Diane Bederman’s powerful book, “Back to the Ethic” challenges us to examine the world around us through the Judea-Christian lens our ethics and values were built upon. These values, the building blocks to Democracy, are the result of understanding that past governments did not care properly for their citizens. Government evolved through the teachings of the Torah and Bible, and the people who learned from this internalized these values and ethics. In turn our values, our courts, judicial system, laws, government, freedoms, health care, social services have all evolved through time. If you look at all Democracies, you realize that each and every one evolved from the Judea-Christian ethic and through these values, people’s lives improved. One does not have to be religious to appreciate our way of life, but Diane’s book, I believe is so important to read, so future generations do not lose the critical knowledge that is needed to keep our Democracies intact. For this reason, I believe that Diane’s book is an extremely important book to read. In fact, reading Diane’s amazing book, is not one you read and then put down. It makes you value our lives on a completely different level and makes you understand how much we have at risk if we fail our children and children’s children by not defending our way of life when challenged by those whose values are the antitheses of our human values and respect for life

Back to the Ethic has given me much to think about – I thoroughly enjoyed it. Ms. Bederman speaks about the framework that has grown out of the Judeo-Christian ethic and how this framework has been vital to the peaceful functioning of society at large and across the spectrum to the rights and freedoms of individuals. She makes many strong clear arguments as to how and why the Judeo-Christian ethic developed over millennia is critical to sustaining our western culture and system of values. Western culture and values – human lives – continue to be overtly under attack. This is an ever present reality threatening all people around the world. Ms. Bederman bravely asserts that timidity, political correctness and accommodation will not protect our cherished values and freedoms. Back to the Ethic couldn’t be more timely, definitely worth reading when so much discussion, decision making and shaping of the future is at hand. I will quickly mention that I align myself with no particular religion or philosophy.

Well-written and persuasively argued, Ms. Bederman’s book is a call to action for those who are frustrated with wishy-washy political correctness that purports to value all values and ends up promoting only a fear of appearing biased in those who have been raised to watch politely from the sidelines while their own culture is eroded and denigrated – a culture that, as the author points out, is the very source of the liberty that enables its own destruction.

Not for the faint of heart. The author reaches out and grabs the reader by the throat. She has thought deeply about where we are and where we’re headed and writes passionately about her proposed solution. Whether or not you agree with her, the fact that this book had to be written at all is a wake-up call to western democracies.

Diane dares to speak the one great truth of today. Political Correctness has in reality led to much of the turmoil we now witness. If we return to the Ethics of the bible and realize how far we have deviated from the Old and New Testaments in the name of Political Correctness we will understand why we must go “Back to the Ethic.”