History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Murder in Amsterdam: The Death of Theo van Gogh and the Limits of Tolerance

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Informative Read!!
Problems of Muslim Community in Europe
Beyond right and left
much more than a murder
Lots to Digest

Murder in Amsterdam: The Death of Theo van Gogh and the Limits of Tolerance
Ian Buruma
Manufacturer: Penguin Press HC, The
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1594201080

Book Description

Ian Buruma returns to his native land to explore the great dilemma of our time through the story of the brutal murder of controversial Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh at the hands of an Islamic extremist.

It was the emblematic crime of our moment: On a cold November day in Amsterdam, an angry young Muslim man, Mohammed Bouyeri, the son of Moroccan immigrants, shot and killed the celebrated and controversial Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh, great-grandnephew of Vincent and iconic European provocateur, for making a movie with the vocally anti-Islam Somali-born Dutch politician Ayaan Hirsi Ali that "blasphemed" Islam. After Bouyeri shot van Gogh, he calmly stood over the body and cut his throat with a curved machete, as if performing a ritual sacrifice, which in a very real sense he was.

The murder horrified quiet, complacent, prosperous Holland, a country that prides itself on being a bastion of tolerance, and sent shock waves across Europe and around the world. Shortly thereafter, Ian Buruma returned to his native country to try to make sense of it all and to see what larger meaning should and shouldn't be drawn from this story. The result is Buruma's masterpiece: a book with the intimacy and narrative control of a true-crime page-turner and the intellectual resonance we've come to expect from one of the most well-regarded journalists and thinkers of our time. Ian Buruma's entire life has led him to this narrative: In his hands, it is the exemplary tale of our age, the story of what happens when political Islam collides with the secular West and tolerance finds its limits.

Customer Reviews:

Informative Read!!.......2007-09-29

"Murder in Amsterdam" was able to shed new light on the immigration plight that The Netherlands is experiencing. The author explains how some of the immigrants, especially the second generation, are having a difficult time assimilating into a compeletely different culture than that of the Middle East. Ultimately, many of these immigrants, probably more so the males (since they have more freedom) find themselves being sucked into the thoughts and ways of radical Islam.

I thought this book was divided up pretty well. Not only does the author explain why and how the death of Van Gogh happened, but he also mentions how other political leaders in that country are also targeted by radical Islam. There is also a chapter devoted to Van Gogh's killer.

In doing so, he relates this to how the Dutch culture has felt guilty for turning a blind on the Jews during the Nazi occupation. For this reason, the Dutch feel that they need to be more tolerant to present day immigrants, mostly from Morocco and Turkey. But too much appeasement, may be doing more harm than good. In addition, the Netherlands since the 1960's is becoming more secular which makes it easier for radical Islam to penetrate a country that doesn't hold much religious convition.

I had no idea that Van Gogh's and Pim Fortuyn's murder had such a great impact on this tiny nation. If anyone is looking for a closer read on not only the murders, but the national psyche of the Netherlands, then "Murder in Amsterdam" will be a fulfilling read.

Problems of Muslim Community in Europe.......2007-07-16

This is not a murder mystery. We learn up front about the death of Theo van Gogh, why he was killed by Mohammed Boyeri over a film critical of Islam he made with Ayaan Hirsi Ali. The book explores the life and thought of these three Dutch persons in great detail. The real topic of the book is given by the last line of the subtitle, what are: "the Limits of Tolerance" in an open, democratic society towards culturally very different immigrants?

The Netherlands has a Muslim minority of about 15 percent, immigrants and descendants of immigrants, who form a separate community which is assimilating to Dutch ways only slowly if at all. Virtually all intend to maintain their adherence to Islam, and Islamic culture. How great differences can a society tolerate? Surely not murder, not killing for religious, political, or family honor reasons. Can a western society tolerate polygamy, permitted by the Koran? Sending children "home" to be religiously educated in a madrasa, and to learn the parents' language to the exclusion of the national language? Forced marriage of young women?

Ian Buruma, a journalist who grew up in the Netherlands, is well placed to explicate many of these issues. In Theo van Gogh he examins a writer who was outspokenly critical of Islam and the multi-cultural ideal. In Hirsi Ali he assesses a woman who has entirely turned away from her birth culture, and in Boyeri the exact opposite, a Dutch born individual who became an Islamist radical. The role of the Islamic immigration community is a major issue in Europe today. The book is well worth reading for examining part of this question through the life of three individuals.

Beyond right and left.......2007-06-20

Most of the reviews of this books have misunderstood the complexity of its story. Some seem to have been looking for a book that confirmed their prejudices about Muslim immigrants in Europe. Instead, Buruma tells a story that cannot be assimilated to either the ¨¨war on terror¨¨ or apologistsfor terrorists. He paints a picture of a society which is tolerant of lifestyles but very homogeneous culturally and perfectly happy to stay that way. Tolerance means becoming Dutch and any conception that a person could be Dutch and a devout Muslim seems inconceivable to many of Buruma's compatriots. This is in spite of the fact that he interviews many Dutch muslims who see no contradiction in that identity and are in that way like millions of Muslims in the US. The circumstances of Van Gogh's murder are explained straignt-forwardly and the author offers no excuses for the murderer. But he does make it clear how Dutch society creates the conditions in which people like that develop. That is not the same as justifying or apologizing. Read this book with an open mind and a willingness to chalenge all your presuppositions--whether they come from Bernard Lewis or Noam Chomsky. This is not a book to comfort those who already think they know the truth.

much more than a murder.......2007-06-19

more than the murder of Theo Van Gogh the author explores how such a thing could happen in small liberal loveable Holland of all places.How could such a place welcome people from all over the world allowing Amsterdam to become 45percent foreign born now be a place where freedom of speech is dangerous?How does it follow that this enourmous population of Moroccans and Turks who receive every possible state assistance and then some be so resentful of the country that welcomed them?
Holland is of course, a microcosm of the European Welfare State.

I think many of Burumas"s explanations for the turn of events happening in Holland described by other readers are interesting but the one that captured me was the collective feeling of guilt which started in the 60s when the world finally faced and spoke of the Holocaust. With some exceptions such as Anne Frank most of the country and the rest of Europe as well did little but watch their citizens be hauled away to be murdered.Now with the facts out in the open the Europeans had to face their share of the blame and the guilt.Surely they would be careful never to be racist again.Very very careful.
And who should arrive just about then but first the Moluccans and Surinamese(who after all were Dutch Citizens)paving the way for the Turks and Moroccans to do the dirty work the Dutch would not and then their families and then anyone who called themselves "refugees".This continues to this day.
So the irony is that guilt for the slaughter of the jews is what allows the Europeans to bend over backwards enabling and protecting the people who would slaughter the jews again.
And need I mention bringing about the demise of western civilization.

Lots to Digest.......2007-03-04

My headline is not original. It's a quote from another review below. I used it because it is so apt.

Buruma's writing flows. It's like having coffee with him as he recounts his experiences with Theo and describes Theo's life, TV show and art. He explains the earlier, but separate, murder of Pim Fortuyn. The flamboyant libertarian/conservative Fortuyn, killed by an animal rights activist, credits the Enlightenment with his ability as a gay man to be elected to public office. He saw the intolerance of Muslim culture as a threat to the fullfillment of civil rights that Dutch society has finally evolved to provide.

Most provocative are Buruma's interviews. He meets with Ayaan Hersi Ali and (something like) her Dutch foster family. He talks with a psychiatrist, friends of Theo, Theo's mother, young Moroccan women who work in a shelter for Muslim women, welfare workers, teachers... and many others representing a wide range of opinion.

Buruma explains how WWII and its myths and legends hang over the Netherlands of today. Buruma cites the influence of this recent past on the immigration policy and the climate of tolerance. The book takes us to the last "home" of Anne Frank and into "dish cities". The question posed by the subtitle, how to be tolerant of an intolerant society is debated on many levels.

I highly recommend this book.

No Easy Answers: The Truth Behind Death at Columbine

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Most info
Great Book
Bullying and Teasing As Possible Causes of School Violence
No Easy Answers: The Truth Behind Columbine
Learn the whole truth about the causes of Columbine

No Easy Answers: The Truth Behind Death at Columbine
Brooks Brown , and Rob Merritt
Manufacturer: Lantern Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1590560310

Book Description

On April 20, 1999, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, two seniors at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, walked into their school and shot to death twelve students and one teacher, and wounded many others. It was the worst single act of murder at a school in U.S. history.

