Product Description

A flaming liberal in real life, Leon has been called 'a cross between Michael Moore and South Park'. He shares with readers his hilarious misadventures as he dons the persona of a 'pissed-off convenience store clerk' at the Knob Creek Biannual Machine Gun Shoot in Bullit County, Kentucky. Next, he's working security in southern California at an 'Arnold for Governor' rally, where he has several memorable encounters with the Terminator himself - and finds himself constantly promoted! But this is only the beginning. Leon reports on his zany experience at a Christian wrestling extravaganza, where the scantily clad wrestlers toss opponents into the stands in the name of Jesus. Taking a different tack, he paints on temporary tattoos, wears a black T-shirt reading 'Kill 'em all. Let God sort 'em out!' and then entertainingly describes the reactions he gets when he tries to purchase a condominium in an exclusive gated community.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #929892 in Books
• Published on: 2005-11-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 281 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Though Leon compares his mission of going undercover to infiltrate the "Bush-loving extreme Right" to Black Like Me and the work of anthropologist Jane Goodall, a more apropos comparison would be to Beavis and Butthead or some of the stunts featured on Jackass. In these 31 essays, Leon sloppily paints abortion protestors, private security companies, white supremacists, the press, the FBI and anyone who isn't from "Northern California, the land of the peace-loving, true BLUE liberal," with a brush wider than the trailers he assumes most of his "subjects" have crawled out from under. The writing on display here is at turns abominable and clichéd, and nearly always unfunny-spastic, juvenile locker room banter disguised as daring commentary. His "infiltrations"-volunteering for the Schwarzenegger, Bush and Kerrey campaigns; joining abortion protestors; having dinner with a group of suburban white supremacists at an Applebees; working at a security guard at an Oakland Denny's; participating in an FBI-sponsored media luncheon-amount to little more than a disparate array of set-ups for Leon to act like a 12-year-old buzzed on too much caffeine: after working the phones as a San Francisco-based Bush volunteer, for instance, Leon writes, "For no apparent reason, in black Magic Marker I scrawl the words 'Bush Wears Panties!' in the middle of the phone list and leave." Leon's inspiration may have been noble, but the result is so asinine it's hard to imagine liberals will want to claim him as one of their own.
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Customer Reviews

Through the Conservative Looking Glass
"We're now a ragamuffin bunch, kind of like a moronic crime-fighting team from another dimension or world of tomorrow, set upon this earth to rid America of those pesky illegal aliens with their funny music and crazy hats." ( Leon infiltrating the Federation for American Immigrant reform)

Read "Republican Like Me" and enter the world of Harmon Leon, as Alice entered through the looking-glass, to examine the otherworldly dimension of American Republicans and even more extreme conservatives from the inside. Guided by a loudly pronounced bias and a hungry eye for absurd details, liberal Leon skillfully dons characters who will blend into or completely contrast the conservative platforms he infiltrates, covering a bold range from hate-groups through corporate etiquette workshops, Christian support groups for ex-gays, abortion clinic protesters to the Republican party itself. This socio-political odyssey is ingeniously penned with much passion and satirical observations in a intimate and honest voice, allowing the reader to glide through the sometimes breathtaking and hilarious moments as if he/she were a screw in Leon's ever-present tape recorder.

Leon 's purpose is not only to visit and observe occupants of the less liberal side, but also to mirror their ideology by confronting them with the grotesque stereotypes he mercilessly portrays. Despite his bias, Leon sincerely struggles to catch the essence of each conservative bastion he gleefully targets, always making room for surprising discoveries, anxiety or self-doubt.

"Though the activity of 'strolling' is stressed as a new urbanism selling point, there is a large void of "strollers" around the designated central square magnet for strolling. [...] Thus, if appointed emperor of Timberline Village (besides going 'mad with power'), I'd hire actors to portray elderly but wise citizens, who would always be on hand to fix a kite or give wise, elderly advice from a park bench..." ( Leon posing as conservative prospective house buyer in new suburban residential complex)

In "Republican Like Me", (chame)Leon bravely straddles his self-engineered bumpy, unpredictable and highly unscientific anthropological roller-coaster ride, never blind to occasional moments of universal truth that are sparked by his unlikely presence in wholly absurd situations.

