Robert Jensen discusses his new book Citizens of the Empire

Robert Jensen discusses his new book Citizens of the Empire
Thursday, June 17th, 7:30 PM
 
As we approach the elections of 2004, U.S. progressives are faced with the challenge of how to confront our unresponsive and apparently untouchable power structures. With millions of anti-war demonstrators glibly dismissed as a \”focus group,\” and with the collapse of political and intellectual dialogue into slogans and imperatives used to stifle protest ? \”Support the Troops,\” \”We Are the Greatest Nation On Earth,\” etc. ? a state of hopelessness and cynicism can become overwhelming.
 
In a plainspoken deconstruction of the dominant political rhetoric ?intentionally crafted to depress political discourse and activism ?, Citizens of the Empire probes deeply into the sense of disempowerment that has resulted from the Left?s inability to halt the violent and repressive course of post-9/11 U.S. policy. In this passionate and very personal exploration of what it means to be a citizen of the world?s most powerful, affluent, and militarized nation in an era of imperial expansion, Jensen reveals the contradictions and falsehoods of the prevailing myths by using common-sense analogies that provide the reader with a clear-thinking rebuttal and a way to move forward with progressive political work and discussions.
 
Robert Jensen is a professor of media law, ethics and politics at the University of Texas, Austin. He is the author of Writing Dissent: Taking Radical Ideas from the Margins to the Mainstream, among other books. He also writes for popular media, appears on syndicated talk shows regularly– including The O\’Reilly Factor with Bill O\’Reilly, and his opinion and analytic pieces on foreign policy, politics and race have appeared in papers and magazines throughout the United States.
 
More info at: http://www.citylights.com/CLpubRE.html#citizens
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