Few people knew Dylan Klebold or Eric Harris better than Brooks Brown. Brown and Klebold were best friends in grade school, and years later, at Columbine, Brown was privy to some of Harris and Klebold's darkest fantasies and most troubling revelations After the shootings, Brown was even accused by the police of having been in on the massacre--simply because he had been friends with the killers.

Now, for the first time, Brown, with journalist Rob Merritt, gets to tell his full version of the story. He describes the warning signs that were missed or ignored, and the evidence that was kept hidden from the public after the murders. He takes on those who say that rock music or video games caused Klebold and Harris to kill their classmates and explores what it might have been that pushed these two young men, from supposedly stable families, to harbor such violent and apocalyptic dreams.

Shocking as well as inspirational and insightful, No Easy Answers is an authentic wake-up call for all the psychologists, authorities, parents, and law enforcement personnel who have attempted to understand the murders at Columbine High School. As the title suggests, the book offers no easy answers, but instead presents the unvarnished facts about growing up as an alienated teenager in America today."If there is any solace to come out of a tragedy of the magnitude of the Columbine shooting, it is what lessons might be learned in its aftermath. With bravery, wit, and striking honesty, Brooks Brown and Rob Merritt allow us a glimpse into what led to that event, what happened afterward, and most importantly, why any community would be naive to think it might not happen to them, too. How thin is the line between a bully and a victim? Who is to blame, when a community is turned inside out? As No Easy Answers suggests, it may just be the community itself. And it offers up a question of that resonates after the last page is turned: What can you and I do to keep this from happening again? If you're a parent, read this with your child; if you're a teen, leave this on your parents' bedside table--and above all else, start the conversation too much of this world is unwilling to have." -- Jodi Picoult, author of the New York Times #1 bestselling novel Nineteen Minutes

Customer Reviews:

Most info.......2007-10-13

This is probably one of the best books written about columbine because it was written by someone who had at one time been a friend of one of the murders and actually knew both boys.It has the most info in it and if you read this then read the other books written by those who were shot you get a fuller picture of what happened that horrible day.

Great Book.......2007-09-01

I have Writen many papers on Columbine High School when I was in school. I have looked at web site, looked at all the information that I found I have spoken with people and authority's for my papers. Brooks Browns book told quite a bit that had never been told before that shows friendship and distructive behavior. It talks about how Dylan and Eric began their friendship, unless someone who was there in the library or in the school writes a book we will never know who said what. What happened we only have the accounts that have been told to others and their family's. This is a great book and if you want to know how Eric and Dylan started off this is the book for you.

Bullying and Teasing As Possible Causes of School Violence.......2007-05-22

"No Easy Answer" is a look at the Columbine massacre from the perspective of Brooks Brown, a friend of the two shooters. As a retired middle school teacher, I can tell you that the bullying and teasing described in this book does go on. This book is a page-turner that gives the reader a look at the sociology of the present-day high school. I highly recommend "No Easy Answers" for anyone interested in learning more about school shootings. I also recommend the young adult novel "Give a Boy a Gun" by Todd Strassor.

No Easy Answers: The Truth Behind Columbine.......2007-03-14

This was a very interesting account by a young man who had some insights that few have of this most tragic event in our history. As a school administrator it was a wake-up call.

Learn the whole truth about the causes of Columbine.......2006-12-13

The Roman poet Virgil once wrote, "From a single crime, know the nation."

Brooks Brown, who knew both Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, gives a unique perspective on the root causes that may have led to the infamous Columbine massacre, a list that includes intense bullying, preferential treatment given to athletes and a culturally-ingrained intolerance for anyone deemed to be different from the status quo.

Detractors of both the book and the author seem to be entirely missing the point Brown makes in this book, i.e., the same sort of "bullying" behavior that one reads in the hostile comments left on the various reviews here are just the sort of thing that probably helped to perpetuate the hate and discontent felt at Columbine. When will people ever learn, one must ask?

All in all, this one is an excellent read and I highly recommend it for learning the whole truth behind the causes of the Columbine massacre.

Average customer rating:

Looking at Washington corruption through a keyhole
Packed with facts and information!
Loved it, read it.
Great book!
The Strange Death of the Truth

The STRANGE DEATH OF VINCENT FOSTER
Christopher Ruddy
Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0684838370

Amazon.com

Ever since the night that deputy White House counselor Vincent Foster was found dead in a Washington, D.C., park, conspiracy theories about his death have abounded. Everyone from evangelist Jerry Falwell to talk-show host Rush Limbaugh has weighed in with his or her own version of events: Foster was murdered; his body was moved; the investigation into his death became a giant cover-up. Christopher Ruddy, a reporter for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, a paper owned by conservative Richard Scaife, has entered the fray with The Strange Death of Vincent Foster.

As Ruddy goes over the evidence, it becomes increasingly clear that the initial investigative work by the park police and the FBI was mishandled--evidence was poorly collected and documented, the autopsy was hardly comprehensive, and eyewitness accounts differed drastically. In addition, the role of White House counsel Bernard Nussbaum in obstructing the police search of Foster's office and belongings was undoubtedly out of line. Do shoddy police work and overzealous political posturing add up to a vast governmental conspiracy? Ruddy suggests they do; readers of The Strange Death of Vincent Foster may or may not reach the same conclusion.

Book Description

On a humid July day in 1993, White House deputy counsel Vincent W. Foster was found dead in Fort Marcy Park in suburban Virginia. One of the nation's highest-ranking federal officers, Foster was a boyhood friend of President Bill Clinton and a close confidant of First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. His death sent shock waves through the White House and the nation's capital.

The death was quickly pronounced a suicide. According to the official story that soon emerged, Foster was depressed, angry, and isolated. With nowhere else to turn, he went to a secluded park near the Potomac River, put a gun in his mouth, and killed himself.

But is that what really happened?

In this compelling and fully documented report, investigative journalist Christopher Ruddy answers that critical question. Ruddy, who has covered the case almost from the start, details the disturbing inconsistencies surrounding Foster's alleged suicide, chronicles the botched investigations, documents the frenzied illegal activity in the White House in the hours after Foster's death, and notes the persistent failure of mainstream media to ask the right questions.

Throughout his thorough investigation of the available forensic and circumstantial evidence, Ruddy weaves a disturbing tale of cover-ups, abuse of power, police and prosecutorial incompetence, and press indifference. His startling conclusion -- that despite the official line, Foster could not have killed himself in Fort Marcy Park -- will persuade even the most skeptical reader to demand a full public investigation into the mysterious circumstances of the death of Vincent Foster and the troubling events in its aftermath.

Customer Reviews:

Looking at Washington corruption through a keyhole.......2007-09-16

On July 20, 1993, Deputy White House Counsel Vincent W. Foster, Jr. was found dead in Fort Marcy Park, Virginia. On January 27, 1994, Christopher Ruddy became the first American journalist to write anything about the death that was both based upon actual interviews of witnesses at the park and called into question the official suicide ruling. With this book he reached another milestone. More than four years after the death he became the first person to have a serious, critical book on the Foster death published by a "mainstream" publisher.

The book, like his reporting on the case, first for the New York Post and later for the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, is thick with facts that contradict the official version, a version which we have, up to now, only been given by the initial Special Prosecutor, Robert Fiske, in a sparse, double-spaced, 58-page report (We are not counting the numerous journalists, most notably James Stewart in the Simon and Schuster book, Blood Sport, who have also peddled the official suicide-from-depression story.).

Here's an outline of some of the most important evidence that Ruddy reveals to us:

The Body

Foster was laid out as though ready for a coffin with his legs straight and his arms down by his side.

He was neat and tidy. None of the gore that one would expect when a person has blown his brains out with a .38 caliber revolver was present. Only a trickle of blood was seen oozing from the nose and the corner of the mouth. No samples of skull, brain tissue, or hair were collected, or even reported seen, on the ground or vegetation. There was no large pool of blood. There was no blow-back on the barrel of the gun, his hand, or the sleeve of his shirt. His teeth were not chipped nor his mouth damaged from, as we were told, having held the pistol's barrel deep in his mouth when he fired it.

