Review - Come September

The author of "The God of Small Things" likely has never shied away from any subject, and in this address from September 2002, she takes on the world. Roy argues that the corporate power structure uses blind nationalism to manipulate the masses and that the American government controls that power structure. Anyone who opposes that nationalism is branded a traitor. Much of her talk is dedicated to disclosing a litany of events that expose governments, particularly the U.S. government, as hypocrites. There's not much to argue with there, the question is where does the world community go from here? Unfortunately, she doesn't do much to address that issue. Her solution is for America to stop being a bully and for the masses to wake up to reality. Again, there's no argument there, but there's also nothing new. Her most insightful observation is that the "American way of life is not sustainable because it doesn't acknowledge there is a way of life beyond America." Try telling that to Dubya and Rummy. Unlike many "dissidents," Roy is humble, even conciliatory in her approach, and it is this approach that ultimately makes her acceptable to the masses that could effect change. Sadly, those masses seem to prefer the power structure.