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Silent America: Essays from a Democracy at War

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Bill Whittle entitled his collection of essays "Silent America" because his is the eloquent voice not normally heard in the media. His voice is not shrill or complaining, cajoling nor insistent, critical or angry. His is the voice of those people - still a majority in this country - who get up each morning and go to work believing in the goodness and dignity of our nation and ourselves. His is the voice of people who work two jobs when necessary, rather than take "charity" - but who will give their last dollar so that another's children won't go hungry. His is the voice of the people tired of hearing about how bad things are, and how we must give up our dreams and live in some dreary collective because we're just not realists.

Bill IS a realist, of the finest stripe, and by far the best living essayist I have ever read. The man is an ARTIST with words, painting beautiful vistas, carving soul-rending sculptures, and casting evil in frozen bronze for all to see and RECOGNIZE. And through it all, he shines a brilliant light, the one I believe our Founders saw when they sat down to build this nation, on the lies and defeatism of those who claim to love our country, but do their best to tear it down from the inside with envy and worry, self-doubt and self-loathing.

If you consider yourself a "Red-Stater," you should read this book and remind yourself of why you believe the things you believe. If you're a "Blue-Stater" you should read this book to try and understand why you're just not reaching us. And, just perhaps, you'll rediscover that America is, while not perfect, still the greatest nation this world has yet seen.

Bill can show you that.

Bill Whittle's "Silent America" is a must-read for those who believe in the power of liberty and the strength of the American spirit. In no other work will you find the viewpoint of this nation's "intelligent non-intellectuals" stated so reasonably and eloquently; Whittle is, with no exaggeration, the Mark Twain of post-9/11 America.

"Silent America" is also a stinging refutation to the defeatist anti-Americanism of authors such as Moore, Chomsky, and Vidal. They would do well to read this book for a better understanding of why their work still doesn't find traction within the mainstream population of the US.

When read online these essays seem huge, but in print they are just right. BW is a visionary, and I was captured in his vision within the first paragraph of each of these essays.

I suspect M. Hogan did not bother to read it, but was instead giving his customary 1 star review to anything perceived as right-wing.

Bill Whittle may have the clearest vision of both the future and the past of anyone in America. I have read many of his essays from his website, but this compilation puts them all into one book you can take with you anywhere. If you don't break down and cry at least once each essay, you aren't a thinking person, if you don't recognize the importance of supporting our Constitution and country after any three essays, you may have a learning disability! If you believe in the American way of life, you will definitely consider this book a keeper!

Until you read these essays, you will not believe how powerful they are. They discuss the core concepts of our lives, in relation to our current world-historical struggle against terrorism.

At this point, you're probably thinking "Hey, there are a thousand philosophy books that do that." Sure, but these essays are not written for philosophy majors. They are written for everyone. The style is casual and approachable - any literate person can read these essays for both pleasure and information. You'll be halfway through an essay, and enjoying it immensely, before you realize that the author has laid the groundwork for a serious point on some deep concept such as honor, courage, and responsibility.

Many of us would like to believe that, when it comes to such moral concepts, we are driven by pure logic, like Mr. Spock. Bill Whittle supplies plenty of that, giving strong rational cases for his positions.

But the truth is that we can't sift through the logical fine points in every incident of our lives that has a moral dimension. In some instances, there's no time - we must react. Even for cases that are not urgent, we face so many judgements we can't possibly agonize over each one. We need guiding principles.

These principles help us understand what to do, in the face of both our own impulses, and also in the face of pressure and propaganda from various sources. Principles such as freedom, honor, courage, and responsibility are not passe, as many might have you believe, but are more important than ever. This book explains why.

You can sample the essays in this book at Bill Whittle's web site, ejectejecteject.com. But if you're like me, you'll also want to have a copy for your library, or to give to others for whom the Internet is not a primary source of information.

Bill Whittle was a liberal once - he even voted for Al Gore in the 2000 election. Bill is also an aviator and a science buff and tries to provide clarity of thought where there are knee-jerk emotions.
You will no doubt weep at least once in the book as Bill inspires us to greatness while acknowledging our faults. In fact, he has no illusions about the capacity for evil within man and is willing to name evil empires. It is the reality of man's potential for both garbage and geatness that makes his essays so relevant.
Why is capitalism more kind than communism? Why is our triune government better than either "pure" democracy or dictatorship? Read the essays and understand why the unique blend of capitalism, a government created with a system of checks and balances, and the American spirit can give us hope that someday "democracy" will prevail even in the Middle East.
Watch for more from this superb thinker and author.

Liberals and members of the media who are still dumbfounded at the reelection of George Bush should read this book to understand the tens of millions of red state Americans who voted for him to remain in office. Bill Whittle puts down words on paper that summarize and expound what we know in our hearts: that the USA is a good country full of good people.