None of the witnesses in the park reported seeing the large exit wound at the crown of the head that is in the autopsy report of Dr. James Beyer, a man with a record of serious mistakes on autopsies resulting in suicide rulings when murder was more likely. On his report, Dr. Beyer checked that he took X-rays and an attending policeman wrote on his report that Dr. Beyer had told him that the X-rays showed no bullet fragments in the head, yet Dr. Beyer later said, and Fiske reported, that no X-rays were taken because the machine was not working. Service records on the X-ray machine, however, belie the claim that it was not working.

An emergency worker at the park has testified to having seen a small wound on the right side of the neck . Ruddy claims to have seen a photograph leaked to him from Kenneth Starr's office that shows a similar neck wound. Recently, a document was uncovered in the National Archives that indicates that medical examiner Dr. James Haut also reported seeing a neck wound. A good part of the Polaroid photographs taken of the scene have disappeared, and it has been claimed that the 35-mm photos taken by the principal police photographer were spoiled by under-exposure.

The Gun

Neither police nor FBI apparently ever showed the gun found in Foster's hand to immediate family members for identification. The gun was an old 1913-vintage Colt made up from parts of two or more guns. The preponderance of evidence suggests that it was not Foster's gun.

The earliest witness said there was no gun in the hand when he saw the body. The next witness, a Park Policeman, also saw no gun, though he claims not to have looked very closely. One of the earliest emergency workers to arrive has given sworn expert testimony that the gun he saw was an automatic, not a revolver.

No fingerprints from Foster were on the gun or the bullet shell casings.

Powder markings on the webbing between thumb and forefinger of both hands indicate either that Foster held the gun in an impossibly awkward position, someone caused the markings to be there after the death, or Foster was trying to ward off a shot by grabbing the gun by the front cylinder gap.

No matching bullets to the two shells (one spent) in the gun were found anywhere.

The supposed fatal bullet was never found.

The police ruled suicide before ever testing the gun to see if it was functional and had been fired. Originally, the Park Police gave erroneous information about the testing of the gun.

The Note

The note that has been liberally interpreted as a suicide note was reportedly found in a briefcase that had been emptied, searched, and inventoried in front of several investigating officials.

Though torn into 28 pieces, none of Foster's fingerprints were on it.

The Capitol Hill policeman to whom it was unaccountably sent for authentication is not a certified handwriting examiner, and he used only one document putatively written by Foster for comparison.

A serious effort was made to keep a photocopy of the note out of the hands of the public.

A trio of respected handwriting examiners, including the world's leading authenticator of literary manuscripts from Oxford University in England, has declared that the note is a forgery.

Senator D'Amato's Whitewater Committee, seemingly forgetting about their subpoena power, refused to look into the authenticity question because "the family would not turn over the note."

One could continue in this vein with equally strong sketches under "The Spurious `Depression'," "The Car and the Keys," "Doctored Statements and Intimidated Witnesses," "The Time of White House Notification," and several other categories, but space is limited and we would not want the reader to think that he now has no need to read the book. The book is well worth its price if only for the truly splendidly-rendered morality play described in Chapter 9 (The chapters, unfortunately, are not named; they are only numbered.). Ruddy seems to be the proverbial fly on the wall as "the hero of the story," federal attorney Miquel Rodriguez makes what looks like a serious attempt to get at the truth, grilling witnesses before the grand jury, only to be undercut at every turn by his superiors, Mark Tuohey and Kenneth Starr. Rodriguez eventually gives up and unceremoniously resigns. Properly executed, this chapter by itself would make a very powerful movie.

The first thing that has to come to anyone's mind as he reads these shocking revelations is "Why haven't I heard any of this before? There is information here that would have sold newspapers by the ton and kept people glued to the TV screens. Whatever happened to the aggressive free press motivated, if not by a love of truth, at least by profit, and where are the sleuths of Watergate?" Ruddy has no answer. He doesn't even bother to ask the question. What terrible secret, incriminating to so many, must lie behind the Foster death? He also has no explanation as to why the supposed "opposition" Republicans have rolled over like trained seals. Again, he fails even to ask the question.

Instead, with as powerful a case as he has, Ruddy gives up the moral high ground by choosing to have his book touted on the dust cover by William Sessions, the man who directed the FBI at the time of the Ruby Ridge and Waco outrages. The tone of the endorsement, the first thing that most readers will see, is so timid and defensive that it almost amounts to damning with faint praise: "Mr. Ruddy has carefully avoided drawing undue inferences about the death. It is legitimate to question the process employed by authorities to make their conclusions."

Ruddy, seeming not to recognize the strength of his hand, echoes Sessions' tone near the book's end with a long, inadequate response to the patently spurious and insincere arguments that he has heard against his pursuing the case "not only from media colleagues, but from leading political and law-enforcement figures as well." Does he not realize that it is they, not he, who have the answering to do?

Finally, I am troubled by Ruddy's omission of a number of crucial facts about the case. To cite the worst example, he does not tell us that well before his book went to the printers the witness, Patrick Knowlton, had filed suit for witness intimidation against a number of individuals working for the FBI. Rather, there is only mention in a chronology in an appendix that Knowlton "file(d) suit in federal court alleging the government violated his civil rights." From what we are told it sounds like no more than a trivial nuisance suit, but it is far more than that. After Starr had closed the case the Knowlton suit was the public's best chance of learning the truth, but Ruddy would seem to prefer that we know virtually nothing about it.

The other major pressure point is with the Congress, and the Republicans there, particularly Chairman Dan Burton of the House Government Oversight and Reform Committee, once a lonesome Congressional champion of truth in the Foster case, completely escape censure by Ruddy. These omissions and others, sad to say, are more than enough to make one question Ruddy's motives. Does he, the outsider who started out at the Rupert Murdoch-owned New York tabloid and then fell to the tiny suburban Pittsburgh newspaper owned by that notable funder of conservative causes, Richard Mellon Scaife, want too badly to be accepted by the cozy, thoroughly discredited club of "media colleagues" and "leading political and law-enforcement figures?" Some things, he should recognize, are more important than that.

Packed with facts and information!.......2007-06-19

I picked up this book not knowing much about Vincent Foster, or the scandals that surrounded the Clinton's. I was younger then, and now that Hillary is running for President I thought I should know.

Firstly, Ruddy should be commended for his exhaustive efforts in putting together an informative book. No doubt he has sifted through countless documents and interviews, and probably spent countless nights digesting all of it.

Pretty much after the first ten pages I knew Foster did not kill himself, which left me to wonder what the remaining 300 pages would consist of. This book has a LOT of information and at times it can feel overwhelming. I thought it might have felt less so had Ruddy separated his book into chapters by points of concern or contradiction, followed by facts backing up each point. I realize this approach is difficult, for Foster's death is murky and had it been easy to discern the truth the case would be solved by now. Instead Ruddy's book goes back and forth with events discussed previously resurfacing later.

One thing's for sure, you get more from Ruddy's book if you come in with some pre-knowledge of other key players: McDougals, Webster Hubbel, Craig Livingstone, Whitewater, Travelgate, even Bill and Hillary, to name a few! This book is like a piece of a puzzle that fits better when you have all the pieces. These people and cases are important and Ruddy doesn't necessarily fill you in with details, (it's a bit annoying at times, but it certainly cuts down on the length of his book). Ruddy does include a couple pages in the Appendix covering a bit about these people, as well as a few timelines that are helpful.

Overall, this is no novel, it's an investigate study packed with facts and information and you'll certainly have your fill of it.

Loved it, read it........2006-06-29

There are certain occurrences which come into play during the Clinton administration like so many deaths during his reign, Chinagate etc. Read this and look deeper than what is written.

Great book!.......2001-08-20

A fascinating account of yet another bungled White House cover-up. The author is to be commended not only for writing a compelling book but also for his excellent research skills. It is obvious from reading some of the negative reader reviews that many people write reviews without reading anything but the flyleaf. Books like these only make me more grateful to be a Canadian!

The Strange Death of the Truth.......2001-07-20

This book is nothing more than a compilation of hypothetical "what ifs." The author posits no evidence and does nothing more than simply spew forth his opinion that the Clintons are evil and therefore must be up to foul play. Treat this book like the hogwash that it is.

End Times: Death of the Fourth Estate (Counterpunch)

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Essential reading for anyone interested in free speech and media democracy!

