Comments on: FDL Book Salon — How Would A Patriot Act, Pt. II

By: carolyn urban

carolyn urban — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 17:13:46 +0000

Sorry I missed the conversation. My copy of HWAPA is being held for me at my local indie bookstore. Soon as I’m well enough to get in to pick it up, I plan to dig in. A coworker already has a copy and has brought it in to the alternative school where we work. Students have been showing quite an interest, I’m hearing them discuss it amongst themselves (16-18 year olds) and have heard several say they intend to read it. Encouraging.

By: steve rhodes

steve rhodes — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 16:04:00 +0000

Also, a couple of photographs:

A chapter title of Calvin Trillan’s new book
with How would… in the background

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ari/159057517/

and somehow this sticker got here (click
on all sizes and original to read)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ari/159682144/

By: Andy

Andy — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 15:37:43 +0000

Interesting a Bush-like Right Wing comes to power in Canada – and suddenly there’s all sorts of “terrorism” hullaballoo fear being spread. How soon before Canada gets sucked into the never-ending war on terror emergency?

By: steve rhodes

steve rhodes — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 07:53:13 +0000

Sorry here is the graph (I’ve broken into a few to make it easier to read:

For unknown authors struggling to capture the attention of busy readers, however, the Web offers an unprecedented way to catapult out of obscurity. Glenn Greenwald, a lawyer who started a political blog, “Unclaimed Territory,” just eight months ago, was recruited by a foundation financed by Working Assets, a credit card issuer and telecommunications company, to write a book this spring.

Mr. Greenwald promoted the result, called “How Would a Patriot Act? Defending American Values From a President Run Amok,” on his own blog and his publisher e-mailed digital galleys to seven other influential bloggers, who helped to send it to the No. 1 spot on Amazon.com before it was even published. This Sunday it will hit No. 11 on the New York Times nonfiction paperback best-seller list.

“I think people who are sort of on the outside of the institutions and new voices entering will be a lot more excited about this technology,” Mr. Greenwald said. “That’s one of the effects that technology always has. It democratizes things and brings in new readers and new authors.”

By: steve rhodes

steve rhodes — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 07:51:47 +0000

I wasn’t able to make the discussion, but the NYT writes about it monday

Digital Publishing Is Scrambling the Industry’s Rules

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06.....5digi.html

Digital Publishing Is Scrambling the Industry’s Rules

By: readerOfTeaLeaves

readerOfTeaLeaves — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 07:51:36 +0000

First, thanks to Jane for hosting.

Second, I’m only in the first chapter, but am already feeling that this book is helping me form a more coherent understanding of key legal issues.

Third, the writing is really tight and well-focused. This is going to make it MUCH easier for me to recommend. Kudos.

Fourth, I marvel at J. Nix. What a remarkable achievement you’re pulling off — it’s really impressive to get see a book come out in such a timely fashion.

Fifth, when I picked up my copy at a local (large, independent) bookseller last week, I talked about the book with a couple store employees. (I’m a frequent customer, but I never stop to talk about books with them.) Before I left the store, they were scouting out where to place additional copies for greater visibility. Without this conversation, I think copies arriving next week would have been placed back on the ‘politics’ shelves. Now, it looks as if they’ll place it up front on a table next to Kevin Phillips’ book. Every little bit helps ;-)

Sixth, I think it may take months for Glenn’s info to percolate out into the larger public, but I hope that this book will sell like crazy in July, August, Sept… Judging from the first chapter, I’ll be able to pass a copy of HWAPA along to my right-wing, evangelical relatives who are appalled at the state of this nation, and are thinking a little more carefully about government than they have in any of the preceding 25 years. The NSA issue has really hit their hot buttons.

Best of luck to you, and thanks so much for a remarkable effort to date. Very heartening to see this occur.

By: The Constructivist

The Constructivist — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 06:09:46 +0000

What I think is so great about Glenn’s blog (haven’t gotten the book yet) is that his arguments are grounded in deep understanding of American history and law yet thoroughly accessible, well-written, and persuasive even to those not disposed to agree with him. If a new edition of the book had a “for further reading” section (perhaps this one already does), I wuld definitely suggest Eric Foner’s The Story of American Freedom (Norton, 1998), David Cole’s Enemy Aliens: Double Standards and Constitutional Freedoms in the War on Terrorism (New Press, 2005), and Tram Nguyen’s We Are All Suspects Now: Untold Stories from Immigrant Communities after 9/11 (Beacon, 2005) for historical backgrtund and contemporary context. I would also add a “what you can do” appendix (if one doesn’t already exist).

By: professor rat

professor rat — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 05:46:32 +0000

What Pat Roberts said recently struck me as essentially Marxist. They also believe that material wants must be satisfied first and freedom may be postponed pending the ‘ withering away of the state.’
This foreign radicaly authoritarian creed is almost the direct opposite of true patriots like Ben Franklin…’ those who would trade…’
And finally Patrick Henry reminds us that however frightening and fearful war is that there are worse things than war…slavery for example. We are crumbling away conservative, libertarian and minarchist right-wingers from the fascist Bush juggernaut. We are also moving to impeach through the states. Now, with the help of Glen and Jane and each other we can also begin planning on RICOing the bastards. Despite minor setbacks we are winning and we will win this thing. The fate of America as a free republic and not an evil empire depends on free patriots such as us. Long live lady Liberty!

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 02:14:52 +0000

I have not read the book, but I will. I do read “Unclaimed Territory” and, speaking as a lawyer, the posts read like really good legal writing: concise, clear, and supported by a broad understanding of the relevant law.

I like the way the book seems to be in a pamphlet format. We’re definitely in our winter of discontent at this point…

By: justintime

justintime — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 02:05:02 +0000

I’d like to watch Yoo and Addington defend their bogus theories in a debate.
See some academic freedom in action.
Shine some daylight on their flawed logic.

Yoo v Greenwald on the Constitution