Writings for a Democratic Society: The Tom Hayden Reader

Former California State Senator Hayden (Ending the War in Iraq) has a long history of activism and politics, much of which has been chronicled in his writing; this collection pulls together more than four decades of work tackling vital social issues, from civil rights and Vietnam to genetically modified foods, Iraq and the global justice movement. Hayden writes in a clear and heartfelt manner, turning spotlights not just on problems, but on the commonsense, and often overlooked, implications of those problems: ""A country that fails to provide living wages for so many of its young is more committed to its present privileges than its future potential""; ""American empire seeks American independence by plunging other nations, cultures, and classes into dependence, which in turn triggers a spiral of resentment and resistance."" These grim pronouncements are balanced by a sense of optimism and a clarion call for action: ""The times are too hard for us to respond simply as comforters of the oppressed... we must move ahead concertedly with our goal-the changing of society."" Dense and wide-ranging, this is a thorough survey of an important thinker and activist.