America Declares Independence (Turning Points in History) - Hardcover

Dershowitz, Alan M.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0471264822 ISBN 13: 9780471264828

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Inc, 2003

Synopsis

The Declaration of Independence as you′ve never seen it before Some of us cherish it with near–scriptural reverence. Others simply take it for granted. In this contentious new look at the Declaration of Independence, however, celebrated attorney Alan Dershowitz takes "America′s birth certificate" and its principal author, Thomas Jefferson, to task. Dershowitz searches for the sources, history, and underlying reasoning that produced the Declaration and its particular language, from its reference to the "Laws of Nature and Nature′s God" through the long list of complaints against the abuses of King George III. He points out contradictions within the document, notes how the meanings of Jefferson′s words have changed over the centuries, and asks many disturbing questions, including: ∗ Where do rights come from? ∗ Do we have "unalienable rights"? ∗ Do rights to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" have any meaning? ∗ How could slaveowners claim to believe that "all men are created equal"? ∗ Is the God of the Declaration the God of the Bible? ∗ Does the Declaration establish a Christian State? ∗ Are there "Laws of Nature and of Nature′s God"? Challenging, upsetting, and controversial, this brilliant polemic may anger you, delight you, or force you to reexamine your opinions. One thing′s for sure: after reading America Declares Independence, you′ll never take the Declaration of Independence for granted again.

About this title

Review

These are dire times for the Declaration of Independence, Dershowitz believes. The religious right has hijacked the document for its own wily purposes, holding that phrases such as "Nature′s God," "Creator" and "Divine Providence" are proof that the Founding Fathers intended America to be an explicitly Christian nation. Not so, cries the noted Harvard Law School professor and prolific author (Supreme Injustice, etc.). To prove his case, Dershowitz focuses mainly on Thomas Jefferson, showing that the Declaration′s principal author though most of the Bible was superstitious drivel: he did not believe in miracles, the devil or anything in the Gospels except that certain words were spoken by Jesus. Rather, Jefferson believed in a deistic God, who set the world in motion and then went on vacation. Jefferson didn′t think religion should have anything to do with politics. Thus, Dershowitz says, when Jefferson used the phrases "nature′s God" and "Divine Providence," his contemporaries – most of whom were also deists – understood and approved of his intent. This argument is fine (if familiar) up to a point. But then Dershowitz proves himself nearly as guilty as his foes of "hijacking" the Declaration for his own political goals, attaching enemies like Pat Robertson, Alan Keyes and Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Dershowitz also toys with some impossibly speculative ideas, such as that Jefferson would have believed in evolution. There have been many fine books written about Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence; readers can find some of them listed in the endnotes to this threadbare addition to Wiley′s Turning Points series. Still, the author being a ubiquitous media presence, the book will garner attention and sales. Agent, Helen Rees. (Apr.) ( Publishers Weekly , March 3, 2003) "...this book stands as a testament to the diversity of opinion that can exisst under one flag". ( Bookpage , July 2003)

"...the author being an ubiquitous media presence, the book will garner attention and sales". ( Publishers Weekly , March 3, 2003) "...this book stands as a testament to the diversity of opinion that can exisst under one flag". ( Bookpage , July 2003)

Synopsis

In his new blockbuster, Alan Dershowitz defends Israel against recent attacks. In the last few years, many left wing intellectuals have gone on the attack against Israel, deriding it as an imperialist power bent on oppressing the Palestinians. On prominent campuses across America, petitions circulate asking universities to divest holdings in companies that operate in or sell arms to Israel and to boycott Israeli Jews without regard to their individual views. Virulent opponents of Israel have accused that democracy of unspeakable human rights abuses, while many who believe otherwise remain silent. Now, in this impassioned and closely argued book, Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz sets the record straight and explains why Israel, while not perfect, is in fact the sole outpost of liberty and democracy in the Middle East a country that has earned the right to exist and defend itself. He documents how Israel was founded with the blessing of the United Nations and how it was Arabs, not Israelis, who initiated the cycle of violence that still persists today.

He argues that the division of Palestine between Israel and the Palestinians has long been accepted by Israel and rejected by most Arabs. He demonstrates why Israeli actions in the West Bank and Gaza are not motivated by territorial ambitions, but by the very real sense that Israel is under attack. And he shows how critics of Israel gloss over the terrorism, human rights abuses, and antidemocratic ideologies of other regimes in the region, substituting bigotry and veiled anti Semitism for objective analysis. Hard hitting, well documented, and provocative, "The Case for Israel" is sure to spark debate and become a bestseller. Alan Dershowitz (Boston, MA) is Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, one of the nation's foremost appellate lawyers, and a distinguished defender of individual liberties. He appears frequently on television and contributes to periodicals such as the "New York Times Book Review". His many books include the "New York Times" number 1 bestseller "Chutzpah" as well as "The Vanishing American Jew", "Why Terrorism Works", "Shouting Fire", and, most recently, "America Declares Independence" (0 471 26482 2).

About this edition

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Inc
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0471264822
• ISBN 13: 9780471264828
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 208