Elliot KirschenerRecensioni

Reflections of a lifetime in America. From growing up in a small town in Texas to reporting on some of the biggest stories of the last century.

I'm not exaggerating when I say there were a couple of times I teared up while reading this. I wasn't expecting his perspective (I guess because of his age and my experience with people in that generation and their politics) and a lot of what he talked about was what I have been thinking about lately. I say this a lot when I finish reading certain books, but I think we would benefit tremendously as a country if everyone took the time to read this or at least discussed some of the principles in this book.

I'm not exaggerating when I say there were a couple of times I teared up while reading this. I wasn't expecting his perspective (I guess because of his age and my experience with people in that generation and their politics) and a lot of what he talked about was what I have been thinking about lately. I say this a lot when I finish reading certain books, but I think we would benefit tremendously as a country if everyone took the time to read this or at least discussed some of the principles in this book.

I wanted to like this one more than I did. Rather is capable of writing insightful and moving observations about America, but many of these essays feel disorganized with dissipated messages.

Rather's collection of essays offers both hope and warning about the future of America. He understands and deeply appreciates the elements that have uniquely combined to become the American Ideal and Character and his book is a worning about the dangers we bring upon ourselves as we abandon those very values and virtues. Yet, the book has an overall positive tone, one that asserts that the problems are serious and great and the failure to resolve them treaten disasterous consequences, yet he clearly tempers that warning with the belief that we can and will rise above the threats to ourselves that we now endure.
The book is a must read for all of us who want to believe in a better future than the one we appear to be building for ourselves today. He sounds the warning to be "steady" and not to give in to dispair while also not reaching for simplist solutions. While most Americans take their news and information from a network that offers only propoganda and imbalance is a serious problem, and the return to long suppressed racist values speaks badly of a nation which had previously been the world leader in hope, truth and justice, we remain a nation where the arc of justice can prevail, and we can once again ascend to very ideals that built our character and provided our greatness. But we have to turn the ship around and look again to what we can do and become rather than working so hard to return to an ideal of times past which never really existed as we remember them anyway.

This is a wonderful collection of 15 essays on what it means to be an American, what unites us, and things to consider. Sadly, I don’t think the people who need to read this will do so.

#WhatUnitesUsReflectionsOnPatriotism
#DanRather

8 stars: Very good

From the back cover: AT a moment of crisis over our national identity, venerated journalist Dan Rather has emerged as a voice of reason and integrity, reflecting on-and writing passionately about- what it means to be an American. Now, with this collection of original essays, he reminds us of the principles upon which the US was founded. Looking at freedoms that define us, from the vote to the press; the values that have transformed us, from empathy to inclusion to service, the institutions that sustain us, such as public education; and the traits that helped form our young democracy, such as the audacacity to take on daunting challenges in science and medicine, Rather brings to bear his decades of experience on the frontlines of the worlds biggest stories. As a living witness to historical change, he offers up an intimate view of history, tracing where we have been in order to help us chart a way forward and heal our bitter divisions. What Unites Us is the book to inspire conversation and listening, and to remind us all how we are, finally, one.

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I appreciated this book quite a lot. I saw Dan Rather in Dec 2018 when he was on book tour for it. I thought it would be a "feel good we all share these values" book. While it is optimistic, it was not without naievete. What I appreciated was for each topic, he first started with his personal experience, then spoke of some of the "warts" in our history, where we have not always held to the given ideal, an

d ultimately to stories and how he saw these values on a larger, national level. The format worked very well for me. We had a sense of how he grew as a person, past his younger prejudices, and grew as the country did, becoming closer to the ideal where all people are created equal. A good read that I needed at this moment in history.

Some quotes I liked:

(Talking about a problem he witnessed in an early newsroom) IT's that age old dilemma: DO you stay and try to change the church from within, or leave the church? ...Oftentimes Walter would want a straight news story rewritten to give it his preferred slant, but Cobb would go ahead and publish the original, claiming he was on deadline and couldn't incorporate the new copy. It was a subtle form of dissent, but it was effective.

One of the lessons of the Red Scare is that the long arc of history often validates the dissenters, and a particularly striking example of this is the Vietnam War.

