Breaking Ranks II: Strategies for Leading High School Reform

Breaking Ranks II: Strategies for Leading High School Reform
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Breaking Ranks II breaks some new ground in educational reform!

Breaking Ranks II: Strategies for Leading High School Reform

Manufacturer: National Association of Secondary School Prin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

High School | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
High School | By Level | Education | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0882103539

Product Description

This publication outlines the much needed next step in high school reform. It outlines strategies that will produce effective change in our high schools.

Customer Reviews:

Breaking Ranks II breaks some new ground in educational reform!.......2006-06-02

Some ground-breaking new ideas are presented here! Although a skeptic myself before I began to read it, this book really made me want to learn more and do more in high school reform at my own school. I have been inspired to research some of these ideas and share with other teachers!

Breaking Rank: A Top Cop's Expose of the Dark Side of American Policing

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fuzzy-bunny liberalism breaks rank with reality
Unique insight.
An Entertaining Read with some great insight
Excellent Candid Insight into Modern Policing
Truely awful, almost a satire of itself

Breaking Rank: A Top Cop's Expose of the Dark Side of American Policing
Norm Stamper
Manufacturer: Nation Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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Walking With the Devil: The Police Code of Silence
Brotherhood of Corruption: A Cop Breaks the Silence on Police Abuse, Brutality, and Racial Profiling
All God's Children
The New World of Police Accountability
Our Enemies in Blue: Police and Power in America

ASIN: 1560258551

Book Description

Opening with a powerful letter to former Tacoma police chief David Brame, who shot his estranged wife before turning the gun on himself, Norm Stamper introduces us to the violent, secret world of domestic abuse that cops must not only navigate, but which some also perpetrate. Former chief of the Seattle police force, Stamper goes on to expose a troubling culture of racism, sexism, and homophobia that is still pervasive within the twenty-first-century force; then he explores how such prejudices can be addressed. He reveals the dangers and temptations that cops face, describing in gripping detail the split-second life-and-death decisions.

Stamper draws on lessons learned to make powerful arguments for drug decriminalization, abolition of the death penalty, and radically revised approaches to prostitution and gun control. He offers penetrating insights into the “blue wall of silence,” police undercover work, and what it means to kill a man. And, Stamper gives his personal account of the World Trade organization debacle of 1999, when protests he was in charge of controlling turned violent in the streets of Seattle.

Breaking Rank reveals Norm Stamper as a brave man, a pioneering public servant whose extraordinary life has been dedicated to the service of his community.

Customer Reviews:

fuzzy-bunny liberalism breaks rank with reality.......2007-02-15

Although I agree with several of Mr. Stamper's recommendations (legalizing prostitution, decriminalizing drugs), many of his assertions are straight out of the "I-Hate-America" handbook. All white, male cops -and even many black ones - are racsist, homophobic, women-hating thugs. What we need is a kinder, gentler way of policing.
Mr. Stamper had a brief career as a police officer before his real career of supervisory bureacrat began. He "confesses" that in his rookie year he was on his way to becoming one of the bad cops before he was set right by a straight-shootin' DA. It was apparently then that his liberal sensitivities kicked in, and soon he was a supervisor (all the better to control the average Joe).
The unfortunate thing about this book isn't the stories he relates, or even his recommendations (some good, some not so good), but the haughty way in which he relates it. Conservatives, Republicans - BAD! Liberals, Democrats - GOOD! (except for unions - bad!) If this book were written with respect not only for the majority of rank and file cops, but for the other half of Americans that Mr. Stamper obviously disdains, it may have been worth the money. As it is, if you are to the right of Hillary, take a pass on this one.

Unique insight........2006-08-03

The book was extremely honest and forthright. More police officers should have the courage to write their own tell all stories to break down the "Blue Wall." The downside to the author is that he told this after the fact. However, the lessons learned will help new police officers coming on the job, realize that law enforcement is a different beast.

An Entertaining Read with some great insight.......2006-06-26

Norm Stamper, much like the late Seattle School Superintendant John Stanford was considered a cutting edge leader in the public sector during the '90s. This was an exciting period in Seattle history and featured the dot com boom and the rise of such businesses as Microsoft, Starbucks and this website.
Norm Stampers book offers his views of the problems faced by police departments, many of which were featured in the fictional 2006 Oscar winning movie Crash.
Norm present many of his ideas of reform, some of which I can agree with and some of which I cannot.
The book is hard to put down once you start reading it and I would recommend it to anyone.

