As someone who used to listen to Tammy Bruce every weekend when she had her show on KFI in Los Angeles, (I actually emailed her regularly and often got nice responses.) I was happy to hear she had written a book. It was the way I heard about it that surprised me. While flipping the dials, I heard Dr. Laura talking about this great new book. I can’t say that I ever would have figured that Tammy’s most vocal supporter would be Dr. Laura. This support may explain why the book was sold out at eight stores I visited the week it was released. (Thank goodness I had Amazon.)

There have been plenty of books written about Political Correctness and those who would control our speech. What makes Bruce’s’ book different is that she is not a right wing thundercloud shouting down the opposition. As a lifelong feminist and President of LA N.O.W for nearly a decade, she has a long history as a champion for ‘liberal’ causes and has been an outspoken advocate for traditionally ‘left leaning’ issues. In spite this lengthy pedigree, or perhaps because she actually believes in her causes, Bruce is appalled by the tactics of the left and the new qvzzqthought policeqvzzq who carry out the marching orders.

qvzzqThe New Thought Policeqvzzq is an easy read. I finished it in less than a day without much effort. The reason for Dr. Laura’s strong support is quite clear early on when Bruce devotes an entire chapter to the criticism and threats faced by Dr. Laura after her comments angered the ‘gay establishment.’ A lesbian herself, Bruce may disagree with Dr. Laura, but is quick to point out that the propaganda used against her national TV show was filled with lies. As Bruce points out here and throughout the book, the left has adopted the policies that used to be used against them. (In this case, passing out hateful fliers in Dr. Laura’s neighborhood as anti-abortion foes have done with doctors for years.)

I loved the candor of this book. Tammy pulls no punches and lands most of strong left and right crosses she throws. Her description of the evolution, or de-evolution of the women’s movement is particularly eye opening. Likewise, her attacks on the qvzzqMisery Merchantsqvzzq who use racial tension to line their own pockets is hard hitting. It’s one thing to hear Rush Limbaugh attack Patricia Ireland or even to hear Larry Elder call out Jesse Jackson, but when Bruce does it, it packs more of a wallop.

Missing from the book is an explanation of what happened to Bruce when she left KFI. The last any of us heard, she had been fired for some comments she made about Camille Cosby after the wife of the famous comedian wrote a letter blaming American racism for the death of her son. Mrs. Cosby was never called to task for her racist letter, but when Bruce refused to apologize, she was fired. At least that’s the story we all heard. A better explanation of that chapter would have been wonderful.

The book does lose some steam near the end when Bruce teeters precariously on a razor thin line between activism and thought control. After calling into question the efforts to shut down Dr. Laura, she relates with great pride how she led a charge against Brett Eaton Ellis’ novel qvzzqAmerican Psycho.qvzzq Her descriptions of direct sponsor action back up her point, but the fact that she laughs at giving out the private number of Ellis’ publicist and encouraging hateful phone calls just smacks of self justification. I also didn’t care for a crack she made about people who would watch pornography. (Something about these being the kind of people we wouldn’t want to have over for dinner.)

In all qvzzqThe New Thought Policeqvzzq is a well written look at the PC culture of today. Yes, it focuses mostly on such attacks coming from the left, but we’ve got plenty of books on the sins of the right. Hearing it from Tammy Bruce is bound to open a lot of eyes, and unfortunately for her, close a lot of doors if the qvzzqThought Policeqvzzq have anything to do with it.