"Being a scary clown is lonely. Between groups I stand alone in my clown box, reflecting on moments of my life that have led up to this point." ( Leon fighting unemployment by taking humiliating costumed jobs)

Pick up this comical treasure with much essence and no political correctness, and experience a virtual tour through a conservative landscape armed with nothing but love of life and biting cynicism. Time has come for Alice to grow up and smash the looking-glass; may she not break her hand in the process.

Through the Conservative Looking Glass
"We're now a ragamuffin bunch, kind of like a moronic crime-fighting team from another dimension or world of tomorrow, set upon this earth to rid America of those pesky illegal aliens with their funny music and crazy hats." ( Leon infiltrating the Federation for American Immigrant reform)

Read "Republican Like Me" and enter the world of Harmon Leon, as Alice entered through the looking-glass, to examine the otherworldly dimension of American Republicans and even more extreme conservatives from the inside. Guided by a loudly pronounced bias and a hungry eye for absurd details, liberal Leon skillfully dons characters who will blend into or completely contrast the conservative platforms he infiltrates, covering a bold range from hate-groups through corporate etiquette workshops, Christian support groups for ex-gays, abortion clinic protesters to the Republican party itself. This socio-political odyssey is ingeniously penned with much passion and satirical observations in a intimate and honest voice, allowing the reader to glide through the sometimes breathtaking and hilarious moments as if he/she were a screw in Leon's ever-present tape recorder.

Leon 's purpose is not only to visit and observe occupants of the less liberal side, but also to mirror their ideology by confronting them with the grotesque stereotypes he mercilessly portrays. Despite his bias, Leon sincerely struggles to catch the essence of each conservative bastion he gleefully targets, always making room for surprising discoveries, anxiety or self-doubt.

"Though the activity of 'strolling' is stressed as a new urbanism selling point, there is a large void of "strollers" around the designated central square magnet for strolling. [...] Thus, if appointed emperor of Timberline Village (besides going 'mad with power'), I'd hire actors to portray elderly but wise citizens, who would always be on hand to fix a kite or give wise, elderly advice from a park bench..." ( Leon posing as conservative prospective house buyer in new suburban residential complex)

In "Republican Like Me", (chame)Leon bravely straddles his self-engineered bumpy, unpredictable and highly unscientific anthropological roller-coaster ride, never blind to occasional moments of universal truth that are sparked by his unlikely presence in wholly absurd situations.

"Being a scary clown is lonely. Between groups I stand alone in my clown box, reflecting on moments of my life that have led up to this point." ( Leon fighting unemployment by taking humiliating costumed jobs)

Pick up this comical treasure with much essence and no political correctness, and experience a virtual tour through a conservative landscape armed with nothing but love of life and biting cynicism. Time has come for Alice to grow up and smash the looking-glass; may she not break her hand in the process.

A GREAT BOOK!
I gave this book to my girlfriend's brother who just got back from Iraq and needed a good laugh... he loved it and has passed it around to some of the soldiers from base. Free speech is an American right that they fought for... and as an American, I recommend that you read this book and excercise freedom of the funny bone.

If we are ever to knit together the fabric of this country, we have to laugh at our differences. Mr. Leon's wit is a sharp needle which pierces through hypocracies of this decade's American right-wing cultural over-drive.

His infiltration style is inventive, very playful and makes me think of a real life "Fletch" in our midst. This is by far Harmon's most provocative work yet, at a time where the country needs to reflect on its values; these adventures level the score in a comical way that is easy to digest and has thawed tensions... even opened intelligent discussion to all my friends who have read it. This is definately one of my favorite reads of the season.