Often our individual defenses fail, and sometimes they fail en masse with disastrous consequences. I consider my biggest journalistic failure to be one in which I unfortunately was not alone. In the lead up to the Second Iraq War, when the American public needed a strong and independent press, too many of us blinked and the nation was far worse for our drifting from our core purpose.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg was denied a clerkship to SCOTUS because of her gender, and after graduating tied first for her class at Columbia Law School, she was not offerred a single job by a law firm. Inspired by civil rights movement, Ginsburg decided to join the ACLU and use the legal system to tackle the injustices facing women in American society.

[On growing up in the Depression] The neighborhood tried as best it could to help these families stay alive. If we had leftovers after supper, we would walk them across the street. One of my earliest impressions was taking that short journey with my father. You might think that these families were humiliated by the offerings, but there is no dignity in being hungry. And there was no judgment or disdain on the part of those offering assistance. No one wondered why those neighbors weren't working, and no one passed moral judgments on their inability to fend for themselves. WE understood that, in life, some are dealth aces, some tens, and some deuces. ...I asked my mother why we gave those families gifts at Christmas when we ourselves didn't have much. I remember then answering for myself: "It was because we felt sorry for them, right?" "We do not feel sorry for them," my mother said sternly. "We understand how they feel." What my family did was not heroic, I like to think of it more as neighborly. We understood that those who were suffering weren't lazy or lacking the desire to do better. Fate had the potential to slap any of us.

Perhaps the biggest mistake the press makes is falling into false equivalence. Not every scientific issue has two sides, or certainly two equal sides. And yet science "debates" are far too often reported in such a manner. A particularly damaging example of this phenomenon can be seen in irresponsible concerns over vaccine safety. Immunizations have arguably saved more lives than any scientific advance in human history.

[Describing learning art in high school] We weren't taught to celebrate the power of free expression in a vibrant democracy. Instead, art was described to us mainly as a product of Old World refinement and a necessary accoutrement for those of us intent on climbing the social ladder. We were brought to the symphony, the art museum, the ballet, and the theater, but the impact was largely lost on us. ... I now realize my early lack of interest was also born of fear. I believed that understanding art was beyond my capabilities. It was as if I had internalized the cultural insecurities of the US. ... as I started to take in [art of Beethoven, Duke Ellington and Orson Welles] I appreciated that art shouldn't be about impressing others; whether you are an individual or a nation, art is about engaging in a candid dialogue with yourself.

I understand that my time to shape and help this world is passing. This is the circle of life. I hope now to inspire others to love this country, to pledge to workhard to make it a healthier and more just place to live. I ultimately have faith in the basic decency of our American citizenry, and indeed people around the globe. I believe strongly that the core tenets I love most about this nation can be a foundation. for commonality and strength once more. I believe in a wide and expansive vision of our national destiny. And I believe in all of you to help make it a reality. Courage.

In these days before the 2020 election I have been reading Dan Rather's What Unites Us, recently released in paperback form.

I was able to join Politics and Prose Bookstore's Zoom talk with Rather. He was interviewed by Jennifer Steinhauer, whose book The Firsts: The Inside Story of the Women Reshaping Congress I read a few months ago.

Rather lays out the shared values Americans which can become a platform for building consensus in our divided country.

One person, one vote. The freedom of speech, to dissent; freedom of the press--no matter how flawed. The importance of science and knowledge, even if we disagree over specific ideas. Education. Our desire to be an empathetic people.

Rather hopes his book can be a jumping off place for dialogue, starting a much needed conversation.

Rather harkens back to his childhood and draws from his years as a journalist. He first defines patriotism as opposed to nationalism and ends with what it means to be a citizen.

In the Zoom talk, a listener asked Rather if the country has ever been as divided as it is today. He recalled the 1960s when rebellions and nonviolent protests erupted over war and racism. Today, he notes, protests include a broader demographic mix in age, class and ethnicity.

"I'm a reporter who got lucky, very, very lucky," the eighty-nine-year-old Rather responded to being called a 'national treasure.' His tip for aging well? Rather replied luck, genetics, God's grace, determination, and dedicating one's life to something bigger than yourself, and finding a life companion who sticks with you through thick and thin.

Some of my favorite quotes from the book:

Dissent can sometimes be uncomfortable, but it is vital in a democracy.

