My Review on Author Bernhard Goldberg’s Book 100 People Screwing Up America
This best-selling author and opinionated conservative has created a “hit list” of the 100 people he believes are ruining the country. He begins the book by denouncing America’s culturally-elite liberals, not because they take different political views than himself, but, because of their “eagerness to live up to the most embarrassing stereotypes held to liberals: snooty, snobby know-it-alls…who think people that live in a ‘Red State’ are hopelessly dumb and pathetically religious.”
Amongst these liberal liabilities are: Chevy Chase, who was quoted saying “Bush is as bright as an egg timer,” and was sarcastically labeled by Goldberg as a “constitutional scholar”; Barbera Walters, whom the author believes gives “serious journalists” a bad name; and the Hiltons’, because they have “ruined pop culture entirely with the birth of their heir-head daughter, Paris.”
Goldberg theorizes that, if America and it’s subculture radicals continue to change at such astounding rates, “Gangs of New York”-type corruption will take place. He accredits this possible moral decay to gangsters rapping about degrading “tricks and sluts” and media mongers like Michael Jackson and Anna Nicole Smith, whose sole purpose in life is to be walking tabloids.
The author pokes politically incorrect fun at basically everybody influential in the United States. He specifically elaborates on “America Bashers” who want to overthrow George Bush because “everything that’s wrong with America is his fault” and “TV Schlockmeisters” like Jerry Springer and Maury Povich who acclimate themselves with mind-numbing, sex driven segments just to boost ratings.
But besides self-proclaimed media moguls, the list is also jam-packed with political figures that an uninformed reader may not know. Goldberg uses this ignorance as the very foundation of his list. He claims it was written to “educate the unaware and provide undeniable esprit for those who think they know, but have no idea.”
At first glance, it’s nothing more than a sarcastic novelty list. But, if the reader can fully grasp and come to respect Goldberg’s ingenious way of presenting blunt, eye-opening truths through light-hearted mockery, thought-provoking examination of oneself and one’s country will surely follow. But, if not, Goldberg requests, “Don’t blame it on George Bush, the war in Iraq, or anyone else…if you don’t take action, take your rightful blame.”
The book will probably not convert diehard liberals into Goldberg-praising Republicans (especially as the Democratic party’s advocate, Michael Moore, is number one on the list.) But, at the least, it will provide insight and satirical wit for anyone who wishes to form their own, educated opinions and stop playing the blame game. That is, unless you’re a “Hollywood Blowhard.”