End Times: Death of the Fourth Estate (Counterpunch)
Alexander Cockburn , and Jeffrey St. Clair
Manufacturer: AK Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1904859372

Book Description

We can no longer trust that our journalists are reporting the news without underlying corporate or governmental agendas. The US government deregulates radio and right-wing Clear Channel gobbles up available frequencies. Journalists are embedded and the war in Iraq is a noble one. Whether the information is fabricated, one-sided, or illegally obtained, recent scandals like those involving Judy Miller and Robert Woodward only serve to underline the point that journalistic integrity is not what it used to be.

Enter Jeffrey St. Clair and Alexander Cockburn, who have not only kept the tradition of muckraking alive, but have reinvented and reinvigorated it for our times. Their newest effort, End Times, presents a detailed scrutiny of the "quality" print press and leading corporate media in the last decade, detailing a disastrous sequence of misrepresentation, suppression, ignorance, and willful embrace of the government's agenda. These essays trace the impending disintegration of what is now "old media"-the traditional and now potentially tainted sources of our daily news-and looks toward the emergence of an entirely new landscape of mass communications: one that includes a more populist approach to information dissemination.

Customer Reviews:

Essential reading for anyone interested in free speech and media democracy!.......2007-06-17

Recently, I obtained a copy of this excellent CounterPunch anthology by becoming a member of the Friends of AK Press, something you too should consider if you're interested in cutting-edge radical thought. Exposing the corporate media as a propaganda organ of the reactionary right, "End Games" is a passionate call to democratize the news. Whether they're discussing the war on Iraq, Rupert Murdoch, the pro-Israel lobby, Bill O'Reilly, or the attack on micro-radio, Alexander Cockburn and Jeffrey St. Clair will entertain and enlighten you. Smart, urgent, and at times wickedly funny, this is a book you need to read. And then after you read it, go on and make a movement documentary, start a punk band, publish a zine, organize a teach-in, post a story on Indymedia.org, or participate in a poetry slam. In short, become the media!

The Death of the West: How Dying Populations and Immigrant Invasions Imperil Our Country and Civilization

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The Death Of The West
An important trend that is often ignored by the mainstream media
A curious read and ominous suggestion...
AWESOME read!
Dear Mr Buchanan, you've missed something

The Death of the West: How Dying Populations and Immigrant Invasions Imperil Our Country and Civilization
Patrick J. Buchanan
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0312302592

Amazon.com

Patrick J. Buchanan's contentious premise in The Death of the West is that the United States is no longer a healthy melting pot, but instead a confused, tottering "conglomeration of peoples with almost nothing in common." Relying on United Nations population statistics, and citing such diverse sources as Yogi Berra and Rhett Butler, Buchanan sees for America four "clear and present dangers": declining birth rates; uncontrolled immigration of peoples of "different colors, creed, and cultures"; a rise of "anti-Western" culture antithetical to established religious, cultural, and moral norms; and a "defection of ruling elites" to the idea of world government. His solutions include higher wages and tax breaks for parents than for singles, a dramatic rollback of immigration quotas, and a National History Bee. Buchanan's volatile, adamant book eschews any middle ground. Readers will either applaud his ideas or be repulsed by them. --H. O'Billovitch

Book Description

The West is dying. Collapsing birth rates in Europe and the U.S., coupled with third-world population explosions, are set to cause cataclysmic shifts in world power, as unchecked immigration swamps and polarizes every Western society and nation. The facts are clear: There are 30 million foreign-born people in the U. S. today, and there are more than nine million illegal immigrantsmore than the populations of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island combined Not a single European countrysave Moslem Albaniahas a birth rate that will enableit to survive in its present form through this century By 2050, only 10% of the worlds people will be of European descent America is losing the cultural war. Militant paganism is crowding out the old faiths. Separatism is triumphing over integration. The melting pot has become a salad bowl. And the impact upon American society, politics, and culture will be devastating.

Customer Reviews:

The Death Of The West.......2007-08-24

This is an excellent, interesting, thought provoking book. I enjoyed it so much I have read it twice and have discussed the issues raised in the book with many people. I recommend it as essential reading for any westerner.

An important trend that is often ignored by the mainstream media.......2007-07-02

If birth rates are the best indication of a how much a people values itself, it's customs and it's traditions, then certainly Europeans and White Americans are in the pangs of self-loathing and self hatred. Nations and cultures usually die from internal causes and certainly the European way of life is rotten at the core. Europe and the American culture inherited from Europe is literally suicidal. Bucahanan does an outstanding job of laying out all of the grim statistics. The most important statistic is this: birth rates are exploding in the third world and developing nations while birth rates are exceedingly miniscule in the most developed nations of Europe, North america and Japan. What this means for the future no one can be certain but it is certainly an important phenomenon (maybe the most important trend in all of sociology) and one that for politically correct reasons does not receieve its due consideration in the mainstream media.

A curious read and ominous suggestion..........2007-05-17

"Death of the West" is a prophetic look at immigration and the state of our nation. One does not have to look very hard to see that this issue is of paramount importance in today's day and age. Buchannon sounds the horn, but will anyone listen to the discussion.

AWESOME read!.......2007-05-13

I never knew Patrick Buchanan was SO versed in history! A highly involved and educational read.

Didn't read it when it came out as I had the preconception that anything a staunch "conservative" would write would not be of interest. The reason? The label "conservative" has been hijacked and warped by the Neocons into a "mislabel".

Mr. Buchanan understands what a true "conservative" is and in my opinion is a true patriot.

Excellent read !!

Dear Mr Buchanan, you've missed something.......2006-11-30

Pat Buchanan's book has the following quote. It is from Katarina Runshe's book "Empty Hearts Empty Homes":

"Feminism is a Darwinian blind alley. In biological terms, there is nothing that identifies a maladaptive pattern so quickly as a below replacement level of reprocuction; an immediate consequence of feminism is what appears to be an irreversible decline in the birthrate. Nations pursue feminist policies at their peril."

Buchanan adds: "In short, the rise of feminism spells the death of the nation and the end of the West." And a little later, he says: "...the decisions women are making today will determine if Western nations will even be around in a century, and Western women are voting no."

Gloomy thoughts indeed.

But this view looks at society matrilineally: "Western Society" is being identified primarily with its women: we men are not even in the picture. Consequently, it fails to see the obvious. If feminist Western women want to "not-breed" themselves out of existence, then let them do so. We patriarchal males shall start looking for non-feminist--if necessary non-Western--women, who can be our life-companions, and the mothers of our children. There are plenty of them out there. We don't have to marry feminists.

In fact, a declining birth-rate poses a huge problem for feminism itself. If feminism is to survive for much further into the 21st century, then it needs to be passed on to the next generation, and the next generation after that. ie down the family line, from father to son, from mother to daughter to granddaughter.But is this likely to happen? According to a recent survey, 25% of young women aged 16 to 24 never want children. An italian feminist magazine found that 52% were of this opinion. Increasing numbers of women approach the end of the childbearing years, childless. Those who do have children, have them increasingly late. So the rate at which modern women reproduce themselves has slowed down considerably. One is tempted to say, that feminism cannot be passed on, because, increasingly, there is no next generation to whom to pass it.

Low birth rates do not affect all women equally. Women who identify strongly with a religious community of some sort--christian, hindu, moslem, jewish, or whatever--seem to have no trouble reproducing. The "Fatherhood and Family" ethos is still strong in those communities; hence, motherhood is valued too. And those women who are not especially religious, but who are not feminists either, also seem to do better than the national average of 1.66 children per woman. So that figure of 1.66 is only a national average. My hunch is that for feminists, the figure is lower than the national average--maybe 1.1 or 1.2 children per feminist woman. If that figure is correct, then it is pretty ominous for the future of feminism. It may be that feminism cannot be passed on to future generations, because, increasingly, there is no next generation to whom to pass it.

"Ah!" I hear you say, "What about those feminist who do have children?" Well, it is difficult to imagine feminism being passed down the male line---from father to son to grandson. Can't see it happening. So that only leaves the female line, matrilineally. Mother to daughter to granddaughter. But is even this much guaranteed? Daughters don't always follow their mothers. Imagine--just imagine--if a "Fatherhood and Family" type of culture were to become very popular in Western lands. What would happen then? My hunch is that many young women would abandon the feminism of their mothers, and embrace it. It will be observed, that in those communities where fatherhood is honored, there is no shortage of young women who hope one day to be mothers.