Excellent Candid Insight into Modern Policing.......2006-04-02

Stamper doesn't hold back - he outlines his experiences, sucesses, and failures. The book is organized around issues that are important to Stamper, such as community policing, gun control, death penalty, and the like.

Even if you do not agree with all of his conclusions the book still makes for a great read.

Truely awful, almost a satire of itself.......2006-02-12

This book is promoted as being about policing from a 'top cop'. Actually, the book is about Norm Stamper from his own perspective.

The book contains a number of chapters on current topics of interest, such as the war on drugs. If you agree with his positions, and you like reading a book by someone who agrees with you, it will seem like a nice book.

There are other chapters about Mr. Stamper's experiences. These are potentially interesting, but since the descriptions tend to be more about Mr. Stamper and his feelings than about what actually happened, I find them not as interesting as they could be.

The book falls down on a number of points, and they all revolve around Norm Stamper.

As an example, consider newspaper reporting. The book starts with a strange chapter written as an 'open letter' to the former police chief of Tacoma, who killed his wife and himself. I usually don't find open letters very interesting, but this particular letter would never have otherwise been read, as the putative recipient was dead when it was written.

The open letter is a condemnation of abusive husbands. There is no information in the chapter that wasn't in the newspaper reports, and the chapter sounds like something written after watching television. There is no special information or insight in Mr. Stamper's chapter. There are many other such opinions in Mr. Stamper's book, passages that seem to be written after reading something in a newspaper or watching something on television. If you happen to have had the same feelings after reading or watching the same coverage, it could be nice to see that someone else wrote those same feelings down.

Personally, I prefer to read the original newspaper coverage about events, rather than opinions of other people after reading the same coverage. The newspaper reports are already distorted enough, without hearing about them second hand. Certainly it isn't worth getting Mr. Stamper's book for his opinions.

The book almost becomes a satire when, near the end, Mr. Stamper complains about newspapers. Apparently there was some unflattering reporting about his leadership in the Seattle newspapers. Mr. Stamper spends some part of the book describing the fall of the american newspaper, and quoting statistics about how the newspapers are losing readership.

Unfortunately, Mr. Stamper, unlike Mark Twain, fails to see the humor in making judgements about other people on the basis of newspaper and television reports, then pointing out how imperfect the reports are. The book would have been much funnier if he had organized it better, so the contrast was clear. I get the impression that Mr. Stamper is serious, that he judges people he never met based on newspaper and television reports that he knows from personal experience are inadequate at best.

Unfortunately, the inability to see the humor in his own positions carries through the entire book.

Mr. Stamper describes decisions he made as police chief in Seattle. Luckily for him, these decisions do not seem to have required any particular judgement on his part. Almost every decision is described as having a right answer. Conveniently, people who favor other solutions have only bad reasons, are racist, sexist, or unprofessional. Mr. Stamper seems to believe that his college education is a guarantee of better judgement, a conclusion that he unfortunately demonstrates to be false.

After reading the book, I am left without insight into his decisions. For example, there is a discussion about police officers needing shotguns. Apparently, there are only bad reasons for police officers not having shotguns. I would have appreciated him listing a few of the bad reasons so I could have had a flavor of them, or perhaps a few of the good reasons so I had an idea what he was talking about.

What I also find convenient about the world in Mr. Stamper's book is that people are so easy to judge based on their skin color, gender, and sexual preferences. Almost every person in the book is described only in those terms. I learn nothing about them as human beings: how they live their lives, and what makes them special. This is odd, because policing has mostly to do with people, and it is strange that a book about policing can avoid talking about people in any more detail.

It is hard to believe that this book was written by someone who managed a police department, indeed, by someone who managed people at all. Management is about choosing priorities, and Mr. Stamper's discussion is only about what is right and what is wrong, not about the best use of the resources available. Managing people has to take into account their interests and goals, yet what shows up in this book is only their skin color, gender, and sexual preference - and lack of a college degree, which seems to make them 'unprofessional'. Leading an organization has to be concerned about what institutions and arrangements can be made to work with the people in the organization, and this book only has meaningless phrases.

