various definitions including those of Marx and Weber), "Is There a National Upper Class?", "Policy Consensus within the Upper Class" (mentioning such groups as "The Business Council"), and finally offers a "Final Analysis" of the upper-class maintaining against the claims of pluralists that the upper-class constitutes a ruling-class. This chapter ends with a "Conclusion" in which the author maintains that his thesis is well-founded despite the claims of pluralists. The book ends with an "Appendix of Heavies" listing the prominent men who are involved in such elite retreats and their important positions in both business and government. This book offers a fascinating and disturbing glimpse into the world of the business and political elite. The events that take place at the Bohemian Grove retreat are certainly bizarre and prompt the question as to why a group of the world's most powerful and richest men should engage in such antics. Further, as the author maintains such retreats serve as social cement to unify the upper-class in America. While this book is dated, in recent times the events at Bohemian Grove have been brought to light yet again by various conspiracy researchers who maintain that there is an important story to be told here.
0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not as sensationalistic as the Jones Documentary,
By Cwn_Annwn (Copenhagen, Denmark) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Bohemian Grove and Other Retreats: A Study in Ruling-Class Cohesiveness (Paperback)
Bohemian Grove is best known because of Alex Jones sneaking in and filming their Cremation of Care "ritual". Jones has done some very good documentaries but that one was a bit hokey. I think he read too much into it as well as making some false claims. Like claiming the big wooden Owl on the grounds was suppossed to be a totem of the demon Molloch. Molloch was a bull, not an owl!
The Cremation of Care seems more like a play than any kind of "Satanic" ritual. This book, which came out way back when Nixon was President doesn't read so much into it as Jones did. He does go into how into putting on plays these elites are. Hey maybe these world elites in their heart of hearts are nothing but a bunch of frustrated drama club fruits. Domhoff also writes about another elite club for world elites where their big thing was enacting their cowboy fantasies. Not every member was down for the program apparently. Tapes came out a few years back of Richard Nixon, who was a member of the Bohemian Grove saying, "It is the most faggy goddamned thing you could ever imagine". Ha ha! Overall this book really doesn't offer much except a description of the Cremation of Care "ritual", descriptions of the goings on at the grove, talk of a couple of other retreats/clubs and a huge member list which includes Presidents, Senators, heads of corporations, bankers and other super wealthy types. It is outdated considering it was published in the 1970s but it isn't as sensationalistic as the Jones documentary.
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