What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism
By: Dan Rather, Elliot Kirschner / Narrated By: Dan Rather
Length: 7 hrs and 5 mins
After listening to “Them” it was time to check out the other side of the aisle’s take on how to unite this broken country
You’ll either love this book or hate it, depending on whether you lean left, lean right. Cuz Rather bars no holds as he calls out what is wrong with the country, and who is wrong for the country. If ya lean right, you’ll be plenty peeved.
I’ve gotta say that while I LOVED this book, I was somewhat disappointed because I truly thought it would have many and varied ideas on how to reach across the aisle and start having a dialogue.
Uhm, nope, not really. Just as Them, Ben Sasse’s book on “uniting” us devolved into same-old right wing BS of calling out the media, and calling for understanding that those who voted in Trump just wanna go back to simpler (More segregated and Christian dominated) times, What Unites Us is a book on “uniting” us by remembering all the Liberals who were awesome, how all needs to be inclusive, and shame on anyone for speaking otherwise.
Don’t get me wrong; I was firmly onboard, which I’m totally not proud of. I really wish I could say that I’m open to another way to conduct life in these United States, but it turns out that I’m not. But that doesn’t mean I’m okay with a book, which spouts everything I believe: Inclusivity, freedom of religions which are NOT Christianity, one person-one vote, saving our educational system… winding up excluding all the others who don’t believe in such things and in casting such a dark pall over them via the written word. Just as Them has no room for me in Sasse’s call for unity, What Unites Us has no room for the right-wing other, who just happen to live here too.
Okay, that’s the only thing I found troubling about the book, ultimately: I can’t call it the cure-all for our times when I’d dearly love to. Still, it was refreshing, after years of the current political outrage I’ve been feeling, for a steady, even-tempered, good-hearted individual to espouse my own beliefs in such an open and dignified way. Not that Dan Rather would EVER call himself dignified, he’s too down home and aw-shucksy to raise himself above the masses. But his over 8 decades on the planet, his having seen so very much in his life, his bravery over the years of reporting and investigating, his cheeky good humor and ability to laugh at all that is wry and unfathomable, bestow upon him a certain gravitas that is lacking in this day of The Most Outrageous Tweets Get Our Attention.
Expect heartfelt essays on race, inclusion, freedoms, the importance of a free press (With all the obligations the Press should feel to be objective… Now wouldn’t THAT be something!). Expect to feel pride in all our nation’s scientific and artistic achievements, and to send out a hearty Huzzah to notables in those fields. Expect to have questions asked of you, ones that’ll have you looking deep within yourself to find answers.
Expect to be challenged to be a better person.
No, this isn’t a completely objective book, but gosh darn it all: What a challenge in this day and age, when we as a society haven’t had much asked of us.
Dan Rather calls on us to remember the wonders of all that preceded us, and he calls on us to be responsible for the future that awaits us. It’s up to us…
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