EDITORIAL: Local author sheds light on 'Fractured' nation
What do you get when you consume the new two-volume book “Fractured” by Coeur d'Alene author Uyless Black?
1. Enough of a modern history lesson to set the stage for our nation’s current crack-up.
2. An experienced, respected analyst’s depiction of what’s happening today — pulling aside the curtain to show the greed, irresponsibility and insanity that are catapulting our country toward an increasingly volatile future.
3. Just enough sound opinion to explain possible “whys.”
4. A conclusion that tamps down frustration and anger with possible partial solutions. (Spoiler alert: None of them will be easy.)
Black, whose essays have appeared from time to time in The Press over the years, is a decorated Vietnam War combat veteran whose background includes "need to know" Defense Intelligence Agency clearance and extensive computer and coding work at the dawn of the internet age.
His analytical style leaves no room for hyperbole or inflammatory language. In "Fractured," Black's writing is so clear, so easy to follow and to understand, so well-documented that you don’t need to scamper elsewhere to answer questions he’s raised.
Black's approach isn't complicated. By documenting the events and influences that have led us to today's titanic fissures, the devastating impacts of mal-information, as he calls it, are both clearly visible and painfully visceral. While he isn't the first writer to blame biased media and consumers eager to gobble up social media "news," Black is the rare observer who suggests ways out of this mess.
One of them is returning to a federal doctrine that required more objective reporting than is generally found in electronic media today. Another is creating a small but powerful group that would serve as a solution explorer and adapter.
Each reader of "Fractured" will take the same data yet reach their own conclusions, which is a testament to Black’s consistent ability to present all sides to the most important stories and give each of us room to interpret them as we will.
A final word: To those who feel anything akin to Mr. Black’s abiding citizenship responsibilities — the imperative to stay informed among them — “Fractured” is more than a must-read. It’s a valuable investment in preserving our democratic republic.
"Fractured" is available on Amazon, and your friends at The Well-Read Moose will be happy to order the two-volume set for you.