If you can get past the stylistic narscissism of his essays (the written equivelent of someone who likes to hear themselves talk), Rosenbaum has little to offer his reader.

He writes as though you are already party to his views, as though the simple act of Ron Rosenbaum trashing Gore Vidal or Pete Seeger, or extolling Chris Hitchens is enough. We don't need facts or reasoned arguments, just read a passage where Ron gives it to some whacko lefty.

And what about all those lefty whackos? I mean how can they possibly entertain ideas that are so far beyond the mainstream that even Ron Rosenbaum cannot countenance them. Oswald didn't kill JFK? Get outta here! Yoi're joking right?

On the plus side, writers of Rosenbaum's caliber will only ever "preach to the choir." Rosenbaum is a literary Rush Limbaugh. Their's is a style of polemic that compels neither thought nor reflection. Mind pap for the mindless wishing to remain that way.

I've read my last Rosenbaum piece. Life is too short to waste on bad logic and self-enamored writers.

Posted by: Martin Gorda on May 15, 2004 10:47 AM