Terror Dreams and Warnings -- A Wake-up Call

This weekend I attended a reading of The End of America: Letter of Warning to a Young Patriot, by Naomi Wolf, and finished Susan Faludi's new book, The Terror Dream: Fear and Fantasy in Post-9/11 America. Perhaps it is no coincidence that, within months of each other, two of the most prominent feminist voices of the 1990s have hit the ground running with stirring takes on the social, political, and cultural fallout of 9/11. Who better to expose the myths and media narratives that have justified the increasing power of a Cowboy President, gun slinging blusters on a global scale, and the erosion of democratic rule of law here at home than feminist critics?

Neither writer disappoints. With characteristic laser-like focus, Faludi documents the cultural response to an assault on American omnipotence. At the moment our nation felt most vulnerable, she argues, our media responded with a frenzied summons to restore virility, calling up images of John Wayne masculinity and trembling "security moms" in need of rescue. "No doubt the fantasy consoled many," Faludi concludes. "But rather than make us any safer, it misled us into danger....There are consequences to living in a dream."

Wolf picks up where Faludi leaves off, outlining the political actions that unfolded, unimpeded, while America slept. (Full disclosure: Wolf and I are colleagues through the Woodhull Institute.) She makes a compelling case for the fragility of democracy, noting along the way the steps taken post-9/11 to subvert the U.S. Constitution and the rule of law: in the years since the towers fell, we've seen the establishment of secret prisons, the surveillance of ordinary citizens, the infiltration of citizens' groups, arbitrary detainment, the casting of criticism as "espionage" and dissent as "treason," the restriction of the press, and more.

Both books end with pleas for action. "September 11 offers us, even now, the chance to...imagine a national identity grounded not on virile illusion but on the talents and vitality of all of us equally, men and women both," writes Faludi. Wolf calls on citizens across the political spectrum to join the war to save our democracy from within: "Each one of us needs to enlist. We have no one to spare."

The last time Wolf and Faludi published books within months of each other -- both Wolf's Beauty Myth and Faludi's Backlash debuted in 1991 -- the nation witnessed a resurgence of interest in feminism as an explanatory theme in women's lives. This time, may the persuasive, impassioned call coming from these cultural observers serve as a wakeup to those of us diverted by Angelina's weight gain, the fall of the housing market, the collapse of the Mets.

And may the mainstream media start taking note. While Wolf's book hits number 14 on The New York Times bestseller list among paperback nonfiction this week, only SFGate and The Washington Post seem to have covered its release in any depth. True, Wolf recently appeared on The Colbert Report. But is parody the only medium these days through which such critical messages get heard?

Comments

[GloriaFeldt]

"Who better to expose the myths and media narratives that have justified the increasing power of a Cowboy President, gun slinging blusters on a global scale, and the erosion of democratic rule of law here at home than feminist critics?"

That's not just a great turn of phrase--it's also a profound observation about why it is important to see the world through women's lenses at this moment in our nation's history if we are want to have a future grounded in the values of liberty and justice for all.

[Herrington]

It is my understanding that civic and government are no longer core curriculum in public schools, supplanted, presumably, by NCLB.

The Constitution states, in large measure, the moral and ethical basis for American Society. To not have it be required reading, to not teach about it, is to trust less authentic sources to guide our citizens.

Liberty is a complex issue. To be free is to be trusted not to infringe the rights of others. And if you do not know what those rights are, how can you be trusted to respect and uphold them?

To be a citizen is a job that you get by no other qualification than being born, and if you have read the Constitution, rightly so. But like any job, you need certain fundamental skills. If we are no teaching those skills, even though they may go used, I fear we will not be producing much in the way of citizens.

[kms34786]

Main stream media proves it's irrelevance every day. There's a reason why they are called "the 4th estate", and it is because they are, more often then not, the propaganda device by which the government communicates.

I agree that we live in a very dangerous time. While American's slept, many of our civil liberties have been eroded. But it's silly to expect MSM to report on this, they are part of the problem not part of the solution. They a run by the big corporations that have no interest in evoking a response from the people for if they do, they have opened Pandora's Box and it would be difficult to control where the focus would turn next.

[schatsie]

If you read Faludi's book, Backlash, chapter 2, you would see that this regime is just an extension of Reagan times.

Glad to hear she has a new book, but that Chapter 2 is a jaw-dropper, you really cannot believe that here we go again with BushBaby..­.

[Henry]

Recently printed a copy of the constitution and bound it for one of the neices on your very permise. So much intense hoopla for such a short read. If you're going to be "in" the debate, best to have read the material.

[camb94]

I haven't seen this suggestion anywhere, but lately I've been thinking that reading the U.S. Constitution is not a requirement in all schools (high schools). Some schools and districts offer Civics classes, but there is no requirement. I know, I teach college level American History, and I don't think that I've ever had a student who has read the Constitution. I think that one of the cures for this mixed up world would be to have an informed electorate. One that would KNOW that the Constitution wasn't based on Christianity. That understands what the Bill of Rights is, or Habeus Corpus, or illegal searches. For all the emphasis that we put on education, this seems like a no brainer. Except that there are a lot of politicians who would prefer an ignorant electorate.

[Atticus]

You've hit on a VERY GOOD point! Why in hell isn't the Constitution taught in school??