Rating: 
Summary: Classic Book
Review: Don't let the title/cover fool you, it's not a book of clever political anecdotes. Exception to the Rulers is a downright academic look at what is really going on in our country and gives you clues as to what's been going on since you've been born.
This surprising book is probably the only thing capable of snapping us all out of the propaganda machine that I didn't even know existed by exposing all the mechanics of how our media interacts with the government.
What makes the book incredibly effective is how maticulously it was written. Amy makes shocking points but has the unique first hand experiences and references to create a rock solid text of reference. It's often difficult to read because it is so information laden.
I don't know if this book will forever change how you view the world like it did for me, but it is certainly capable of it. I strongly recommend this book to anyone living in the United States in particular. In a perfect world, this would be required reading in many schools because it is necessary for the public to be informed for true democracy to take place. Here is the knowledge that will unlock the real world. Here is the information that i've always been thirsty for.
Rating:
Summary: The news media through a journalist's eyes
Review: "The Exception to the Rulers" is an excellent analysis of the current state of media and journalism by a journalist's journalist. It also contains a number of compelling and disturbing stories drawn from Amy Goodman's own history as a reporter. She has firsthand experience in places like East Timor, Nigeria, and the Sally Jessy Raphael Show, and the stories are harrowing to say the least. Amy is passionate, relentless, and committed to bringing out the kind of news that is either not covered at all, or superficially covered by the major media outlets. And she knows how to "follow the money", and does so better than most of the current crop of political analysis books. As she does on her radio show, Democracy Now!, she also puts these stories into historical context. Amy makes no pretense not to have a point of view. It comes across strongly in everything she writes here, as well as her radio show. Her argument is that the mainstream news media also has its point of view. Perhaps it is better to be overt about that than to masquerade as objective. Yet I suspect the impact of Amy Goodman's work would be greater if her own conclusions were less pronounced in it, allowing the stories to speak more for themselves. Still, Exception to the Rulers is an important and timely book (i.e., read it before the election!) that will almost surely inform you about a few things you didn't already know and give you some things to think about.
Rating: 
Summary: With these new faces of The Beast, can u tell what it means
Review: (...) The authors, Amy Goodman and her brother David, are not only well positioned to cover those faces of The Beast relevant to the media, but are profiles in courage in their risking their careers and even their lives to cover the story in any number of the world's most dangerous places. The examples they provide of how the media, particularly (though not exclusively) in North America, has been penetrated, taken over, castrated and/or silenced completely, surrounding the U.S.-based military-industrial complex's deadly misdeeds, go beyond what I have read in other respected sources such as Moore, Baer, Chomsky and the NY Times. The damage done to innocent individuals, and the distrust and hatred of America that this fuels, are as grievous at every turn as they are manaically denied and ignored by those who command The Beast. Buy and read this book because it will help you draw your own conclusions about the parallels between 2000-2004 and the 1930's in Europe. Also do so because it supports people who have expended much more than young people should have to to try to bring precious truths to the rest of us. If mankind makes it to 2050, it will be because we paid serious attention to these serious writings in time. If mankind does not, it will be because we lulled ourselves into believing that a promise of security and gas selling at half the rate paid by other developed nations were reason to downplay The Beast's early warnings.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent critique of mainstream "journalism"
Review: A very good book from an excellent journalist. In this enjoyable and very readable book, Amy and David Goodman expose how the mainstream, for profit media line up and roll over for government and corporate interests. Some of the most interesting parts of this book examine how military control of the press has evolved from WWII to Gulf War II. From using NY Times reporters to spread misinformation to the practice of imbedding reporters with combat units, a very bleak picture of journalistic impartiality arises. The authors use specific examples to support their arguments and the book is judiciously notated.
Rating:
Summary: Amy Goodman Brings Us Democracy NOW!
Review: Amy Goodman attacks and exposes the lies and hypocrisy that put democracy at risk in this excellent book, just as she does on "Democracy Now" from Pacifica Radio and Free Speech TV. This should be required reading as a "Wake Up Call" for ALL Americans.
Ms. Goodman is a dedicated, fearless researcher of the truth and works tirelessly to inform of the treachery of Traitors in High places in this country and throughout the world. Granted, I am not a journalistic reviewer and the positive words of praise left by others here will speak more elequently than I, but as a citizen who works for change in this country, I highly recommend this enlightening book on The Exception to the Rulers. Thanks to Amy, Pacifica and to Dish Network for broadcasting FSTV information to the many who cannot find responsible media in this country.
Rating:
Summary: Amy Goodman Brings Us Democracy NOW!
Review: Amy Goodman attacks and exposes the lies and hypocrisy that put democracy at risk in this excellent book, just as she does on "Democracy Now" from Pacifica Radio and Free Speech TV. This should be required reading as a "Wake Up Call" for ALL Americans.
