Reviews for Thoughts Of A Proud American: An Ode To Joe And Josephine Ordinary, Salt Of The Earth Americans

The average rating for Thoughts Of A Proud American: An Ode To Joe And Josephine Ordinary, Salt Of The Earth Americans based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2019-11-18 00:00:00 John Schwarz Christmas' book is the kind that will prove informative for future sociologists. "Thoughts of a Proud American: An Ode to "Joe and Josephine Ordinary, salt of the earth Americans," is written in diary format. Her first entry was written on Saturday, 9/15/01, and over the next two years, Christmas processes, in an often inelegant but always heartfelt way, the 9/11 terrorist attacks. She is the quintessential Republican Everywoman, a black conservative immigrant Californian who lambastes the "libtards" and quotes Fox News hosts at length, particularly Bill O'Reilly. She laments the cultural War on Christmas. She rages at the atrocities committed by Dam'Sad (Saddam Hussein), whom she often refers to as B.O.B., the Butcher of Bagdad, or Chief Evil-Doer. Christmas creates an intimate connection between herself and international figures. She calls Osama Bin Laden, at various points, Yo-Mama-Deaden-Leaden, Sorry-Leaden-He-Is-Not-Yet-Deaden, Sorry-Leaden Deaden, and Yo-Sama-Scum-Leaden, among other epithets. Al-Qaeda is most often Al-Queerda. The Taliban is frequently the Tail-Banned. Christmas' book demonstrates the democratization of news, and one ordinary woman's search for her place in an increasingly chaotic and unpredictable world. She categorizes the players in her life to help her maintain a semblance of order. On one side, there are the Atheists, the Homosexuals, the Terrormeisters, the Radical Muslims, the Rapists, the Anti-Pledge-Of-Allegiance People, Adolf & Benito, the Jew-Haters, the U.N., etc., etc. On the other side there are Fox News Hosts, her family, President Reagan, the Marines, the Soldiers in Kuwait, Tiger [Woods], etc., etc. There is no room for uncertainty, for shades of value, for a blurring of categories. The evil are Evil, the good are Good. On Monday, 7/22/02, she writes,"Samantha, the little 5 year old victim, was sexually assaulted, strangled, and left in a provocative pose. My stomach just turned over when I heard that description. Shortly thereafter, I watched the arraignment of her suspected molester/murderer. I kept watching the lawyer who was standing next to the suspect, and I wondered how she was able to do it. For the first time, I saw a lawyer as an extension of a suspect. I know that logically it does not make sense to see her as part of him, but that is the feeling that washed over me, as if she were tainted by standing there and representing him." Christmas frequently interprets her current situation from a historical perspective. She is deeply interested in the past. She notes Pearl Harbor, she talks about the Ides of March, she celebrates Charles' Lindberg's solo flight across the Atlantic. Christmas' world depends on the interaction with and intersection of important historical events. Christmas lives in a terrifying world. From Tuesday, 5/21/02: "We are all going to die. This is the latest worry because of the threat of nuclear and/or biological weapons.... I will listen to the warnings. I will scrutinize folks who get on an elevator with me. I will not open my door to men - swaddled in excess clothing from head to toe, or butt naked for that matter." Christmas' world is one composed of child pornographers, of abusers, of rapists, and of religious extremists attempting to blot out freedom and liberty. Interestingly, despite her fear of strangers, she connects with a telemarketer on the first anniversary of 9/11: "I did receive a telemarketing call from a mover and turned out having a very interesting conversation with a rep. named Diana. I filled her in on the scenes on television, and we got around to talking about proactive passengers (of course those on Flight 93), the mistreatment of women by the insecure "men" of the Tail-Banned and their ilk. We agreed that we would not put up with such treatment." Here, Christmas enjoys a moment of real connection with a stranger, a moment spent bonding over their shared trauma. The lingering horror of 9/11 allows her to experience personal intimacy. Christmas obviously possessed a sense of humor. Her sarcastic commentary and dry exchanges demonstrate her wit. On 3/21/03 writes about being "strip searched" at the airport, saying, "I was now being strenuously wanded The "wander" waved her magic wand, and I did not turn into a fairy princess! I finally told the "wander" that the only thing left on me, were my rolls of fat!" Scarcely a page goes by without a quip, an intentional misuse of a name, or a pointed question. On 4/28/03, she writes, "I found out Dam'Sad is/was 66 years today and some are wondering what would be an appropriate birthday gift. I think a nice "gift" would be the one that the people of Italy gave to Benito Mussolini and his mistress, during World War II. Benito and "friend" had their heads handed to them, without the platter." Christmas' view is not unproblematic. Her writing suggests the roots of today's mistrust in media, she theorizes about intentional campaigns of disinformation from the Left Wing, she consciously portrays America as being in an existential struggle for survival. Her book is poorly written, unedited, and unnecessarily verbose. One finishes the book and wonders why she chose to publish it. There is no plot, no resolution, no movement from a position of helplessness to one of power. Christmas does not change political positions, she does not run for Congress, she does not get to see "Yo-Mama-Deaden-Leaden" defeated. She simply ends, suggesting that she was partially inspired by the Holy Ghost, and exhorting her audience to love their country. Yet I am touched by "Thoughts of a Proud American." Christmas is open in her fears, her insecurities, and her love for her country. She praises those whom she believes do good, and she is fiercely antagonistic to those whom she sees as evil. She is affected by awful news; she cries about murdered children, she responds as best she can to the fear and insecurity that has consumed her life. At times she is xenophobic, Islamophobic, homophobic, uncharitable, belligerent, and entirely incorrect. Her views were symptomatic of the growing divide in the American political sphere between Conservative and Liberal. She cannot be excused for her worser moments. Yet Christmas attempts to make sense of her world in her book, and ultimately, she comes to the conclusion that she, an overworked woman, a middle class immigrant, an unimportant member of society, in some way was connected not only to international events, but to the divine. "I have to admit that I feel that there was another "being" pushing my fingers over the pages of the words I wrote on 9/15/01. It felt like one of those scenes in old movies where the typewriter keys are seen furiously pounding away, but no fingers are visible. Then I was scribbling furiously in my anger and hurt. I am now more reflective, but still have not lost my resolve, that those who facilitated those who came to our shores, to carry out cowardly acts of wholesale slaughter, will be brought to justice - one way or another. That is my guiding force. The words are the raw emotion that poured out of me after 9/11." Her emotions are palpable. Her terrors are evident. Her personality shines through her often ungainly prose. Her book provides a snapshot into one portion of the American consciousness, following the worst terror attack on American soil in history.

Review # 2 was written on 2014-04-21 00:00:00 Charles Allen I live in the areas that the book is set in; I like memoirs; thought this book might be okay. It didn't get my attention & I didn't feel like getting back to it, although I did many times. Many grammatical, punctuation, & typo errors surprised me. Didn't finish this book.