I have heard that a book is good if it changes your mind about something, and this book did. Before I read the book, I had no specific feelings about police unions, but a general sense that they were obstructive. After reading Mr. Stamper's book, I'm ready to sign up. I can't imagine working in an organization led by someone who bases decisions only on what he sees as right and wrong - you can't survive a marriage this way, much less run an organization when you respect the judgements of other people only when they agree with you. I can't imagine working in an organization where people are classified by skin color, gender, and sexual preference - I would expect the leader to see beyond that. I also can't imagine working in an organization where the leader uses meaningless phrases instead of trying to set goals and accomplish them. It would be like living in a Dilbert cartoon. I can see the need for a union for any protection it could offer.

Breaking ranks: Changing an American institution : a report of the National Association of Secondary School Principals in partnership with the Carnegie ... on the high school of the 21st century

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Breaking ranks: Changing an American institution : a report of the National Association of Secondary School Principals in partnership with the Carnegie ... on the high school of the 21st century
National Association of Secondary School Principals (U.S.)
Manufacturer: The Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Breaking Ranks II: Strategies for Leading High School Reform
Luck Is No Accident: Making the Most of Happenstance in Your Life and Career
Turning Points 2000: Educating Adolescents in the 21st Century
Good to Great and the Social Sectors: A Monograph to Accompany Good to Great

ASIN: 0882103105

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Loved it!
Reviewing Breaking Rank
Book I Read In Modern Novels
Ann's Review
Breaking Rank

Breaking Rank
Kristen D. Randle
Manufacturer: HarperTeen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Catalyst

ASIN: 0380732815
Release Date: 2001-12-24

Amazon.com

The Clan, as the clique is called, is a highly nontraditional gang. While they disavow participation in school, these enigmatic boys don't believe in drugs or violence, and are advocates of self-education--older members tutor younger apprentices in everything from car mechanics to Latin. But the comfort and acceptance of the Clan is no longer enough for Thomas, or "Baby," as he is known by his family. Baby wants to be more than just a mechanic like his domineering older brother, so he breaks rank from his peers and takes an aptitude test at school. Once the administrators are aware of Baby's intelligence, the principal pairs him with honor student Casey Willardson to help him catch up in the gifted program. As the two work together--dark, handsome rebel and beautiful, popular schoolgirl--the preconceptions and misunderstandings they have about each other are slowly stripped away. They quickly become close and learn to trust and even love each other. But Baby and Casey discover that even though they don't care about superficial differences, their friends do. Their relationship provokes a showdown between the Clan and the varsity football team that promises to end in disaster.

In a tale reminiscent in many ways of The Outsiders, West Side Story, and, most obviously, Romeo and Juliet, Kristen D. Randle nevertheless gives new life to an old story line with her detailed description of the Clan's structure and how the group comes into conflict with the regimented social hierarchy of high school. Readers will appreciate the realism and intelligence of this novel, and may also learn a lesson in peer pressure and independent thinking. (Ages 12 and older) --Jennifer Hubert

Book Description

Thus does the Clan speak

To Baby, the outside world is a cold and lonely place. The silent, enigmatic group that calls itself the Clan is his home, and he has been scorned and feared by classmates and neighbors. Like the rest of the Clan, he has never before participated in school. It's up to Casey to see to it that Baby isn't alone when he's the only Clan member to be placed in honors classes. But what Baby is doing threatens Clan and non-Clan alike, and it isn't long before Baby's and Casey's familiar worlds are shattered.

Customer Reviews:

Loved it!.......2004-07-28

I love this author. Randle has the amazing ability to create original stories. Somehow I got so caught up in the book I didn't realize I had finished it in less than two hours. I was just so anxious to find out what was going to happen next. She has a way of shedding light on the more important issues in society without it seeming like some huge political statement. She is truly talented and all her books are fantastic. I hope she comes out with more.
Other books by Kristen D. Randle: The Only Alien on the Planet (the best book of all time); Slumming

