Official Review: A Wall of Hate by Gill Gervais

[EvaDar]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Wall of Hate" by Gill Gervais.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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An acre of hemp can neutralize four times more carbon dioxide and produce four times more oxygen than an acre of forest. Let that sink in for a moment.

In his 2020 book, A Wall of Hate (Made in USA), octogenarian Gill Gervais assembles historical facts that help make sense of current events. Gervais explores how greed, mind control, propaganda and the disappeared hemp plant all became bricks in the wall of hate that now has America at a crossroads.

Hemp is a non-mind-altering element of the cannabis plant with the ability to make thousands of beneficial products, heal untold illnesses, solve world hunger (literally), supercharge the economy and reverse climate change. True story. In the late 1920s, corporate tycoons learned that this beneficial miracle plant threatened their financial interests in oil, paper, petrochemicals, plastics and pharmaceuticals. Hemp was swiftly banished from the American conversation.

The war on marijuana was the government’s secret solution to the hemp “problem.” Marijuana and hemp were deemed evil and banned. The dirty industries that would come to threaten all of humanity were allowed to flourish. This is not the only time fear and greed have trumped the essential progress toward the survival of our species.

The ideas in this book are not new, but Gervais provides the force field needed to pull it together and answer the question, “How could this happen in America?” The author explains the relevance of brainwashing and mind-control techniques, their origins in Germany and Russia and their secret introduction to the US. Reading the list of mind control techniques was disturbing: appeal to the lowest instincts, repeat lies until they’re accepted as truth, gather large crowds and orchestrate divisive chants, shift blame, create dramatic diversions, normalize violence….. Of the long list, the only tactic we don’t see daily in America is starting a war. And the groundwork is being laid for that.

My interpretation of the author’s message is this: As long as money and power stay married, all’s well at the top. Income inequality and racism grow, and marginalized minority groups get poorer and sicker. When an oppressed group is perceived as gaining wealth or power – say a black man is elected president – action must be taken to skew the scales of injustice again.

Gervais reminds us that WWII didn’t come out of the gate with concentration camps and gas chambers. It started with a charismatic politician sowing fear and division and fueling racist attitudes with aggressive rhetoric. Mind control was weaponized to further the cause, and an estimated 11 million Jews were murdered.

The final section of the book, Personal Transformation, is a primer on karma and the law of attraction. The karma piece works as the collective karma of our nation appears to be playing out right now. The law of attraction piece is only marginally related to the book’s subject and doesn’t add value to the thesis. The author’s significant mischaracteriztion of addiction and its roots in trauma was also an unwelcome inclusion.

Gervais’s book is well written in a friendly-but-seasoned voice. It appears to be professionally edited. Some minor errors in spacing, tense and punctuation exist. The book’s nine chapters could use some section breaks to connect thoughts.

For its current relevance, historical accuracy and good writing, I award A Wall of Hate 3 out of 4 stars. The unconnected dots, the errors and questionable final section cost the one star. Adult-aged readers interested in how democracies fall, or specifically in America’s current precipice, will learn from this book. It’s an easy read, full of watershed moments that led to the stormy seas of present-day America.

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A Wall of Hate
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[Priyanka2304]

This is a very unique concept. I think, I should definitely pick this book to explore more on the theme. Thanks for the amazing review.

[rahilshajahan]

To be frank with you, the first sentence itself caught my attention. Being a science student, it's already ignorant of me not knowing that. The mind control techniques that are talked about in the review got me thinking of 1984 by George Orwell. I will definitely check this book out. Thanks for an informative review!

[Manang Muyang]

Eva, I think I have to admit that I need glasses. Three times I read this and did not find that missing "a." Perhaps because I expected an excellent review, as usual.

Gervais may be old, but he is definitely wise. No private interests should trump the quest for real progress.

[Alice Heritage]

How disturbing that those brainwashing tactics are trumping progress! Thank you for the introduction to this important book, and for the excellent review.

[Vivian Umunakwe]

Thank you for such a compelling review. I would love to check this book out.

[Teddyquam]

A critical analysis of American society is definitely a must read. America has a lot of power and influence, and its prosperity in truth and fairness for the greater good would mean a lot for the world.

[Wy_Bertram]

This is definitely the first I'm hearing of all this. I would like to read such a book, but at the same time, it all sounds a little too far-fetched?

Either way, you did an amazing job on the review.

[EvaDar]

This is a very unique concept. I think, I should definitely pick this book to explore more on the theme. Thanks for the amazing review.

Thanks for dropping by!

[EvaDar]

To be frank with you, the first sentence itself caught my attention. Being a science student, it's already ignorant of me not knowing that. The mind control techniques that are talked about in the review got me thinking of 1984 by George Orwell. I will definitely check this book out. Thanks for an informative review!

Thanks for sharing your impressions. I hope you get a chance to try this book.

[EvaDar]

Eva, I think I have to admit that I need glasses. Three times I read this and did not find that missing "a." Perhaps because I expected an excellent review, as usual.

Gervais may be old, but he is definitely wise. No private interests should trump the quest for real progress.

Yes, Gervais seems to understand this in a holistic way. He pulled in some elements I hadn't considered. Thanks for your kind comments!

[EvaDar]

How disturbing that those brainwashing tactics are trumping progress! Thank you for the introduction to this important book, and for the excellent review.

Thanks for sharing some thoughts. Disturbing is certainly the word. :-/

[EvaDar]

Thank you for such a compelling review. I would love to check this book out.

Thank you for dropping by!

[EvaDar]

A critical analysis of American society is definitely a must read. America has a lot of power and influence, and its prosperity in truth and fairness for the greater good would mean a lot for the world.

Yes. America needs to reclaim its integrity. No doubt about it. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!

[EvaDar]

This is definitely the first I'm hearing of all this. I would like to read such a book, but at the same time, it all sounds a little too far-fetched?

Either way, you did an amazing job on the review.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.You are right. It does sound far-fetched – especially to anyone who doesn't seek or have access to the history and the facts. I'm not sure which part felt far-fetched to you, but everything here is written in numerous historical documents. All of the research about hemp is available. Information about the mind control techniques are readily available. This history is not taught, so you do have to seek it out. It all seems far-fetched on some level, since no group in modern history has ever threatened the core of American democracy as forcefully and purposefully. Thanks again for stopping by!