Perfect Enemies : The Religious Right, the Gay Movement, and the Politics of the 1990s

Rating:
Summary: A Compelling Look At The Gay and Evangelical Movements
Review: A good book that does its best to be objective when dealing with an issue that is most decidedly subjective. The book is a careful examination of the political situations surrounding the gay and evangelical communities and their similarities and differences. The authors don't hold back from pointing out the missteps and faults of both movements, and ends with a plea for less fiery rhetoric and a call for civil discussion and compromise. A must read for anyone on either side of this debate

Rating:
Summary: Both Sides, Present
Review: A well-written book examining the controversial gay movement and subsequent religious right movement in the 90s. The authors write in an anthropological style, representing both sides without displaying their personal disposition. This style of writing is very helpful when trying to establish a position on this controversial issue, or when examining the stance opposing your own position. For a novice in the issue of the religious right versus the gay movement this would be a wonderful starting point. A reader that has an established position on the issue, they may like a more pro-stance work.

Rating:
Summary: Exciting case studies...not a contradiction in terms!
Review: Irrespective of the reader's own personal politics, the highly charged political nature of GLBT rights means finding 'balanced' academic works is incredibly difficult. Most titles either soley focus on the glbt OR far right without attempting some sort of journalistic mediary between the two.

As a diehard liberal, my politics personally go with the former group, but my need for balance in classroom assigments (which included a mock curricula)left me in a quandry. How would I teach about a social group I inately despised (the religious right) while giving my potential students the required information they would need to discern a broader picture?

Looking through the right's own books seemed boring and actual field interviews also seemed dangerous because of the unknown communication problems I was potentially setting myself up for in the arrangement (people spamming me with information after the fact, attempting to change my own politics and/or harrassing me).

Thus, I was personally relieved to make Mr. Bull's concise book an addition to my library. The 1990's were both a time of great political gains and setbacks for the GLBT community, and understanding past policy battles in Oregon and Colorado (among other profiles) helps today's activists prepare counter-response to simmilar campaigns in their own muncipaties.

Also helpful is the book's immediate practicality to intended communities. Even if I can decipher advanced queer political theory with my previously aquired political training, such barriers could inadvertently reduce the numbers of movement allies when the need is most critical. Bull's plainspeak language is intentionally utilized to neither speak over or down to his readers, they instantly know they CAN be part of the solution to every identified policy problem.