The first-ever account of the struggle to develop and protect rights in the Golden State Wherever There's a Fight captures the sweeping story of how freedom and equality have grown in California; from the gold rush right up to the precarious post-9/11 era. The book tells the stories of the brave individuals who have stood up for their rights in the face of social hostility; physical violence; economic hardship; and political stonewalling. It connects the experiences of early Chinese immigrants subjected to discriminatory laws to those of professionals who challenged McCarthyism and those of people who have fought to gain equal rights in California schools: people of color; people with disabilities; and people standing up for their religious freedom. The authors bring a special focus to the World War II internment of Japanese Americans; focusing on the infamous Korematsu case; which was foreshadowed by a century of civil liberties violations and reverberates in more recent times--regrettably; even today in the Patriot Act. And they follow the ongoing struggles for workers' rights and same-sex marriage. State and federal constitutions spell out many liberties and rights; but it is the people who challenge prejudice and discrimination that transform those lofty ideals into practical realities. Wherever There's a Fight paints vivid portraits of these people and brings to light their often hidden stories. Winner of the Gold Medal in the 2010 California Book Awards A Foreword Book of the Year
#388628 in Books New Press; The 2005-10-17Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.25 x .67 x 7.50l; 1.03 #File Name: 1595580158254 pages
Review
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful. An informative and helpful overviewBy Kerry Walters...Collins and Yeskel do a superb job in showing why multinational corporations are progressively extending the gap between rich and poor; both in this country and abroad. The power of the multinationals is incredible; of the 100 largest economies in the world; 51 are corporate. Governments increasingly cater to multinationals; rewriting environmental and tax laws in order to encourage them to do business. Even the supposedly liberal Clinton--who; after all; enthusiastically brought us NAFTA--bought into (or should it be "sold out to") the corporate line that "the business of government is business." This attitude creates huge wealth for a very few; but the old claim that this wealth trickles down to benefit others is simply false; and Collins and Yeskel give facts and figures to demonstrate its falsity.In short; the book is an invaluable read for anyone concerned with questions of social justice. sustainability; and old-fashioned economic survival. It tends to be a bit redundant in places; but this may be more of a merit than otherwise in a primer that really does summarize a dizzying amount of information. Readers who wish to explore the case against multinationals in more depth may wish to consult works like Derber's *Corporation Nation* or Korten's *When Corporations Rule the World.* E.F. Schumacher's classic *Small Is Beautiful* is also still well worth taking a look at.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy ANARCHIST TIL I DIEA eye opening must read for all14 of 15 people found the following review helpful. SynopsisBy Dominic Vaccaro Ben YoungEconomic Apartheid in America approaches the issue of economic inequality in an alternative fashion. Unlike other books; the authors explain the status quo and then continue to propose ideas and their thoughts of possible activist movements. The first three chapters discuss the current situation not only in wages but also income; savings and wealth. They explain the different indicators of increasing gaps between quartiles of income levels. The authors provide reasons for the unequal distribution that has spiraled out of control over the past few decades; such as CEO compensation reaching a record high of 419 times greater than the average factory worker. Chapter 4 outlines strategies for the so-called "building a fair economy movement." They use historical examples to illustrate possible solvency of the current dilemma. The book concludes with personal action-oriented options for readers to undertake; such as campaigning for a coalition for living wage. While it is evident that the authors have strong opinions and may be viewed as radical; their suggestions do have relevance and have a right to be considered in the search for a solution. The illustrations and charts serve in visual understanding of the facts and help the reader to understand the data in an alternative facet. The book is not difficult to read or to comprehend and highlights the major problems arising between the rich and the rest of America. Economic problems are running ramped in the United States and; as a reader; you are challenged to consider the fairness and moral implications of the issue.
