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I’ve been struggling for several days trying to find a suitable introduction to Chalmers Johnson’s new book “The Sorrows Of Empire”. Every time I sit down to write about the book I find myself either distracted or disgusted. The book is that hard to read. There is nothing pleasant or easy about it. Take, for example, his first sentence: “As distinct from other peoples on this earth, most Americans don’t recognize—or do not want to recognize—that the United States dominates the world through its military power.” One could write a thousand words of exegesis on that sentence alone. Now imagine what the next 312 pages were like, for Johnson tells us everything we never wanted to know about our country. I almost threw the book across the room several times.
"No, that's a crock," I found myself mumbling. Then I would go to the endnotes (yeah, I'm a nerd that way) and Johnson would be citing a DOD memo or some other unimpeachable source.
Strangely, I found the book more of an emotional challenge than a factual one. Reading it I felt like a visit to a cruel psychotherapist who proceeds to point out every character flaw of my personality. I realized about halfway through the book that I had to pause and listen carefully to that deep, instinctive feeling we all have when we know the truth. A wise man once said: "The truth will set you free." He forgot to add, "it ain't easy." No one likes to look into a mirror like this, yet we must.
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