Be the People: A Call to Reclaim America's Faith & Promise

Be the People  is written by Carol M. Swain, PhD., and is more or less, a Christian-based political book. Sound tedious? I thought so too, at first, to be honest. I did find it a bit of a dry read, at first, but I got into it after the first few chapters because, while I did not agree with everything the author had to say, I found her research to be pretty thorough and her arguments made quite a lot of sense (especially if in the mindset of a Christian).

　
An excerpt from the jacket:
　
"Without a doubt, America's foundation is shifting. Over time, our nation has adopted policies that have broken out founder's vows of faith. We have educated a generation that does not understand its unique destiny. We have banished the virtues we no longer find relevant. But it is time to think clearly. Who have we been historically, and what kind of nation are we becoming?

Be the People sounds a rallying cry for "We the People of the United States" to stand up and reclaim the life, liberty, and justice envisioned by our forefathers. Drawing on her training in political science and law, author Carol M. Swain, PhD. examines the religious significance and courageously exposes the cultural forces that threaten our cherished values and principles."

　
　And so, the author tackles such issues such as abortion, immigration, racism, marriage, divorce, and homosexuality. I think the author is clever in that, while you can understand her views by the material she presents in the pages, she doesn't really take a firm stance and say "This is what I believe in" in a few sections. Rather, we are given a lot of "expert opinions, theories, or findings" that talk about her given subject. Take homosexuality or same-sex marriage for instance. She doesn't say " Eww, don't do it.", but one can deduce that she is against it from all of the study findings or by quoting others. You know, things such as "Researchers found that even among stable homosexual partnerships, men have an average of 8 partners per year outside of their monogamous relationships". ( To be fair, she also includes a section that is semi pro-same sex marriage, but it's quickly shot down by adverse findings in the same section. )
　
Other sections are brilliantly done and I found myself nodding my head in agreement as I read the passages. Her thoughts and findings on racism for one, as well as some of her thoughts on divorce. As I mentioned, she is very thorough, and includes a massive reference list in the back of the book for everything she talks about which I love, because I can cross-check various facts and findings at my leisure. And also a huge bonus point with this book is that she has included the Ten Commandments, the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, as well as the Constitution of the United States.
　
In all, it was an enjoyable read because it did have me involved. You know, it had me comparing my own thoughts and feelings to hers and those she quoted, as well as comparing them to my own interpretation of the Bible. I would recommend it to Christians who care to read about such topics.

3 & 1/2 Stars