Hard Left

Smiley, a liberal black TV and nationally syndicated radio commentator, comes out swinging at the Republicans and their ""Contract on America"" in this partisan, thoughtful political statement. He bypasses virtually no one as he skewers politicians beholden to the tobacco industry; black conservatives (""an oxymoron"") and the appointment of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court (""Black America's worst nightmare""). He encourages liberals to combat conservatives because ""in any good fight, nothing counters a sharp right like a hard left."" He tackles the bigotry of talk radio, the sense of moral decay in America (""The Right seems to think that financial success is an indicator of moral virtue""), the moral reasoning behind affirmative action and the need for blacks to become an elective force. He also gives us his thoughts on rap music (it's a legitimate art form), interracial marriage (he thinks it weakens the black family structure) and the recent political phenomenon known as the angry white male (he notes that blacks have always suffered society's unfairness). A hard-hitting intellectual counterpunch that liberals will endorse. (June)