Reviewing Breaking Rank.......2004-05-07

This novel was about helping others and being kind. Then there were two who were working together, that realized they like each other. Casey is helping Thomas so she can get help from Mr. Hall so that he will help her get in to a state school. Casey just needs to keep up the good grades and help Thomas with math to catch up to the rest of the honors students.
In the novel you will meet the Clan that Thomas is in at the beginning of the book. Thomas had taken a high school achievement test and does very well. So he was placed in the high honors classes. Casey, another honors student, helped tutor him on catching up to the rest. Between Thomas' home, the Clan, and Casey, Thomas is pulled in many different directions with different expectations.
The Clan leader Lenny, who is Thomas' older brother has a bit of a reaction when he finds out that Thomas is in honors classes. Thomas "baby" is the first member of the Clan to be placed in honors classes. He is the only member that was able to break through the "crib". When you read the book you will learn about Lenny's reaction and something that happens in the mean time throughout the novel.

Book I Read In Modern Novels.......2004-05-06

I give the novel Breaking Rank 4 stars. I thought this book had a wonderful theme as well as a good plot line. Everyone is upset that they become friends. Casey's friend Joanna keeps on warning her about Baby and saying that he is no good for her. She also tells Casey that he will end up getting her in trouble. Lenny, who is Baby's brother kicks Baby out of the clan for not so good reasons. Casey also gets assigned to tutoring Baby. Casey is surprised when she realizes exactly how smart Baby really is. As the book goes on Casey tries to make moves on Baby, and Baby just gets mad and confused. Casey ends up lying to her parents in order to go to the drive-in with Baby, then afterwards she feels guilty about it. At the drive-in Baby ends up getting a broken arm.

Ann's Review.......2004-05-06

I give the novel Breaking Rank 4 stars. I thought this book had a wonderful theme as well as a good plot line. This book is about two teens that come from different sides of town, that fall in love. Everyone is upset that they became friends. Casey's friend Joanna keeps on warning her about Baby and Saying that he is no good for her. She also tells Casey that he will end up getting her in trouble. Lenny who, is Baby's brother kicks Baby out of the clan for not so good reasons. Casey also gets assigned to tutoring Baby. Casey is surprised when she realizes exactly how smart Baby really is. As the book goes on Casey tries to make moves on Baby, and Baby just gets mad and confused. Casey ends up lying to her parents in order to go to the drive-in with Baby, then afterwards she feels guilty about it. At the drive-in Baby ends up getting a broken arm.

Breaking Rank.......2004-05-04

I recently read the novel Breaking Rank by Kristin D. Randle. The book consisted of many good aspects with the way characters related to each other and plot. I enjoyed the plot of the story the most.
I thought the idea of having a smart, proper girl like Casey getting mixed up with a tougher yet intelligent boy like Thomas was a strong point of the novel. The two were incredibly different but had many things in common that neither one of them knew about. One large difference was that Casey was raised in a stable, goal-oriented family while Thomas was a member of the Clan whom most people looked down upon and even feared.
The novel gave an eye-opening view of what could happen when two opposite sides are thrown together and have to learn to work together for a common cause. It also shows how people can let small, trivial differences affect their lives and what they might miss out on if that happens. An example of this would be when Thomas gets beat up by the "preppier" bunch of kids for being with Casey just because they didn't feel it was right.
In conclusion, I was left with and overall good impression of the novel. I felt the tone and speed of the novel was set so you would be able to keep interest without being bored or losing yourself in what was going on. Overall I would recommend this novel to others.

Breaking Ranks in the Middle: Strategies for Leading Middle Level Reform

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Breaking Ranks in the Middle: Strategies for Leading Middle Level Reform

Manufacturer: Nat. Assoc. of 2ndary School Principals
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0882103660

Lonely Planet Breaking Ranks: Turbulent Travels in the Promised Land (Lonely Planet Journeys (Travel Literature))

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Not so bad. . .not so good.
As informative as a guide, as pleasurable as a novel
You Can Taste the Hummous
Insightful Account of a Journey of a Person and of Peoples
Excellent material, well-written, and extremely useful !

Lonely Planet Breaking Ranks: Turbulent Travels in the Promised Land (Lonely Planet Journeys (Travel Literature))
Benjamin Black
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Travel | Writing | Reference | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1864503610

Book Description

Ben Black is like any other guy in his twenties: he switches between jobs, he lives on the rough, he travels off the beaten track. He smokes grass, he flirts with politics, he falls in love.