Like so many others in our country, I journeyed from ignorance to tolerance to inclusion.

Empathy builds community, Communities strengthen a country and its resolve and will to fight back...I worry that our nation today suffers from a deficit of empathy, and this is especially true of many in positions of national leadership.

I remind myself and others that we have been through big challenges in the past, that it often seems darkest in the present. The pendulum of our great nations seems to have swung toward conceit and unsteadiness once again, but it is in our power to wrest it back.

Ultimately, democracy is an action more than a belief. The people's voice, your voice, must be heard for it to have an effect.

A timely book for all of us to reflect on, share, and learn from each other!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced eChapter: Books.

Based on other reviews, I read this only a chapter at a time, and I think that helped. The essays aren’t without flaws, but they are great starting points for thinking about the tenets of our current worldview. Closer to 4.5 stars, but I rounded up.

Dan Rather has had a storied career in journalism that spans almost seven decades. As the former news anchor for the CBS Evening News, Rather was a witness to and reported on several historic events including Watergate and Nixon’s administration. In What Unites Us, Dan Rather draws from those experiences (as well as his own childhood) to describe the changes in America and suggest what more can be done for progress. The ideas encompassed in the book (e.g. extolling patriotism over nationalism, advocating the importance of education and the arts) are nothing new or revolutionary, but they are written in a way that is compelling. In these divisive times, one can only hope that more people will read this book and take its message to heart. Courage.

Rather's collection of essays offers both hope and warning about the future of America. He understands and deeply appreciates the elements that have uniquely combined to become the American Ideal and Character and his book is a worning about the dangers we bring upon ourselves as we abandon those very values and virtues. Yet, the book has an overall positive tone, one that asserts that the problems are serious and great and the failure to resolve them treaten disasterous consequences, yet he clearly tempers that warning with the belief that we can and will rise above the threats to ourselves that we now endure.
The book is a must read for all of us who want to believe in a better future than the one we appear to be building for ourselves today. He sounds the warning to be "steady" and not to give in to dispair while also not reaching for simplist solutions. While most Americans take their news and information from a network that offers only propoganda and imbalance is a serious problem, and the return to long suppressed racist values speaks badly of a nation which had previously been the world leader in hope, truth and justice, we remain a nation where the arc of justice can prevail, and we can once again ascend to very ideals that built our character and provided our greatness. But we have to turn the ship around and look again to what we can do and become rather than working so hard to return to an ideal of times past which never really existed as we remember them anyway.

Rather's collection of essays offers both hope and warning about the future of America. He understands and deeply appreciates the elements that have uniquely combined to become the American Ideal and Character and his book is a worning about the dangers we bring upon ourselves as we abandon those very values and virtues. Yet, the book has an overall positive tone, one that asserts that the problems are serious and great and the failure to resolve them treaten disasterous consequences, yet he clearly tempers that warning with the belief that we can and will rise above the threats to ourselves that we now endure.
The book is a must read for all of us who want to believe in a better future than the one we appear to be building for ourselves today. He sounds the warning to be "steady" and not to give in to dispair while also not reaching for simplist solutions. While most Americans take their news and information from a network that offers only propoganda and imbalance is a serious problem, and the return to long suppressed racist values speaks badly of a nation which had previously been the world leader in hope, truth and justice, we remain a nation where the arc of justice can prevail, and we can once again ascend to very ideals that built our character and provided our greatness. But we have to turn the ship around and look again to what we can do and become rather than working so hard to return to an ideal of times past which never really existed as we remember them anyway.

If you've ever wanted to be hugged by Dan Rather, this will do the trick.

In these troubling days, I often turned to comedians such as Trevor Noah and Stephen Colbert to keep me sane. Another person with a voice of reason is Dan Rather, the ex-CBS news anchor, who recently re-emerged in social media with his thoughts on the current political situation and life in the U.S.A. Written in an essay format, Rather elaborates on his views on 15 themes, the sum of which is his definition of true patriotism. Inevitably, these viewpoints will be treated negatively by selected readers as his perspective leans against the current administration (big surprise). He shared intimately of his background, his youth, his family, his old neighborhood, and his profession to explain the source of his passion and his viewpoints.

