What's So Great About America

I’ve been trying to improve my understanding of two questions: 1. Why do some Americans, like Senator Durbin or Ward Churchill for example, seem to hate America so much they actually would like to see us lose the War on Terror? and, 2. What really are these fundamentalist Muslims, the ones who are indiscriminately killing people, innocent women and children and fellow Muslims and Christians alike, trying to accomplish and why?

It had been my belief that spokesmen for the left have criticized the war effort being carried out in Afghanistan and Iraq and in more than 100 countries around the world because they were more interested in undermining President Bush and regaining power than in the consequences of losing this war. But what was nagging at me was the thought that it is much more than that – that it fit into the battles that have been swirling around me all my life.

Recently I discovered a book by best-selling author, Dinesh D’Souza entitled, “What’s So Great About America” that answers these questions in a superb and uplifting fashion. D’Souza examines the reasons why some Americans and some Muslims think America is evil because of its alleged bigotry and moral degeneracy. D’Souza, a black, conservative immigrant from India, pulls no punches as he explores situations in our history that have been heavily criticized, but when examined from a larger historical perspective, can also be a source of pride.

D‘Souza discusses the origins and effects of the movement to moral relevancy in the West, and its role in providing one of the sparks in the religious war he believes we are in with Muslim fanatics. He also warns of the dangers of multiculturalism to the spirit of America, but is optimistic that the American way of the melting pot will always win out.

His book has a solid intellectual foundation, but is easy and enjoyable to read; it is only about 200 pages long, plus footnotes. It was published in 2002 by Regnery Publishing