Customer Reviews

Moveon's 50 Ways to Love Your Country: How to Find Your Political Voice and Become a Catalyst for Change

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(19)

 

 

I think everyoen from all parts of the political spectrum will enjoy this book. As a lifelong Republican I have to say that people here denegrating this book haven't read it at all. It is a very good illumination of how curruption and failure to participate have undermined American democracy.

Indeed our local school board place this book on the required reading list at our high school...and we are a Republican town!

If you are a Republican like me, don't pass on this book just because it is from MoveOn!! An unbiased look at democracy and the difference we all can make, it's a MUST READ for anyone who wants to get more involved in the political process. I rather doubt the "one star" ratings even took the time to look at the book. Get past your bias and pick up this book!!!

The point is that we live in a country where our voice, our vote, COUNTS. Whether you are pro or anti-choice, whether you are pro or anti Bush, whether you are Democrat or Republican, this book details ways to participate in our democratic process. Speaking out, voting, protesting, petitioning, writing letters to your editor, whatever! These are the privileges of a free society, and this book is all about ways to exercise our freedoms.

As a conservative, I was skeptical -- to say the least -- about a book on "Democracy" from MoveOn.org.

While I may not agree with the politics of most of the authors, I have to say that reading the individual stories was eye opening to me in the sense of seeing what a difference one person can make in our gridlocked political arena.

I'm so sick of our American government and politics being deadened and directed by extreme, cynical career elites and marketers of both parties. This book offers a rare contemporary glimpse of genuine hope in America for re-establishing our democracy "for the people" -- regardless of what party you belong to.

The stories are also very concrete, factual, and short -- so you can learn a lot.

This is a book that teaches citizens how to participate in our democracy. Those who are actively trying to discredit moveon are literally trying to actively discredit the millions of individuals who are channeling their efforts through it.

This is a book for anyone wanting to take action -- whether you are Democrat or Republican. It teaches you to vote, to organize people, to sign petitions, to write letters, to support clean elections and to organize house parties in support of candidates and issues.

In short, it's a guide to taking political action and maximizing your impact as you participate in our American Democracy.

Founded a few years ago as a response to the effort to impeach Bill Clinton, MoveOn.org is a liberal activist group that maintains a strong on- line presence and provides advice to those who want to get involved in the political process and work for change. This book- the first one published by the organization- is comprised of a collection of articles submitted by MoveOn members, explaining how they got involved and how they succeeded (and sometimes failed) in making a difference.

The book includes fifty different stories divided into five areas: connecting through the internet, exercising one's privilege to vote, working with the media, getting involved personally, and getting involved politically. The articles themselves are short and to the point, ranging in length from one to three pages each. MoveOn.org members do not waste time and/or space in this book. They quickly explain what they did and how they did it.

Some of the stories presented in this book are interesting and creative, showing some surprising ways to help work for political change. Others are more mundane and ordinary, and don't really explain anything new and exciting. The editors of this book decided on this set of fifty stories based on inspiration, ease of application to anyone, creativity, etc. I found that some of the stories were actually pretty good, while others (like attending a rally) were pretty dull and didn't really inspire me much at all.

To help readers gain a better understanding about what an activist should do, each story includes a gray- shaded area with additional "MoveOn tips"- a bulleted list of ideas to take with you on your way to your next activist activity. The tips relate to each individual story and they summarize some important things to think about when you begin your political task.

MoveOn is a liberal organization and its members believe in a collectivist ideology that primarily favors Democrats and other progressives. But readers who are more conservative shouldn't let this fact get in the way of reading this book. The reason I say this is because the tips, the ideas, and the personal stories included here are things that can be applied to anyone, regardless of political affiliation. No matter what political banner you might carry, there is still some valuable advice to be found in the pages of this book.

"50 Ways to Love Your Country" includes some inspirational stories with some good ideas for activism, blended together with some ordinary, boring methods for making your mark in politics. Not every story is a successful one. There are some stories where the ultimate goal was not achieved. But even in these cases, MoveOn.org members learned valuable lessons about the political process and what is involved in working for political change. It makes for a useful read (and a quick read) for anyone interested in political activism.

MoveOn's 50 Ways to Love Your Country is based on the model that MoveOn.org uses: connect people with similar values and let them do the rest.

The book isn't dogmatic, negative, or preachy. It's a collection of stories written by folks just like you. Some are big, some are small. But all of them invite you to take what you want from the experiences of progressives all over the nation.

This collection is especially valuable to that population which shares progressive values but doesn't identify with the term "activist." The stories included demonstrate that even the most politically inactive can do their part to support issues that they care about.

Critics of the left would do well to garner some advice from this book before condemning it. But then again, maybe they shouldn't.

Way to go, MoveOn!

The best thing about all the stories in this book is that they are true. If you've every wondered what real democracy looks and feels like when it flowers in contemporary America, this book provides at least 50 different examples.

I thought it was just as fun to meet the people telling the stories as to hear their insights.

I hope that this is one of those books that leads each person who reads it to make their own, personal, enjoyable statement as a citizen activist. Our stepping out beyond the phony Coca Cola patriotism of the Bush administration into something real and authentic is not only life affriming, but critical to America at this time, IMHO. It may not always be easy, but this book shows that you will be rewarded in ways you could never have imagined.

Read straight through or pick and choose topics (eg re voting, online activism, the media, and more) - either way, it is fun to read and full of ideas. They say they wanted to use 100, but finally focused on the 50 personal stories chosen from over 2,500, and I am sure that was a challenge.
It was fascinating to read the distilled experience of the 50 people whose stories are here - more than once they were the stories behind campaigns and actions that I have heard of and appreciated but had not known how they got started.
If you like the positive message about how "one person can make a difference" you will love this book. Also if you love the Margaret Mead quote about a small committed group changing the world, that could fit too!
As for me, I am going to buy multiple copies for my son and all his graduating senior friends.
Fifty ways to love your country - a good positive and practical message for anyone from kids up to the most senior among us.

Wow, what a great book. I just finished this cover to cover and am inspired to go out there and change the world! I always thought that involving myself in politics was useless and now I understand why people do it...it matters! I don't consider myself political in any way, but some accounts in this book are by people who are not "political", but moved to action due to a situation in their life. They are all so moving and the best part is that MoveOn adds tips after each essay which makes for a practical, must-read for any American.