When Ben migrates from Scotland to Israel, his life takes a more exotic turn. He explores the lost city of Petra and a secret, secluded beach in the Sinai Desert. He goes camel racing with the Bedouin and feasts in the hummous parlours of Tel Aviv and Jaffa. Then there is the experience that could occur nowhere else: a suicide bomb blast on his bus route to work.

His life alters irreversibly one day when his military call-up papers arrive and Ben - having moved to Israel in the mid 1990s as the promise of peace seemed so close - is forced to choose between his conscience and his country.

As Ben tries to reconcile his belief in the inevitability of a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with the realities of military service, he brings into sharp, personal focus the meanings of war and peace in the Middle East.

Customer Reviews:

Not so bad. . .not so good........2002-04-27

I read this book in two sittings. Given current events, I was more motivated than I would have been otherwise. As I write this review, I'm conflicted because I was nauseated by the author's obviously convenient morality while enjoying his depictions of his time in Israel. If you just can't be bothered by your responsibilities to society, I can understand how fashionable it would be to present yourself as a secular, conscientious objector. In the final epilogue, Mr. Black attempts to reconcile his behavior vis a vis Israel's social contract.

I would've been more sympathethic if his rationalizations appeared more honest or if he wasn't a well-educated, well-traveled male, who should, by age 27, the speed at which 3 years passes. However, having read the previous chapters, it felt more like he, like the trust-funded, party boy who resists joining the family business, just couldn't be bothered with his part of the bargain. As I finish this paragraph, I wonder if my Jewish college friends would've dismissively labelled him with that nebulous Yiddish insult--nebbish.

Now with that largely feel-good rant complete, in the main, I enjoyed "meeting" the people he described to us (my personal favorite was the lady making that godawful stuff Turks call coffee). Furthermore, I especially enjoyed the section detailing the sport of Israeli politics during elections as well as the sections on life in the kibbutz. Finally, I got fine laughs out of his interactions with the driver's license examiner and the deferment board.

Bottom line: I enjoyed the book and the author writes well, but found his character unimpressive by the end of the book

As informative as a guide, as pleasurable as a novel.......2001-11-13

Black's debut sends the reader into a contradictory world of beauty and war, of passion and of aggression. To read it is to be there, yet yearn to experience the treasures of the middle east and learn the complexities first hand that make it such a fascinating place. Travalogues can be tedious when too informative and yet when too personal can be frustratingly useless to the traveller. Black, however, strikes a balance that both inspires the reader to go, offering useful advice, in a style that is compelling. The journey from the innocence of youth to the dawning realities of adulthood provides a perfect backdrop to the intricacies of middle-east politics and so opens the reader's eyes to the humanity of what one sees on the news. I was sad I finished it so quickly. I might just have to book a flight...

You Can Taste the Hummous.......2001-09-20

Black's first effort takes us to a time in our very near past when peace in the Middle East was almost reality.
Both a personal and objective account of the mid-late nineties in one of the most written about countries on the planet.
Black does not bog us down with history but takes us on a fresh and contemporary tour of a region so often divided by politics, religion and war. Whilst his own politics are obvious they are not imposed upon the reader and he presents a somewhat balanced view of all arguments in the conflicts.
However it must be noted that this is also a travlogue and Black often takes us off the beaten path to some of the gems and treasures hidden in deserts, moutains, chasms and alleyways. His desriptions of people places and events are so realistic that you can actually taste the hummous.

Insightful Account of a Journey of a Person and of Peoples.......2001-09-13

I have to be honest and say I suspect that "Ben Black" is not a first time writer but a more experienced and established name who for some reason is writing under a pseudonym. Why do I say this? Because it is rare enough to come across such a well-writen, insightful, humurous & ultimately human account of a journey in one of the world's most turbulent regions - let alone from somone with no experience of writing.

Having spent many separate months and years in the Middle East (many during the same periods as Black was there), I can honestly say that he has managed somehow to capture the feel and spirit of much of the region and peoples, and bottled it up in this gem of a book. This should be required reading for anyone thinking of spending any time in or around Israel, and is particularly poignant in the current climate. I can't reccomend it enough.

Come on "Ben", who are you really, and when is your next book coming out?