Unfortunately, the problem of declining birth-rates is usually approached from the point of view of women avoiding motherhood. Men are excluded from the picture; the result is a picture which is only half-complete, and so the solution is not found. Here are some examples:

Fifteen years or so ago, the declining birth-rate in Italy became too serious to ignore. Pope John Paul was moved to speak publicly about it. He urged women to "rediscover the joys of motherhood". A very noble sentim,ent. But he didn't mention fatherhood at all. Or if he did, the media failed to report it.

The birth-rate in Britain has dropped to a record low. In september 2004 government minister Patricia Hewitt spoke publicly about this problem. She urged women to halpsolve this problem by producing more babies. "It is your national duty", she aid, to embrace motherhood. And no, she didn't mention fatherhood either.

I remember listening to a BBC World Service program on this subject. A study had discovered that 25% of young women aged 16 to 24 had decided never to have children. And the young men? What was their attitude to fatherhood? We were not told. No-one thought to ask the question.

All too often, in Western countries, there is a huge blank space, where fatherhood should be honored. Or at least mentioned. Maybe that's the real underlying problem.

Pat Buchanan, unfortunately, in his otherwise excellent book, does not explore that aspect of things. Maybe in his next book?

The Death of Common Sense: How Law is Suffocating America

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We reap what we sow.
Deflecting responsibility from his own profession
Death of Common Sense
It's okay
An Abdication of Responsibility

The Death of Common Sense: How Law is Suffocating America
Philip K. Howard
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Legal System | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0446672289

Book Description

Distressing, disturbing, devastatingly detailed--this stunning examination of how modern laws are diminishing America exposes the drawbacks of rule-bound government, tells why nothing gets done, reveals the phony pretensions of law, and shows why well-intentioned laws have actually devalued rights. In short, The Death of Common Sense demonstrates how the buck never stops and how ell-meaning laws are creating a nation of enemies. (Poltics/Current Events)

Customer Reviews:

We reap what we sow........2007-10-10

This book says the things we all have thought when we have heard of nonsensical law suits and the lack of common sense in our society. An easy read, this book intends to put a fire under people.

Deflecting responsibility from his own profession.......2007-07-07

The anecdotes are indeed maddening; of course the law and bureaucratic process can be described as "inefficient". However, over and again, Howard says, "Anyone can accuse anyone of anything," which is true, but he acts like the ability to accuse someone is the same as rendering judgment, and therefore our right to call someone to task in a court of law should be abridged. He neglects the fact that, once in the court of law, it is up to the lawyers and judges, and juries when appropriate, to dismiss cases that have no merit. If that is not being done, it is not the problem of us American citizens "having too many rights" but that his slimy profession is without any moral compass. And his book, while thought-provoking and entertaining, is at heart a call for less oversight of those in power, because those without power are slowing them down. I expect he's very happy with Bush and Cheney and their dismantling of so many of our inconvenient "rights". Read it, but with a pile of salt.

Death of Common Sense.......2007-01-14

Well-written and well-researched book that presents the frightening picture of the beast that law in America has become. The author provides good historical background for the reader to appreciate the insidious development of what has become our current laws, how these laws have actually become impediments for progress and justice, and good discussions regarding the challenges facing any rational correction of this quagmire.

Very worthwhile and insightful reading.

It's okay.......2006-03-17

Not bad, but just too obvious. I suppose as an introduction to someone recovering from a desire for Government regulation it mayh be helpful.

An Abdication of Responsibility.......2005-09-21

Rarely do books become more important years after they have been published.
That is the fate of Philip K. Howard's "The Death of Common Sense".
This short book details how America has deviated from being a bastion of freedom to being a nation subjugated by laws.
Mr. Howard presents a wonderful case against government-induced regulation---laws so far removed from reality, so unworkable in practice and so disastrous for productivity.
It would not be difficult countering some of his arguments, however I would deem it unlikely to rebut his central thesis which is that until Americans retain responsibility for their decisions instead of looking to arcane rulebooks, we should not expect the buck to stop anywhere.
Hence the reason this book is more important now. As we look at the Sarbanes-Oakley act, a reaction to the Enron scandal, and the McCain-Feingold bill for campaign finance reform, we have to ask ourselves if the pill is not worse than the pain. Inherent in finely written law is the ability to subvert them, as was seen during the 2004 elections. Why should we citizens take the risk?
The chapter "A Nation of Enemies" was illuminating. Quoting Isaiah Berlin, "Liberty for the wolves is death for the lambs," he advances the claim, which some deem legimitate, that enumerated rights can be antithetical to each other. Others definitely would argue to the contrary.
Therein lies its beauty: the ability to teach without hectoring, to dispute without hurling invectives.
Read this highly educative book and discover why "Relying on ourselves is...commonsense."

Part of Me Died Too: Stories of Creative Survival Among Bereaved Children and Teenagers

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Good for any age
This book is amazing
Chapter 5 is about me
IT WAS EXCELLENT! I LOVED IT!

Part of Me Died Too: Stories of Creative Survival Among Bereaved Children and Teenagers
Virginia Lynn Fry , and Katherine Paterson
Manufacturer: Dutton Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Politics & Government | Reference & Nonfiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0525450688

Customer Reviews:

Good for any age.......2007-05-29

Each chapter is a learning story unto itself. Some, very poignant. This book would be worthwhile for any age. Also, very instructive in showing how art therapy and tactile experience can be vital. Spending time with the recently deceased body is crucial to start the goodbye process, and, one chapter, especially, shows this well.

This book is amazing.......2003-10-03

I was given the amazing opportunity to spend time with Virginia Fry while living in Vermont this past winter. My 14 year old sister had recently passed away after her stuggle against cancer. I was completely lost, and met with Virginia several times. She is one of the most amazing people that I've ever been priviledged enough to have come into my life. This book enveloped every part of her ideas and extremely heartfelt suggestions to get you through the most horrible times. She is such an amazing person and this book reflects that to the fullest extent.

Chapter 5 is about me.......2002-02-08

My name is Amy Petrucelli and chapter 5 is about me, my sister Betsy and our brother Frankie.
The very first time I read Ginny's story and at that time it was a draft, it brought tears to my my eyes and my late mothers. If it were not for Ginny and Hospice to help us as children to cope with death and dying, I do not think I would be here today. This book is more than helpful and insightful, at least for me. I encourage any person(s) having known a child or know one who is going through death and dying to read this book and share it with that child and help them to work through their loss, questions and fears, Lord knows the author Virginia Fry did that for me.

IT WAS EXCELLENT! I LOVED IT!.......1999-03-16

I really enjoyed this book. I bought it a few years after my mother died, and it helped me a great deal with what I was feeling, thinking, and seeing. It also helped me deal with the day-to-day struggles that I encountered. Thank you so much for writing this book.

Pain Killer: A "Wonder" Drug's Trail of Addiction and Death

Average customer rating:

Clearly a one-sided view replayed over and over and over....
My son My heart & OXYCONTIN murder
From Foxy to Oxy: The Perils of OxyContin
fabulous book
Must read for Victims of Cancer Pain

Pain Killer: A "Wonder" Drug's Trail of Addiction and Death
Barry Meier
Manufacturer: Rodale Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1579546382

Book Description

Pain Killer OxyContin, a potent painkiller containing opium-derived oxycodone as its key active ingredient, was first sold in 1996 as a treatment for cancer patients and other chronic pain sufferers. From the start, the drug's manufacturer aggressively marketed its patented time-release formula as a breakthrough in the effort to reduce prescription drug abuse. It wasn't long, however, before thrill-seeking teenagers shattered that illusion of safety; by simply crushing an "Oxy," they were able to tap into a high so seductive it would come to dominate their lives. Some patients, seeking relief from pain, also found themselves drawn to the drug's dark side. Pain Killer takes readers on a journey of discovery that begins with the true story of Lindsay, a high-school cheerleader in Virginia who gets hooked on Oxys, and expands outward to explore the critical issues of legitimate pain management, prescription drug abuse, and how the misuse of science by the drug industry threatens the public good. With the fast-rising abuse of prescription drugs by young people ringing alarm bells within government, the how and why behind the OxyContin disaster is a gripping read not only for parents, but also for medical professionals, community leaders, business executives, and all those concerned with this crisis. The dangers described in Pain Killer also reverberate far beyond the threat from a single drug at a particular moment in time. The focus of our government's war on drugs has clearly misled many of us into thinking that only illegal drugs smuggled from beyond our borders can be abused. As Meier tells the dramatic story, some of the most deadly substances are produced and sold legally right here at home.THE EXTRAORDINARY AND TRUE STORY OF OXYCONTIN EQUAL PARTS crime thriller, medical detective story, and business expos, Pain Killer takes a hard-hitting look at how a powerful drug touted as the salvation for millions triggered a national tragedy. At its inception, the legal narcotic OxyContin was seen as a pharmaceutical dream, a "wonder" drug that would herald a sea change in medical care while reaping vast profits for its maker. It did do that; but it also unleashed a public health crisis that cut a swath of despair and crime through unsuspecting small towns, suburbs, and cities across the country. As reports of OxyContin overdoses made front-page and network news, doctors, narcotics agents, regulators, industry executives, and lawmakers raced in, scrambling to slow the damage. Behind it all stood one of America's wealthiest families, and a drug company whose relentless promotion helped fuel the problem Written by award-winning journalist Barry Meier, whose special report in the New York Times triggered national interest in OxyContin, Pain Killer chronicles the rise of the multibillion dollar pain management industry and lays bare its excesses and abuses.

