Stupid White Men: ...and Other Sorry Excuses for the State of the Nation! [Paperback]

I found 'Stupid White Men', although genuine to its very core, to be slightly naive. However, the simplicity could be the intention of the author.

If Moore, and I believe this to be the case, wants to reach Middle America with his views then I think he succeeds. If the book is an attempt to galvanise an electorate even more apathetic and disaffected than in this country then I think he succeeds.

Where I think the book fails is in its inability to be much more than a tub-thumping rant. That is his style and I accept that, but by doing this he suffocates some serious points and skirts some issues which he could have spent more time discussing rather than say, his reasons for choosing to buy a mini-van. However as I say, he is a comedian and while trying to keep the theme light, you can forgive the authors reluctance to substantiate his statements with any real depth.

The exception to this I would say is the fantastic expose of the Bush/Cheney election farce. This first chapter of the book is worth the price alone. If an American citizen can read and understand this without wanting to vomit on the lawn of the white house, then they are a more tolerant nation than I give them credit for.

I think Moore is going for the populist vote and why not? It needs more books of this nature to be read by the masses that perhaps cannot get to grips with other political texts.

Stupid White Men is funny and intelligent. It's a good diversion from more serious authors such as Chomsky and Pilger and certainly one for the uninitiated.

The exact facts of the elecetion campaign- the removal of scores of black voters from the Florida electoral register, achieved by a Republican senator working with Jeb Bush, the confusing ballot form which led many Jews to mistakenly vote for a right-wing Anti-Semite when they aaimed ot elect Al Gore, and the efforts to corrupt the military vote- are galling for anyone who believes in American Democracy, and the mentions of Enron involvement take on extra severity now that millions have lost their savings in the whole fiasco.

His seciton about how he fears white people is hilarious, especially his suggestions for black people to place 'whites only' signs in places where black people are essnetially denied entry, and his questionas to why the violent lyrics of Bruce Springsteen and The Dixie Chicks are not criticised in the way rappers are. Gee, let me think.....

He also looks at international issues from a sideways perspective. The notion that the problems of Northern Ireland can be solved by everyone going Catholic, and his list of reasons why they should, is tongue-in-cheek and should be taken as such.

The final chapter is also amusing, detailing his history of involvement with Ralph Nader, and expressing his voiew on how unfair the public have been in accusing him of costing Gore the election. Perfectly true, and a finning finale to a book for everyone who fele the spirit of the 60s still alive.

Moore's rants of rage through personal attacks and cheap shots at the Bush administration and the rich are comical but detract from the real political issues and the validity of his arguments. The book is laced with "facts and figures" but lacks the academic finesse and journalistic integrity of a true documentary. If one were inclined to check all of his footnote references (like Ben Fitz), it would be obvious that at least some of his facts are inaccurate. Anyone with a slightly sceptical mind would be inclined to confirm most of these facts elsewhere before quoting them to a friend. And if you've learned anything from the book, you will check all the facts you're reading!

Despite some factual flaws it is a pleasant relief to see some Americans critically examining their country's politics at home and abroad. And if nothing else, the book will definitely get you laughing out loud.