Our Freedom is dependent on our responsibility in exercising our Vote, to express Dissent when it is necessary and right, and for the Press to accurately and thoroughly message the situation, which is far from the sound-bite type of news that we are getting these days. To have a meaningful Community (=nation), we must have Inclusion of the diverse population, Empathy for those with less, and embrace Immigration as a founding pillar of this country and a source of growth and betterment. To grow and improve, we must have Exploration of Science, enable literacy through Books, and allow The Arts to flourish and express the truth. As individuals and especially for the leaders of this nation, we have a Responsibility towards The Environment, to ensure quality Public Education is available to all, and to participate in Service to this country. Lastly, for our Character, we must have the Audacity to think BIG, to have the fortification to remain Steady on our courses especially in times of distress, and last but not least, to have Courage to accomplish our dreams and goals.

All the capitalized words, excluding start of sentences, in the above paragraph are the section and chapter titles of this book. Read the book to get the extended version of his messages. :)

Some Quotes:
On Patriotism:
“It is important not to confuse ‘patriotism’ with ‘nationalism.’ As I define it, nationalism is a monologue in which you place your country in a position of moral and cultural supremacy over others. Patriotism, while deeply personal is a dialogue with your fellow citizens, and a larger world, about not only what you love about your country but also how it can be improved. Unchecked nationalism leads to conflict and war. Unbridled patriotism can lead to the betterment of society. Patriotism is rooted in humility. Nationalism is rooted in arrogance.”

On the role of the Press:
“…We are seeing living proof of the wisdom of our Founders, who conceived of the First Amendment as a check on tyranny – an accountability that was missing in Orwell’s vision in 1984. But while these may be heroic times for journalists, the outcome of the battle between propaganda and deception on the one hand and unbiased reporting on the other is far from clear. No one has a monopoly on the truth, but the whole premise of our democracy is that truth and justice must win out. And the role of a trained journalist is to get as close to the truth as is humanly possible. Make no mistake: We are being tested. Without a vibrant, fearless free press, our great American experiment may fail.”

On Inclusion:
“…A society worthy of our ideals would be a much more inclusive one, a more integrated one. It would be a place where we continually strive to create a better whole out of our many separate parts. This is a sentiment that itself stretches back our founding. Our first national motto was E pluribus unum, ‘From many, one.” From many states, we are one nation. And from many peoples, we should be society. Under this framework, building tolerance is a worthy way station to a much grander destination of inclusion…”

On Science and its intolerance:
“…Back in 1980, the science-fiction author Isaac Asimov wrote, ‘There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that ‘my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.’’ It is what the comedian Stephen Colbert dubbed ‘truthiness,’ a feeling that an erroneous opinion that ‘sounds’ just as valid as the actual truth. But while these forces have always been present in American society, I have never seen them infect our national discourse as much as they do now…”

On Art:
“…art shouldn’t be about impressing others; whether you are an individual or a nation, art is about engaging in a candid dialogue with yourself.”

Dan Rather’s What Unites Us is a book of consummate steadiness in a world rolling among considerable waves. As a child of the 1960s, it was Rather whose voice I heard during my childhood and early adulthood. We always turned on the television news after dinner, and his reporting skill and calm voice were right there. That he has remained active in his profession for so many decades, and continues to be a voice of reason just makes me like him more.

Rather never gives our elected officials a pass, but he also clearly communicates his faith in each individual American. What could have been a depressing book about just how far we’ve slid off the road is actually inspiring in its scope. Dan Rather reminds us that we all can be involved in our country and our world. He believes, and makes me believe, that we will find strength in our commonality, not in our differences.

Full review at TheBibliophage.com.

Earnest, pragmatic, compassionate: What Unites Us provides a soothing, cathartic experience that only the wisdom and experience of Dan Rather could provide, which is fine bibliotherapy in these dangerous times.

