Living the Bill of Rights: How to Be an Authentic American

by Nat Hentoff

Book Overview

Nat Hentoff is one of America's most passionate and prominent writers about civil liberties and civil rights. In Living the Bill of Rights, he has taken what is too often thought of as an abstract issue and enlivened it by focusing on representative individuals for whom the Constitution is a vital part of life. As the late Supreme Court Justice William Brennan told Hentoff, Americans need to know how "American liberties were won--and what it...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0520219813
• ISBN13: 9780520219816
• Release Date: December 1999
• Publisher: University of California Press
• Length: 253 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A Must-Read for All Americans, Young and Old!

In the interest of full disclosure, I'm only halfway through the book. But I'm really excited to talk about it! WHAT a thrilling book it is. I've been marginally aware of Hentoff's reputation as an advocate of civil liberties for quite some time, and I probably read a few of his Village Voice pieces when I was a 20something, but that was all I'd read before this. My oh my, the stories Hentoff tells of real Americans who put the Bill of Rights into action, sometimes at great personal cost, make me feel proud to be part of a country that could have produced such heroes. Hentoff is a riveting narrator who speaks with feeling, albeit restrained feeling; he never flies into hyperbole or hysteria (which alone is worth several points to me!). When he talks about Supreme Court icons William O. Douglas and William J. Brennan, even though I disagree with some (OK, many) of their Courts' decisions, I got a somewhat better understanding of the reasoning behind those decisions, and of the contributions their Courts made to the preservation of our civil liberties. And the story of Anthony P. Griffin, the black attorney fired by the NAACP for defending the KKK against the government's unconstitutional demand to see its membership list, is thrilling. Griffin had the foresight to see that if everyone else allowed the government to sucessfully violate the KKK's rights today, that government might well come after the NAACP tomorrow with the same success. And he had the integrity to put his principles before popularity. He didn't HAVE to take the case. When he took it, he'd already had a string of many successful cases, and was enjoying a good career. He could have passed the buck, but he didn't, because he was very clear about his principles were. Whether or not you or I agree with the views of the people whose stories Hentoff tells is not the point. You probably won't agree with everyone Hentoff writes about, but that's the beauty of freedom of thought and expression in America. If you're a general reader like me, you *will* come out with a greater appreciation of why the Bill of Rights matters, and you will learn about people who put themselves on the line to preserve the liberties that our forefathers fought and died for. I thought some of the reviews here were overenthusiastic. I was wrong. This is a MUST-read for anyone who loves America, whether they are conservative, liberal or somewhere in between. Whatever our differences, now matter HOW hateful we may find someone else's ideas, ALL of us living under the protection of the Constitution need to stick together for the preservation of *everyone's* civil liberties. Because it really COULD be you or me tomorrow. OK, if I'm soap-boxing, blame Hentoff's book! It's THAT good. But I take all the blame for any hyberbole in this review, if you see it as hyperbole. :)

Personal stories about people standing up for Constitution

It is not easy to oppose the opinion of the community, take stands which offend one's neighbors, all in the name of the freedoms set forth in the Bill of Rights. All too often, people chose the easy way, and conform, figuring the fight simply isn't worth it. After all, even if you are right, is it really worth losing your friends, your job, your place in the community, andhaving your kids harrassed and ostracized--all to stand up for an abstract principle?Hentoff tells the stories of dozens of people who made that choice--many of whom suffered for it. As he repeatedly notes, those who wrote our constitution did not take the easy path..they risked all to fight for ASmerica's independence.By giving us examples of those who took the risk, and fought the good fight, Hentoff hopes to inspire others to do the same. Some of his stories involve the famous (his stories about Justice Douglas are the best in the book--although readers are cautioned that many of the "facts" Hentoff cites are taken from Douglas' own questionable autobiography), and several very ordinary people.I was inspired, and even if you aren't, Hentoff's stories will definitely make you think about the issues.

I think that this is a book that every person should read.

Every American should understand that the actions of people are what maintain our civil liberties, and not simply our beliefs. Hentoff has illustrated this through several stories of people from all walks of life. His writing style is easy to follow and interesting.The book is enjoyable and inspiring.

One of the best First-Amendment Books I have read

This book is excellent because it refuses to align itself with the either side of the spectrum when dealing the blows. Almost every political book today has a sever right or left slant,its nice to see common sense instead of rhetoric. It shows that Nat Hentoff is not afraid to go against the mindless "Political Correctness" of our day give credit where credit is due, even to a president as popular as Clinton. A must read.

Excellent

This book should be required reading in every grade school. I learned a great deal reading it and recommend it to everyone.