Excellent material, well-written, and extremely useful !.......2001-09-11

This book constitutes an extremely useful tool and pleasant reading, for those interested in Israeli and Middle East politics and society, as well as travelers to the region (especially during this turbulent time). It is excellent to have a view from the author about the current Middle East crisis. While clearly standing on one side rather than the other, the author remains extremely objective and without any bias, in examining the causes and perspectives of the present Middle East crisis - a topic he clearly feels very strongly about. The book is extremely well-written, ensuring pleasant and captivating reading for all. Likewise, it contains extremely useful and up-to-date information, which will be of immense value for the traveler. It is a book any traveler, especially if interested in politics and society, should take with herself / himself before leaving for the region.

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Breaking Ranks 2

Manufacturer: Diane Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Breaking Ranks: Refusing to Serve in the West Bank and Gaza Strip

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Please read this book
Telling the truth
Courage to Refuse
Life Changing

Breaking Ranks: Refusing to Serve in the West Bank and Gaza Strip
Ronit Chacham
Manufacturer: Other Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Days of Honey, Days of Onion: The Story of a Palestinian Family in Israel
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ASIN: 1590510992

Book Description

In a series of moving and provocative conversations, nine members of the Israeli Defense Force tell why they refused to serve in the West Bank and Gaza. The "Refuseniks" describe their risky moral decision against the background of what is perhaps the most volatile conflict in the world today: the Israeli-Palestine struggle. Their individual choices and their collective activism have generated intense debate in Israel and the international community, from the leading Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz to a segment on 60 Minutes.

In a sociocultural mosaic of the refusenik movement and the political context in which it arose, these men recount their individual family backgrounds and beliefs. Dedicated to the welfare of their country and its religious heritage, they outline their concerns for the future of Israel. As they tell their stories of personal struggle, they also raise the disturbing and highly controversial issue of human rights abuses in the occupied territories.

These searching personal accounts of existential choice offer new perspectives on some entrenched ideas about the situation in the Middle East. The testimony in Breaking Ranks is essential background for a full understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The refuseniks illuminate the inner workings of Israeli society by challenging what it most reveres, offering a new moral framework that reinforces a sense of belonging to Israel. In this time of grave crisis in the Middle East, with no solution in sight to repair the utter collapse of the peace process, these voices offer a message of hope in their commitment to their society and nation

Customer Reviews:

Please read this book.......2007-08-17

I am a Muslim and the Quran says that those who believe in the one God will eventually be in heaven but those who did not follow they way of Islam are possibly going to be in Hell for a time. I hope the soldiers in this book will be spared hellfire. As I read it, I was amazed that I never heard of it before. These soldiers and their refusal to participate have been hidden from the public. They were on a segment of 60 minutes, but you will not find that video anywhere on the Internet, including Youtube and their website. Go ahead and try to find it.

In their own words, they say that Israel was "built on militarism racism" and "Many Jews have lost their Jewish souls" and The judges who order houses to be demolished are "prostltutes to the legal system" and about terrorism, the soldier in ch7 says boldly "We have sown the seed's, grown them, and nurtured them." He later says with courage "I refuse to be a terrorist in my tribes name." I am sure this book is banned in Israel but I wish that all Americans could read it at least once. If it was hard for me to find it, then I know the majority of concerned Americans dont know it exists.

Telling the truth.......2005-09-25

Several courageous Israeli reservists who have refused to serve in the illegally occupied Palestinian territories captured by Israel in 1967 tell why they have chosen not to serve. They are part of a group of several hundred Israeli reservists who have said that they will serve within Israel's 1967 borders but that they will no longer fight beyond those borders to "dominate, expel, starve and humiliate an entire people." Many of these brave reservists spent time in Israeli prisons for their principled actions.
The reservists speak of the brutalization of the Palestinian people by the Israeli army, a brutalization which in turn brought about the anger of the Palestinian people toward them and toward Israeli Jews. They speak of the humiliation faced by both young and old Palestinians at the ever present checkpoints when young Israeli soldiers would torment Palestinians by tearing up their required identification papers, making them sit in the hot sun without shelter, sending them back home even when they had a permit to visit the doctor or go to school or occasionally beating them just for sport.
This book is a real eye opener for those who get their information about Israel and the occupation from the main stream corporate press. It serves to help readers understand more of the Israeli/Palestine conflict and it is also important because it shows that there is a segment of Israeli society that knows that the occupation is reprehensible and unconscionable. They have been there.

