Lyle Greenfield’s new book is a breath of fresh air for a troubled world. With the matter-of-factly titled Uniting the States of America: A Self-Care Plan for a Wounded Nation, it’s a particularly sobering statement that Greenfield movingly includes photographs of, and dedications to his children and grandchildren. Simply put, the statement reads: For Ava Marie – and for
Linley Jane, Parker Murray, Nolan Thomas, Eleanor Marie, and all the little ones for whom we have much work to do. Most including such vulnerable and raw sentiments then go for cheap, using rhetoric that has almost an apocalyptic, doomsday proselytizing feel with little actual theories, methodologies, or action plans proposed for how to combat the oncoming threat. To his infinite credit, as even some of the best of the best stoop to this low, Greenfield immediately springs to action.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: https://x.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=%2Flylegreenfield
He’s clear, informed, and articulates his points in bell-clear, eloquent, quietly directed prose. For him, it’s about action, not argument. And the way to bring people into the fold and to the table is from a place of instigating and supporting self-empowerment, not deflation or a sense of simply being overwhelmed by the enormity of the problems at hand.
“…something’s not working…today,” Greenfield writes, in aforementioned vein. “The divisions between and among us on so many issues seem extreme, as if it would be nearly impossible to jump across the divide, and reason with the ones with whom we disagree…First, I’ll offer a brief overview of history (world and American), going back many centuries and into the present time. Maybe it’ll help give this moment some context. Then some ideas will be considered for corrective measures we could take to improve our understanding of what it is to be participating citizens in a democracy, and become better neighbors to each other, no matter our ethnicity or our ideological and religious beliefs. And how our elected leaders can do—must do—a better job of leading, rather than pursuing their own interests. Next, we’ll hear what some other folks from around the country—and different walks of life—feel about this “state of the union” and what we should do to make things better.”
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/Uniting-States-America-Self-Care-Wounded-ebook/dp/B0D96RYKDF
He also writes, “Finally, I’ll attempt to distill these ideas and information into a 10-point plan for Uniting the States of America. A simple recipe for a better American pie, if you will. Is this even possible? To quote the conservative pundit and columnist Karl Rove from an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal, ‘U.S. politics today is ugly and broken …. But the good news is that it was worse in the past, and it will get better again.’ I hope he’s right about that. But better sooner than later, I say, so let’s get to work. Together.”
Together. It’s odd how certain words have taken on a sanctity with which it’s easy to get somewhat wrought up over. But again, action – not just argument. Greenfield writes with this straightforward focus, keeping the reader’s eyes on the core concepts of his proposed path to a better future. That is to be commended.
Garth Thomas