Customer Reviews:

Clearly a one-sided view replayed over and over and over...........2005-01-24

I have read and heard so many negative things about Oxycontin that I can't keep silent about this any longer! I am a chronic pain patient who was on Oxycontin for many years. I also participated in one of their early drug trials for chronic pain, so I have personally contributed input to Purdue about how this medicine affected my body and mind. It was truly a lifesaver for me at the time, as it allowed me to return to work on a full-time basis. (When I say full-time, I REALLY mean FULL-TIME! I had two full-time 40 hr./week jobs plus I designed a bi-monthly magazine on a free-lance basis. I have several inoperable conditions which cause me to suffer constant, intractable pain on a daily basis.

I tried all natural alternatives such as chiropractic, acupuncture, massage, meditation, herbal diets and others for several years before finally applying to Purdue's clinical trial for chronic back pain, in which Oxycontin was being used for pain relief. By the time I started the trial I could hardly sit in my office chair for more than 15 minutes. I had tried other medications new to the market at the time including Trazadone, which put my heart into severe arrhythmia for days after taking only one dose. Other drugs had intolerable side effects; Oxycontin did not. Instead, I received a steady dosage of pain relief medication which did not make me 'high', sleepy nor nauseated. I was overjoyed to have my quality of life returned to me!

After being in the 3-year clinical trial for a year and a half, I was told that the trial was being suddenly halted due to the bad press that Oxycontin was receiving. The company which handled the clinical trial for Purdue did not want to be involved so they just dropped all participants, leaving us with only a few pills on hand and no referral to a pain management doctor, as they had initially promised. I was fortunate to find a doctor at the 11th hour who would accept me as a pain patient.

Without getting into all the details of 'life afterwards', it should suffice for me to mention that Oxycontin can be a worthwhile and helpful drug in the hands of a chronic pain patient. A person in pain does NOT get 'high' from opiates. Instead, the medicine is used up by the pain receptors in the brain and never reaches the 'pleasure centers'. Pain patients feel ONLY RELIEF FROM PAIN.

I sincerely wish this bad press would stop as it is doing a great injustice to the chronic pain patient. If a person wants to get 'high', they can take Oxycontin or they can take a slew of other drugs OR they can simply turn to alcohol, which is not only legal but is also widely available! I can guarantee that more young people are killed by the effects of alcohol than by Oxycontin. And yes, they can still sniff glue or smoke pot or take any number of synthetic substances such as Ecstasy and get their buzz that way. Oxycontin and Purdue are not the villains here; instead, we need to look to ourselves for responsibility and sometimes to the parents for their lack of responsibility. And ultimately, the person taking the drug is the one who has the REAL responsibility -- not only to themselves, but to everyone around them who might be affected one day by their bad decisions.

Let's put the blame where it belongs and STOP punishing the chronic pain patients, who are only trying to have some quality of life. Thank you for listening - now won't you please help us by spreading the word that we deserve to have our dignity restored and the quality of life returned to us - even if that means we have to take Oxycontin in order to be able to live?

Thank you.......KO

My son My heart & OXYCONTIN murder.......2004-08-09

I have recently finished this book & I believe every word.
Purdue are murderers & they know it!!!
www.oxyabusekills.ca my web site in memory of my son Chad Gregory Gardiner

From Foxy to Oxy: The Perils of OxyContin.......2004-06-23

As a recovered alcoholic and drug addict, and now a substance abuse counselor in a methadone clinic, I have seen the ravages of opiate abuse firsthand. The old days of methadone clinics being exclusively for down-and-out heroin junkies are long gone. Now, the majority of clientele in methadone clinics is for narcotic pain medication dependency and/or addiction. I have always been interested in finding out the true story behind the rise of the now notorious OxyContin, and after reading Painkiller, I was not disappointed. It has an interesting approach in that it simultaneously tells the origin of OxyContin in a chronological fashion while describing the devastating effects OxyContin had on a high-school age cheerleader. It is easy to take the side of the primary individual from whose perspective the author builds his indictment against the manufacturer's of OxyContin, Purdue-Frederick. The individual is a doctor who practices in the poor areas of West Virginia coal country. However, the addict population in general has always been very creative and innovative in their attempts to find out the ways any drug, whether illegal or prescription, can produce the best highs. And, even though Purdue-Frederick did indeed have a very aggressive incentive campaign to lure physicians into switching all their eligible patients away from lighter, and more traditional narcotic pain medications, they cannot, in my opinion, be seen as the scapegoats the author tries desperately to make them out to be in the OxyContin crisis that developed. Pain management has always been an inexact science at best, and in this author's educated opinion, why should those who will always do their best to end-run around the proper use of this, and other legitimate medications, hold those hostage who use them for their intended purposes. Painkiller, whatever the reader feels personally about the debate concerning OxyContin, is still an excellent read, and details the origin of OxyContin, and the history, both negative and positive, of opiods and their use for pain management in the United States.

fabulous book.......2004-06-13

Terrific piece of investigative journalism. I could not put the book down. It's also a thoughtful and important statement about the increasingly blurred line between legal and illegal drugs.

Must read for Victims of Cancer Pain.......2004-03-18

Although a section concerning pre-90's events was slow going (why it's a 4 & not a 5 star), this was a do-not-put-down-until-finished book for me. I wish we had read this book last August. The very first question we asked the oncologist was "is Oxcontin addictive?" -- Response "no" -- WRONG - as Meier reports, even the medically-intended patient can become addicted. Meier also points out the danger of mixing anti-depressents and Oxcontin -- perhaps the oncologist should have read this book since an anti-depressent was prescribed to simulate chemo-affected appetite (fortunately we have moral objections to anti-depressents & it was never taken). Repeatedly throughout his sensitive handling of the need for pain relief by cancer patients, Meier reminds the reader that other non-narcotics should be used first -- and that does not mean going from Advil to Oxy! Unfortunately the oxcontin was no more effective than the over-the-counter asprin, perhaps not all patients can digest either the wax or the acrylic shield, yet Purdue seems to have ignored that possibility in their agressive marketing while so brainwashing cancer care doctors that only increased amounts of their money maker are offered. This is an excellent exposure of the marketing ploys used by drug companies, Purdue is not alone, with the resulting cost to all of us in both higher prescription bills, addition and the fight against it. Reading Pain Killer should make you think twice the next time you see a TV ad for a prescription drug.

The Party of Death: The Democrats, the Media, the Courts, and the Disregard for Human Life

Average customer rating:

The Hidden Agenda
Great legal, political, and philosophical analysis of a divisive issue
Shines some light on weak pro-choice logic
Provocative and Blunt - Death is the Important Word
TO LET BE, OR NOT TO LET BE: THAT IS THE QUESTION

The Party of Death: The Democrats, the Media, the Courts, and the Disregard for Human Life
Ramesh Ponnuru
Manufacturer: Regnery Publishing, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Political Parties | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

U.S. | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Abortion & Birth Control | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1596980044

Book Description

Abortion has been a polarizing issues for three decades. But today, the politics are changing fast. Public support for abortion-on-demand is dropping, while euthanasia and cloning have also become part of controversial debates. Political journalist Ramesh Ponnuru explains how these issues represent the creeping advance of the party of death - it wants to narrow the circle of human beings with a right to life by excluding the unborn, the seriously disabled - and maybe even infants. Ponnuru details how the party of death took over the Democratic party, and how it has corrupted the law, politics, and even the teaching of history. He also explains how figures such as Mario Cuomo, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and Barbara Boxer have camouflaged the party of death's extremism - all with help from the media. But Ponnuru also has insight into a different political future, and closes by asking how America might look after Roe v. Wade is overturned. In an America that is turning away from abortion on demand, the Democrats may prove to be the last victims of the party of death.