Ms. Goodman is a dedicated, fearless researcher of the truth and works tirelessly to inform of the treachery of Traitors in High places in this country and throughout the world. Granted, I am not a journalistic reviewer and the positive words of praise left by others here will speak more elequently than I, but as a citizen who works for change in this country, I highly recommend this enlightening book on The Exception to the Rulers. Thanks to Amy, Pacifica and to Dish Network for broadcasting FSTV information to the many who cannot find responsible media in this country.
Rating:
Summary: Shattering lame-press expectations
Review: Amy Goodman effectively expresses a rare and necessary voice in The Exception to the Rulers. Few, if any, journalists have so tirelessly investigated, analyzed and articulated to the public the innumerable, disheartening examples of failed policies of US power politicians and profiteers and the resulting dire consequences. This awesome work has the potential to slice through the media cloud that typically veils these people and issues for what they really are. Congratulations to the Goodman's, Pacifica and the Democracy Now team.
Rating:
Summary: Michael Moore in a skirt without the sneering!
Review: Amy Goodman has done a great service to her country by exposing the way in which US big business (the defence contractors and the oil industry for starters - we'll leave out the meat packers from the High Plains!) have suborned the US government and constitution and bent US foreign policy towards their own ends. Even more sinisterly, she shows that the press has been muzzled because it is almost entirely owned by business interests that act as cheerleaders for the cabal at the top.
Goodman is one of the few US journalists with the b*lls (figuratively speaking I hope!) to tell the US how it is - many people in the rest of the world already know this - namely, that the US is a theocracy run by a small elite for the benefit of their own businesses (marketed as "US interests") while stifling the voice of the people by branding even constructive criticism as either "lefty" or "un-American" or "unpatriotic" etc. In effect, it is impossible to have reasoned dabate about serious issues in the US because of the "anybody not for us is against us" tyranny. The US is therefore a nation of conformists and is not much different from the repressive regimes that it likes to think it abhors. Goodman is courageous and I hope she keeps at it long enough to make people see that they're being conned by Bush and his cronies before the "blowback" the CIA warned about comes back to haunt the US (maybe it is too late!).
Rating:
Summary: Must Read-from the anchor of Must See TV!
Review: Amy Goodman has long held center-stage in exposing national and international injustice on her ground-breaking, independent, national daily news program, Democracy Now!. Having already digested several books in the genre I didn't know exactly what to expect from 'The Exception to the Rulers' by Amy and David Goodman, but given Ms. Goodman's skillful journalistic style on Democracy Now!, I was eager to take in her perspective on this administration. What 'The Exception to the Rulers' offered was much, much more than another 'rant' on the Bush Administration: it is the ONLY book in its genre that thoroughly ties together the pieces of the puzzle that frame our nation's dangerous course.
The Goodmans offer context, which is lacking in many other books of this genre, thereby shaping a framework around which the disturbing events of our day take place. Their thoughtful insights produce cogent explanations regarding current foreign and domestic policies rather than simplistic conclusions, as I find in other books. They don't just 'throw their hands up' and say 'Bush is greedy'; they weave together a web that helps the reader understand WHY this administration behaves as it does and why our Country has become the target de jour for the rest of the world.
If you don't get to read this book, be sure to watch or listen to 'Democracy Now!' in your area: go to www.DemocracyNow.org to find out where to tune-in!
Rating:
Summary: Useful exposure of capitalism's warmongering
Review: Amy Goodman is an award-winning journalist with Pacifica Radio, the only independent media network broadcasting in the USA. Her programme `Democracy Now!' is one of the most popular shows on American public radio, broadcast on hundreds of US stations, and beamed worldwide over satellite TV and the Internet (www.democracynow.org).
Her book exposes the corporate warmongers. She describes the US state's no-bid contracts for Iraq's wealth, in which Bechtel won $1 billion worth of work and Dick Cheney's Halliburton won $1.2 billion worth. Rupert Murdoch said of the war, "The greatest thing to come of this to the world economy, if you could put it that way, would be $US20 a barrel for oil."
Goodman describes embedded journalism as the war version of reality TV. The Ministry of Defence and the US Defense Department's Office of Strategic Influence both run high-intensity domestic `psyops' (psychological operations). US Army psyops officers even work in CNN and NPR news offices.
On 8 April 2003, US forces attacked the Baghdad offices of Abu Dhabi Television, Al Jazeera and Reuters, killing three journalists and wounding four. CNN commentator General Wesley Clark said, "It's a case of a very unfortunate accident of war. People were in the wrong place at the wrong time ... The United States wouldn't deliberately kill journalists." Three separate accidents? Three separate wrong places - their offices? And, yes, they would deliberately kill journalists: the Pentagon spokeswoman later told journalists, "You should not be there."
As Goodman observes, it's never the right time to oppose a war. Not before the war, because there's not going to be war since `our' government is sincerely negotiating to prevent war, so it is unnecessary and premature to talk of opposing the war. Not during the war, because that's disloyal, stabbing our boys in the back. And afterwards, it's too late to make a difference and, as Blair says, it should be left to the historians.
The ruling class always closes ranks for its wars: Labour allies with Conservative, Democrat with Republican. It's about time the working class closed ranks against capitalism and its wars.
|
