Dirty Truths

Dirty Truths, Michael Parenti, City Lights Books, 1996

        Here is a group of essays on various aspects of political life from a long-time author, lecturer, and college professor.

        Among the subjects covered in this book: term limits for politicians sounds like a great idea, but it would leave Congress totally (instead of mostly, as at present) in the hands of corporate lobbyists who are not under any sort of term limits. Conservatives have created a myth that the media is full of liberals to force the owners to move their media outlets more and more to the conservative side. The American people don't know about the Indonesian invasion of East Timor, for example, because the news media intentionally doesn't report it. Freedom of speech in theory, and freedom of speech in reality, especially for progressives, are two very different things.

        Parenti also includes a couple of essays on his personal life, including dealings with the news media that come very close to censorship, and being branded an academic troublemaker because, as a visiting professor at one school, he took part in some anti-Vietnam war demonstrations.

        This is a first-class gem of a book. It's thought provoking, easy to read, and is strongly recommended.