Customer Reviews:

The Hidden Agenda.......2007-05-13

It was not many years ago that both major political parties tiptoed around abortion as a party platform, with both fearing to take a stand either way. However, beginning with the takeover of the Democratic Party by the Far Left, the full panoply of death on demand became the calling card of that party. In THE PARTY OF DEATH, Ramesh Ponnuru describes the current state of the Democrats as the ones who support the right of women to choose the death of their unborn child through abortion. As if abortion were not stringent enough, he details how a lack of concern for the fetus is but the stepping stone on the not so slippery slope that leads to areas allied with abortion: euthanasia and stem cell cloning.

Ponnuru traces the transformation of the Democratic Party as one that used to boast of such stalwarts as John Kennedy, Hubert Humphrey, and Scoop Jackson to Ponnuru's aptly named Party of Death. Beginning with the nomination of George McGovern for President in 1972, the increasing secularization of the Left removed it from viewing society as one based on ethics shaped by law to one as law untouched by ethics. Ponnuru notes that this switch to death on demand was a gradual one with many democrats not even aware of what their leaders were planning. He further adds that none of this could have happened in a political isolation. What was needed was the willing connivance of the Supreme Court to incrementally alter the Constitution via creative interpretation so that Roe vs. Wade would become the inevitable result.

Ponnuru savages those who advocate late term abortion as the nearest thing to state sanctioned killing on a massive scale. No one has ever come close to defining exactly what a person is or when the fetus is sufficiently close enough to qualify as a sentient being with full Constitutional rights, but he makes it pretty clear that the current leaders of the Democratic Party do not concern themselves with such troubling thoughts. It is no surprise that allied issues like euthanasia are seen by democrats as yet another example of the de-valuing of human life for political gain. Ponnuru suggests that abortion probably will be a part of human life--however ugly or unwanted--for the foreseeable future, but if there is truly a moral line that distinguishes human beings who have some moral qualms about sucking out the brains of a fetus in a late term abortion from those who see absolutely nothing wrong with that, then his appellation of democrats as the Party of Death will be a most deserved one.

Great legal, political, and philosophical analysis of a divisive issue.......2007-01-12

The early fifth century saw the beginning of what historian Edward Gibbon would call the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. Why would this empire, the greatest the world had ever seen, at one time stretching 1,000 miles, begin to show cracks? It had survived over a millennium, and had been an empire for four centuries. What was the problem?

Emperor Constantine had sanctioned Christianity a century earlier. Followers of the civic pagan gods increasingly blamed the demise on the Christianization of Rome. After all, it could hardly be a coincidence that the barbarians were at the gates soon after Rome had given up asking for protection from the pagan gods, right?

St. Augustine, hearing these fears and rumblings, decided to respond with his extended work that would come to be called De Civitate Dei (City of God). Augustine said, no, Christianity is not responsible for the fall of Rome. The civic pagan rites were flawed in their own right. And, even if Christianity was responsible for the impending fall of Rome, it would not matter. For, it is not Rome that we are to see as our salvation, but rather the Heavenly Kingdom promised by God.

There are two "cities," Augustine says, the City of God and the City of Man. The City of God includes all of the angels in Heaven, the souls of the virtuous people who have died and gone to Heaven, the faithful members of the Church who are still alive on earth, and, possibly, virtuous living humans who are not members of the Church. The City of Man includes the fallen angels, the souls of the wicked who have died, as well as wicked men and women still alive on earth. The City of God is not to be strictly identified with the Church, since there are baptized members of the Church who are not virtuous, and there may be people who are not members of the Church but are nonetheless virtuous. The City of Man is not to be seen as Rome, or any other particular human community, since there are citizens of Rome who are virtuous and are part of the City of God. We need to see Rome, and any other human society, Augustine says, for what it is: a city that we are citizens of, that we should work to make virtuous, but ultimately only a temporary home on our way to our heavenly reward. Work to make society better, while at the same time remembering our human existence on earth is not the be all and end all.

The Late Pope John Paul II coined the phrases "culture of life" and "culture of death" to describe those in our society who respect and protect human life versus those who, for whatever reason, deem some humans as inconveniences who can be disposed of for some `greater good.' To cut through the euphemisms, what the Pope meant was those who support or condone abortion, euthanasia, and the death penalty (when other means of protecting society are available) are contributing to a `culture of death' that treats human life as below things such as pleasure or subjective happiness. Recently, author Ramesh Ponnuru wrote the attention grabbing title, Party of Death: The Democrats, the Media, the Courts, and the Disregard for Human Life. The title is polemic, and it doesn't help that he has a blurb praising the book by Ann Coulter on the cover, but his writing and arguments are careful and reasoned. His two main theses points are as follows:

(1) Roe V. Wade was a poorly handed down case, constitutionally and ethically. People do not really understand what it says. In effect, it leaves abortion legal for all nine months; since it leaves it to the whim of the doctor to determine whether the fetus has a claim to life in the final two trimesters (what do you think an abortion doctor would say?). Further, our Constitution is silent on the issue of abortion, and implies nothing in any way or form about a right to terminate a pregnancy, despite all the talk about "penumbras." Would it not be better, Ponnuru argues, to let the legislatures deal with such a divisive issue than have a Supreme Court rule down from on high, with the authority of a Constitution that says nothing about a right to abortion? The fact that the issue was taken out of the hands of the people, unlike in European countries where national consensuses have formed giving some leeway to pro-life and pro-choice forces, leads to the divisiveness in our nation over the issue.

(2) The Democratic Party has largely become the abortion party, alienating its traditional bases of the working class, unions, Catholics, African-Americans, and others, by putting support for legal abortion as the number one objective of the party, the one issue among all issues that no Democrat with aspirations for high office can stray from orthodoxy. It's important to remember, though, just as Rome cannot be seen strictly as the City of Man, the Democrats cannot be strictly the Party of Death, since there are a number of Republican pro-choicers, and there are Democratic pro-lifers. But, the Democrats, sadly, have largely embraced the abortion cause.

Is Ponnuru right in painting the Democrats as the `Party of Death'? Wilfred McClay, writing on the First Things blog on August 21, 2006, does not "find much merit in the idea that there is a `party of death' at work in American politics." He sees it as a wrong formulation, for "our biotechnological enthusiasts are nothing if not partisans of life, infinitely extensible." It is based on the idea that each of us should be able to have complete mastery over our lives, and "manufacture a world [we] can live in without let or hindrance." But, we are not in complete control. We live in communities, where we have responsibilities to one another. We are called to care for the helpless, to, as Mother Theresa said, give until it hurts. As McClay explains:

Life is unfreezable, and complete independence is a sterile fantasy, inconsistent with our human nature. That nature speaks to us continuously of the organic interdependency of things, of a world churned and roiled by the endless process of aging and decay, and the miraculous generation of new life out of them--the ebb and flow of what the ancients called "generation and corruption." The recognition of these things, and the acceptance of our place in them, is precisely why we care for the infirm and the weak and the hopeless among us, rather than feed them to the sharks, particularly when they are flesh of our flesh, and we of theirs.

Rome may not in the strictest sense have been the City of Man, but its refusal to see past the idolatry of a glory of Rome in itself, without regard to the City of God, helped precipitate its final fall in 476 AD. More than just the Democratic Party, our culture, though not to be identified strictly with the Culture of Death, must make a decision on whether it is to increasingly view human life as a commodity or good unto itself, if it is not to endure the same fate as Rome.