The printing of this book is due to the demands of Whittle's fans, who have been reading his online essays for a long time. In fact, you can preview most of this book for free at http://www.ejectejecteject.com. The essays are on the right side of the window under "Silent America". I suggest starting with "Empire" but you can read them in any order you want. I suspect that, like many of us, you'll get hooked and want a hardcopy sitting on your nightstand.

As a fiction reader, I am cautious about non-fiction. It usually puts me to sleep within minutes. Sometimes I come across a writer who can frame prose and carry an idea with all the wit and energy of the best fiction.

This is one of those books. I enjoyed every essay and not just for the philosophy and the thoughts, but as an artist of words who admires this work of art.

Each essay frames an idea and carries it forward, building each step with logic and passion and humor. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll gasp -- and you definitely won't fall asleep. I highly recommend this book.

First let me say that I've never considered myself either "red" or "blue"; I'm what I'd like to call middle-wing, if you will. I wasn't born in this country. I've seen poverty, indifference, fear, injustice, lawlessness, and other stuff that all those "well-meaning", "human-rights-protecting", "justice-seeking" on the far left have only heard about from CNN. When I immigrated into the U.S., I was already too old to be brainwashed, but old enough to see things for what they were, and to think for myself.

That said, I believe that this isn't merely reading material for "reds". This is a must-read for everyone, and especially for those who still retain at least a iota of realism, an ability to keep an open mind, and a human heart. Because I dare you to read this and remain indifferent.

Of course, I do not nurse such hope. I know there are people out there who'll remain not only indifferent but cynical and self-righteous, continuing to spew forth their absurd, idealistic nonsense, which has little to do with reality of this country, or this world for that matter. But I really believe that for some people, people on the brink of not knowing what to believe, this book might come to be the light at the end of the tunnel.

As for all those who'll choose to shrug this off as "right-wing propaganda"... There's a reason this book called "Silent America", you know. It is people like Bill Whittle who represent the majority in this country, the silent but strong majority. Those are the people who see the world for what it IS, not the unrealistic little fairytale that they would PREFER it was. But above all, those are the people who don't feel the need to scream on every corner about their being the majority, because they KNOW IT.

In the words of Bill, himself, "There are millions of us. Millions. And we do not have to go gently into that good night." Ditto.

In 2003 I discovered a Blogger whose thoughts spoke to me as I was evolving in my Political thinking from Liberal to Conservative.

The 1st essay I read was POWER, and what I wrote then still holds up today, and applies to the whole series in this book:

"I am in tears, I am in awe of a massive writing and thinking talent, I am so overwhelmed by the ideas and beliefs and truths tossed about in a piece I have just read that it will take me several more readings to fully digest it all.

There is a battle going on in the world for the hearts and minds of mankind.

Between the forces of Democracy, Freedom, Creativity, Individualism, and Prosperity, and the Minions of Oppression, who want to stifle all attempts at having the above and everything else that goes along with it.

The piece I have just read is the single best writing I've encountered in the Bloggerverse.

This is the standard we all aspire to reach someday.

This is why we blog, and why we read the works of our fellow bloggers.

It stirs the mind, and stirs the soul."

As I said these words apply to the whole collection, in equal measure, but let me continue with something I wrote in Aug. 2004:

At the end of his series Bill wrote a Call to Arms that will serve as my reason for encouraging you to take the time to read this whole collection:

Bill's own words....

"Throughout this collection I have done my best to try and show how deeply my life has been affected by the miracle that is this country and the family that is her people.
We have been doing a lot of arguing lately, this family. Many things have been said in anger. Well, these are critical, dangerous times.we can all agree on that much, at least.

But we are a family, whether we like each other or not. We are in this together. I would never urge any free man or woman to take sides contrary to their principles, and our principles vary as widely as our places of origins, our accents and our skin colors - no two exactly the same.

I am asking you now, as one voice among millions - nothing more - not to cease criticizing the government, the President, or our actions in Iraq. Without the crucible of heated debate among passionate believers we will lose our way.

All I ask is this:

Do not destroy this house. Do not destroy this house to make a point. It is a magnificent house, a grand and sturdy home to us all. Do not let the stains upon her floor cause you to set her aflame. We have fought amongst ourselves for as long as we have been a people; that will never change, and in its own unpleasant, annoying and wonderful way, it should never change.

But for our sake and for those across the oceans: argue about the paint. Argue about the sleeping arrangements. Argue about how best to wash those stains where they appear.

But for the sake of all who have gone before us here, and all who will come after: help me defend this house."

WOW! Even a year, and more, later those words have power.

Now, dear reader, go, read, think, and be PROUD, and UNASHAMED, to call yourself an American Citizen.

Experience the thrill of discovering this work at your own leisure, and savoring every word as you do so.