LET'S BE HEARD

As host of the eponymous Bob Grant Show, the author has spent decades espousing the controversial views that clutter this book. To wit: Drugs should be legalized but poisoned; illegal immigration is a war against America and should be treated as such; and the death penalty should be visited on everyone from pedophiles to arsonists (jaywalkers, for the moment, are safe). While he spurns labels, most of Grant's views cluster far to the right of center, although he has a strong, contrarian libertarian streak. But opinions are no substitute for rational, well-developed thought. Hopscotching from topic to topic (many, such as political correctness, slightly musty with age), Grant uses almost any handy stigma to beat liberal dogmas. For example: ``Our leaders have absolutely no right to spend even one nickel on frivolities- -supporting avant-garde playwrights, studying the mating habits of the snail darter, providing free postage to congressmen—until they have made us safe in our homes and streets.'' To his credit, Grant sometimes displays a yeoman commonsensical attitude, and he is a fierce critic of cant and obfuscation. Yet, such is his usual frothing, attack-dog style, that even when he is making telling, bluntly sensible points, one almost instinctively wants to disagree. Grant has none of fellow ideologue Rush Limbaugh's charm and saving sense of humor. Over the years he has been widely vilified, and since he has particularly delighted in attacking some people's inflated sense of victimhood, it is at least mildly and distastefully ironic that he often cannot resist donning the victim's mantle himself. What may play well on the radio is here revealed as shallow, imprecise bluster.