Shines some light on weak pro-choice logic.......2007-01-05

The abortion debate is subtler than many people realize. Others do realize it, yet they want the whole ugly thing to go away. Then you have those who realize it and try to explain. Ramesh Ponnuru falls in the third camp, and we should be thankful for that. For the most part, the book is both crisp and clear. Some of the important points Ponnuru makes:

1. The pro-life argument can be made in a completely secular manner. The pro-life argument will work without faith in the Trinity, Krishna, Zeus, or any god for that matter.
2. Abortion is legal in the United States through nine months of pregnancy due to the broad language of the abortion laws.
3. A support of infanticide is difficult to separate from the pro-choice argument. i.e. see Peter Singer and other pro-choice academics.
4. Pro-lifers are winning the abortion argument via an incremental approach toward abortion law.

Though most of his work is focused on the lengths Democrats go to cater to the pro-choice ideology, to his credit Ponnuru criticizes Republicans as well as Democrats. If some Republicans rely on flimsy pro-choice arguments, they should be called out on it just the same. I would have given the book 5 stars, but I think one weak point is the essay format. What I mean is, the book is more like a collection of essays. The chapters are short and easy to read, but sometimes that's a disadvantage. At times, I would like a little less rambling about examples and a little more explanation of arguments. Examples can help illustrate a point, but they can also get a bit cumbersome at times.

Minus this minor criticism, I very much recommend the book. The light Ponnuru shines on the mostly weak pro-choice logic is worth the price. Some good history lessons are also included.

For a very in-depth secular pro-life argument, check out Patrick Lee's Abortion and Unborn Human Life. Randy Alcorn's Pro-life Answers to Pro-Choice Arguments is a good supplement. See Peter Singer's pro-choice arguments in Practical Ethics for some overview on the pro-choice argument (though Singer relies on some rather feeble consequentialist arguments).

Provocative and Blunt - Death is the Important Word.......2006-12-30

"The Party of Death" will unsettle those who lean towards or favor abortion, embryonic stem research, and/or euthanasia. Author Ramash Ponnuru, a senior editor at the National Review, writing with razor-edged moral acuity, skillfully debunks the excesses and hypocrisy of those promoting these as morally acceptable by scrupulously sticking to non-religious arguments.

Ponnuru begins his book by correcting several myths relating to the Supreme Court's Roe V. Wade decision - that it is a grand compromise between extremes, that the decision is more limited than it is, and that overturning Roe would criminalize all abortions. Ponnuru methodically demonstrates that these are not true.

Roe and its companion case, Doe v Bolton, make abortion on-demand a constitutional right up until moments before the birth. States may regulate abortion in the second and third trimester, says the court, but not if they run afoul of the mother's "health." This is not a compromise when the interpretation of a "mother's health" is understood. "Health," as Ponnuru shows, can mean anything under the elastic category of a woman's overall "well-being."

Ponnuru adds that the Supreme Court overreached and acted as a legislative body with the Roe decision. A point also eloquently made by former Senator John Danforth in his recent book, "Faith and Politics." Ponnuru notes that the public actually favors many restrictions on abortion and believes that the issue should be returned to the states where favored restrictions can be legislated.

"The Party of Death" moves from a detailed discussion of abortion to how the "culture of death" has been extrapolated and now threatens the elderly and disabled with weeding out the unfit, cloning, and euthanasia.

The hypocrisy of these positions was further amplified by Nathanael Blake, in his June 2006 column: "Why do so many ardently support such a morally and logically untenable position, even though it contradicts their own stated principles. Those distressed by the clubbing of baby seals don't mind the murder of the club-footed. Those who support extending legal protection to apes because their abilities resemble those of mentally disabled humans encourage the killing of mentally disabled humans in utero... People have been killing those who get in the way of the life they'd like for all of history. Even abortionists can be understood - those who will murder for money have long been among us."

The "Party of Death" is not the Democratic Party but rather those who continue to spawn a convenient cultural disregard for "human life." Unfortunately, for the Democratic Party, these people have made the Democratic Party their home and have made it synonymous with abortion and death.

Ponnuru's title is provocative. His book states bluntly what many people would rather couch in euphemism or, better yet, not say at all. Death is the important word. Ponnuru shows us how these choices, right or wrong, are a choice for death. And unfortunately, the debate, today, is over "what" is killed and who gets to decide.

This is a must read for anyone interested in the landscape which the "Culture Wars" are being fought and in the future of western society.

TO LET BE, OR NOT TO LET BE: THAT IS THE QUESTION.......2006-12-18

THE PARTY OF DEATH by Ramesh Ponnuru is quite possibly the most important book published thus far into "The Aughts" (the year 2000 through 2006). This book goes straight to the heart of its subject, abortion, with penetrating logic, powerful arguments, and probing theories. This is hardly a diatribe; rather it's reasoned fairly, but still a persuasive defense for Life, written from a purely secular position. This book deserves to be read and seriously contemplated by every single concerned adult, regardless of where they stand on this controversial and crucial issue. Are you pro-choice? See if your outlook can withstand Ponnuru's insight and contentions. If so, you will finish the book more informed about your opinion. And if not, you will find yourself driven into the Light of Truth by a nonreligious text.

Five questions:

1) Do you understand the great "misconception" about the Roe v. Wade ruling, and why it leaves the United States alone among its peers in offering no legal protection to the unborn at any stage of development?

2) Did you know that when defenders of the Nebraska ban on partial-birth abortion cited the fact that no medical schools taught it as evidence for the claim that it had little medical value, some major medical schools began teaching it in time to affect the litigation?

3) Are you aware that the much ballyhooed claim that the 1973 Roe decision was necessary to save the lives of women who were dying in large numbers due to illegal abortions is utter nonsense? The Centers for Disease Control reported that 39 women died from illegal abortions in 1972, while 24 women died that same year from the legal variety.

4) Would you like to know how an offhand remark about the music group, The Beach Boys, was instrumental in transforming NORMA McCORVEY (the REAL name of "Jane Roe" of Roe v. Wade fame) from an abortion clinic employee into a dedicated antiabortion protester and dogged proponent of a Roe v. Wade ruling reversal?

5) In 1984, Dr. Bernard Nathanson (himself an occasional abortionist at the time) asked his friend, Jay, another doctor, who was then performing 15 to 20 abortions daily, to tape his next operation with an ultrasound device. Dr. Jay did so, and what he saw during the playback in the editing studio later, left him so unnerved that he never performed another abortion. Does this tell you anything?

A November 2004 poll found that 55% of the public thought abortion should either be illegal altogether or illegal with only rape, incest, and for saving-the-life-of-the-mother exceptions. 31% thought it should be legal for any reason but only during the first trimester. Only 9% felt that abortion should be legal for any reason at any time. So, why has the federal government agreed to enforce a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on a social issue that only 9% of the population concurs with? (And if you think I've misrepresented the ramifications of the Roe v. Wade decision, then you should certainly have answered "No" to question number one above!)

In THE PARTY OF DEATH, Ramesh Ponnuru also illustrates with fine diamond clarity the interrelatedness of abortion, embryo destruction, and euthanasia, and how the slippery slope of the first two will logically and inevitably lead to a snowball effect concerning the last, and subsequently, a severe degrading of society's regard for life in general. Ponnuru's writing style did not especially appeal to me, and I wish he had spent a little more time detailing the physiological reactions to CHEMICAL birth control forms, so readers would better understand why these are considered abortifacients by pro-Lifers such as myself. [For additional information on this point, see THE FACTS ABOUT ABORTION (AMERICAN LIFE LEAGUE'S LIFE GUIDE SERIES).] Regardless, Ponnuru's mental acuity and scalpel-sharp theoretical comparisons makes THE PARTY OF DEATH a true "must-read" publication.

Many years ago, an 18-year-old girl calling herself "TOO YOUNG IN LAS VEGAS" wrote a letter to Dear Abby. She told how she had become pregnant as a result of being raped (a very rare occurrence, by the way). But TOO YOUNG gave birth to the baby anyway and then put the boy up for adoption. Three years later, she was still wearing around her neck, a locket containing a photograph of her son. I saved that article because I thought then (and still do) that this was the greatest example of following Saint Paul's exhortation, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21) I will always love that woman, whoever she is, for her brave, bold, life-affirming and evil-conquering act! If only we all had the spiritual sight of TOO YOUNG and could equally see the glory behind the grime.

In THE PARTY OF DEATH, Ramesh Ponnuru effectively dismantles the myth that colonial America did not consider abortion to be a common law crime. And in The Declaration Of Independence, this country's establishing document, our Founders wrote, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Now, what part of "Life" doesn't America understand?

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