Customer Reviews

Outright Barbarous: How the Violent Language of the Right Poisons American Democracy

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I just finished reading a review copy of "Outright Barbarous: How the Violent Language of the Right Poisons American Democracy." The author is Jeffrey Feldman, a teacher at NYU who is probably best known as the editor of Frameshop.

I've read Feldman for years on Daily Kos and elsewhere, and am always fascinated by the precise logic, crisp writing, and powerful "framing" that he brings to bear on just about any political subject.

Now, Feldman devotes a book to taking on leading "conservatives" like Ann Coulter, Dinesh D'Souza, James Dobson, Wayne LaPierre, Pat Buchanan, and Bill O'Reilly. Honestly, it's hard to know which of these characters is the worst, as Feldman lays out a strong case for why each is particularly heinous in their own unique and wondrous way.

Thus, LaPierre frames everything in terms of violence, the ever-present threat of violence, and the utter inability of law, government, or collective institutions of any kind to protect us from that (essentially inevitable) violence. Flowing from that bizarre worldview comes the only possible conclusion: you're on your own, they're coming to harm you, and you'd better be armed to the teeth when they do. As Feldman explains, "What LaPierre suggests is...a full-scale military escalation of civil society." Just as bad, LaPierre boils everything down to a false dichotomy -- a common strategy of right-wing political language - in which the only two choices are either "(A) we allow individuals the "right to carry" guns or (B) we allow criminals to make victims of more and more Americans." That's it, end of discussion. Which, come to think of it, is exactly what the Wayne LaPierres of the world wanted in the first place. How convenient.

And on and on it goes, from Pat Buchanan's "constant narrative on the death of American civilization at the hands of a new Barbarian invasion" (from Mexico, that is) to Ann Coulter's bizarre claim that "the American left had been fighting and concealing its designs to destroy America for over half a century," to - perhaps most disturbingly of all - James Dobson's violent, sex-obsessed and pain-laden "fear and punishment rhetoric" aimed at undermining any possibility of a "common good" in American society.

At this point, you might be thinking, "how depressing, why would I want to read this?" For starters, despite the disturbing subject matter, Feldman's skills as a writer make this is actually a highly enjoyable book to read - almost a "page turner," if you can believe it. Second, Feldman doesn't just lay out the evils of the right-wing pundits he discusses in his book, he also lays out "six suggestions to resolve the problem of violent language in the American political media." Finally, as Feldman writes at the end of his book, "[w]e cannot, as Orwell warned, 'change this all in a moment'" but "we can change one political debate at a time with the simple act of making new choices about how to write and speak." This book will help us do so.

Just because Barack Obama was elected President does not mean the pugnacious pundits will pass for the next few years; no, in their parlance they will "be reloading for the next phase of the war," and "firing" before the last words of the inaugural address have been spoken.

That's why concerned citizens should read Outrageous Barbarous by Jeffrey Feldman: to know the extent of the right wing's reckless hyperbole, to understand why using language that "takes no prisoners" bullies the rest of us from thoughtful dialogue on paramount problems, and gives us insight on how to counter those efforts without resorting to the same tactics, or abridging anyone's speech.

Feldman's book is an excellent and clear essay on violent rhetoric as carefully documented on seven or eight key issues - rhetoric so extravagant and voluminous that it sweeps against the public like recurring tsunamis, and, like them, washes away collected reasoning and dry wit.

There are several key thoughts like `community', `pragmatism' and `common good' that Feldman develops to great advantage, but none so clarifying and poignant to describe that which is lacking in the right wing barrage as the word, 'deliberative'.

Recapturing the process of putting one foot ahead of another is this wonderful concept of deliberating, and the author shares some of his reasoned ideas in returning us to a deliberative process. A must read for those still reeling from Rambo rhetoric and for those who want to take steps for a "kinder, gentler America."

It was hard to put down this book because it is written so well. The pages just flow. Feldman does an amazing job articulating what's going on with the far-right's assault on dialogue. It was about time someone provided such a clear framework for understanding what the right wing is doing through its extremist spokespeople. Even stories that you might already know about become interesting because of the fresh and clear perspective of Feldman's analysis. If you care about our democracy you HAVE to read this book!

A very interesting and disturbing review of how democracy is being lost by hateful and twisted dialogue.

I enjoyed the analysis of the problems of violent language, but I'm not so sure the solutions the author has recommended are strong enough.

Apparently the left wing writers including Feldman have never listened to the hateful & violent rhetoric spewed out on a daily basis from people like Keith Olberman, Chris Matthews, Bill Maher, Rachael Maddow, & radio leftie Mike Malloy.
I have yet to hear any "violence" being insighted from any right wing tv or radio personality.
The left is completely hypocritical and has two sets of rules. One for itself & one for anyone else who does not go along with their lunacy. This book is pure garbage!!!! Mr. Feldman is an idiot!