Courage to Refuse.......2003-10-10

Thought provoking essays that explore the conscience and consciousness of each `refusenik's soul searching, and their journey to refusal. To date 550 IDF soldiers have either refused, or pledged to refuse serving in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. That is a huge number!

The stories these soldiers tell, will often give you a glimpse into both Israeli and Palestinian society, showing how people's perception are shaped, and mindsets nearly paralyzed by governments and leaders ( on both sides ) that have cultivated only fear and hate over the years, why it must end, and how.

The author throws out tough questions to them, challenging both their patriotic duty and moral convictions. I feel they answer with great clarity and conviction. All the men in this book are well educated, and articulate. All have served in the occupied territories at one point or another, and have either committed or witnessed first hand, lets call them brutalities. They all are deeply devoted to Israeli society and believe that "the best way to serve their society is not to perpetuate its injustices"

There are some stark warnings to heed in this book. Many times American dogma and mindset after 9-11 and the `War on Terror' is cited as an analogy to give reference to the phenomenon of jingoistic thinking taking place.

This book was written before the recent refusal of 27 Israeli pilots who refused to take part in targeted assassinations, claiming that they resulted in civilan deaths, and that "the black flag of illegality is waving."

Do not think for a moment that the decision to refuse came easily for these men. It did not. Many will tell you it took years to shake off the deeply entrenched mindset that has gripped Israeli society, and is always being fed by a media that is one sided, and a government that is short-sighted.

Whether you agree with these soldiers or not, every American should read this book, because by virtue of our American citizenship alone, makes all of us a part in this struggle, whether we want to be or not. The time is now to truly understand the issues as they exist today, and reevaluate what America's moral role ought to be.

Life Changing.......2003-07-15

This book has catapultited me into a new level of consciousness!
I have been waiting for a book to educate me on this topic and not only have I been educated, but moved to look into activism on this issue. I am neither Jewish nor very knowledgeable in politics. This book is right to the point and I found myself totally engrossed. The men in this book are awesome and I am proud to walk the planet with them. They are educated, brave, compassionate and passionate. I hope that you not only read Breaking Ranks, but go to the website afterwards and become involved in some way.

Average customer rating:

He heard the sound of his own drummer

Breaking ranks: A political memoir
Norman Podhoretz
Manufacturer: Harper & Row
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Customer Reviews:

He heard the sound of his own drummer.......2007-10-10

It takes guts to do what Norman Podhoretz did. He looked at Reality and saw that the liberal left political and social views of all his friends were mistaken. He saw that the knee-jerk condemnations of the United States which came from the left were wrongheaded, and in some ways contemptible. He had to 'break ranks' with a whole world of friends including those who were the 'Family' the intellectual elite not only of New York but in a sense of America. Among these people were Jason Epstein, Norman Mailer , Hannah Arendt, Alfred Kazin , and scores of others. Mailer goes into a lot of detail here in telling the story but his fundamental action was a courageous one. As editor of the important journal 'Commentary' he waged a War of Ideas in defense of the values he believed in, and the political positions he saw as correct.
This is an important book for understanding the way both intellectual and political struggles take place among the makers- and - shakers of American life.

Average customer rating:

Great Read, fast paced and exciting!
Good read, especially to those airborne veterans out there.

Breaking Ranks
Ed Ruggero
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Spy Stories & Tales of Intrigue | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0671891723

Customer Reviews:

Great Read, fast paced and exciting!.......1998-12-02

As an Infantry LT, I really liked the moral problems presented in the book. I enjoyed the realistic view of the 82nd Air Borne (All American) Division. In our day and age of military cutbacks, Breaking Ranks is very realistic. A must read!

Good read, especially to those airborne veterans out there........1998-09-23

An excellent look into the machismo and secrecy of the Army's most famous Airborne Division. As a poor wing wiper (Air Force) assigned to Pope AFB smack dab in the middle of Airborne country, I can sympathize with the problems the main character, Major Isen, has to cope with. His descriptions of the area and its seedy nightlife as well as the conduct of many officers is completely realistic. I am surprised more Army personell weren't offended by this unflinching look into the last bastion of so-called "real" soldiers.

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