A collection of thoughtful and well-written essays ranging from ‘What is Patriotism’ to the last one, ‘Courage’, which deals obliquely with Rather’s departure from CBS. I have to admit I’m a little disappointed because I was expecting this book to shed some light on ‘What Unites Us’ - or at least give me something to pin my hopes for the future on - but instead it was pretty much a reaffirmation of my own views

At this moment of crisis over our national identity, Dan Rather reflects about the world we live in, what our core ideals have been and should be, and what it means to be an American. In this collection of essays he celebrates our shared values and what matters most in our great country, and shows us what patriotism looks like. He writes about the institutions that sustain us, such as public libraries, public schools, and national parks. He writes about the values that have transformed us, such as the struggle for civil rights. In addition, he writes about the drive toward science and innovation that has made the United States great. Rather has written the book to inspire conversation and listening, and to remind us how we are ultimately united. Most of all, he has written about our history from his first hand observations, and all that we, as American’s, have to be thankful for.

I have watched this amazing man, journalist from my television set for many years. This man who had traveled extensively, seen much, reporting to the world what he has experienced. A man I deeply respect. Even though this was not an audio book I could imagine his voice reading his words. For me this was an amazing book, a book that covers so much, that put so eloquently the thoughts I have had since our election, more ably than I could.

He explains how far are country has come, where we have been. The rights all groups of people deserve. He feels as many of us do that we are going backwards. The very ideals that made this country strong from the beginning are the ones once again dividing us. How lucky we are to live in a country where we are granted so many freedoms, the power of dissent, the power to speak out against. Where journalism is heading, and where it has been. So much, a book I believe all should read. A book that my small review can not do justice to.

His thoughts are conveyed in chapters, he covers the importance of books, reading, staying informed, the arts, and so much more. I found this book so informative, a short book that makes an impact.

POLITICS/GOVERNMENT
Dan Rather, Elliot Kirschner
What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism
Algonquin Books
Hardcover, 978-1-6162-0782-3, (also available as an e-book and audio book), 288 pgs., $22.95
November 7, 2017

“Who can say definitely when and how it begins, that first, faint sense of place, of belonging; that trickle that eventually becomes a wellspring of deep emotional ties to one’s homeland?”

What is Patriotism? This is the question Dan Rather examines in What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism, the new collection of sixteen essays written with his longtime collaborator Elliot Kirschner. “It is important not to confuse ‘patriotism’ with ‘nationalism,’” Rather says. Then he separates Patriotism into what he believes are its five essential components: Freedom, Community, Exploration, Responsibility, and Character. These five components are further subdivided into such subjects as voting, dissent, immigration, the arts, service, and education. Rather feels that Americans are being tested and there’s a task before us. He also believes that we are up to the challenge.

Rather writes passionately and eloquently about his sense of urgency that moved him to write this book, stirring me to tears at times. His “greatest desire for this book is that it encourage conversation and debate about what it means to be an American today.” Rather’s career is currently enjoying a renaissance, especially his Facebook notes. At eighty-six, he is Texas’s elder statesman of journalism. His life has spanned enormous changes in our world, and his career has allowed him a front-row seat to many of them. Rather’s vantage point offers a sweeping view of these transformations, from his Great Depression and World War II childhood, to the beginnings of his career when he reported on civil rights, the assassination of JFK, and the Vietnam War, through Watergate, Iran-Contra, hanging chads, and the terror attacks of 9/11. What Unites Us benefits from these experiences as Rather illustrates many of his subjects with examples from Texas history and his childhood in East Texas during Jim Crow.

There are a few valuable, concise history lessons in What Unites Us, including immigration, Carnegie libraries in Texas, and public education. Rather is mostly balanced in his writing without resorting to the spreading plague of false equivalency. A man after my own heart, he includes an entire essay devoted to books. He urges us to return to the audacity of big ideas and exploration, but simultaneously “steady as she goes.”

What Unites Us is not a work that breaks new ground. The collection is basic, or it should be. Our current times are infected by willful ignorance and aggressive hostility. Rather emphasizes the “purgatory of tolerance” as not good enough, and he is correct—our goal should be inclusion. We should love our country like adults, not like a four-year-old loves his mother. As Rather writes, “I see my love of country imbued with a responsibility to bear witness to its faults.”

Save Oh, the Places You’ll Go for your kindergartener; What Unites Us would be a terrific gift to ground high school graduates in the principles of good citizenship. “We are bound together by a grand experiment in government, the rule of law, and common bonds of citizenship,” Rather writes. “This is what it means to be an American.”

Originally published in Lone Star Literary Life.½