Michael Moore Brings the War Home, Sojourners Magazine/September 2004

Michael Moore Brings the War Home, Sojourners Magazine/September 2004: "In the theater where I saw Fahrenheit 9/11, the coming attractions featured a trailer for The Motorcycle Diaries—an upcoming film about the early life of the Latin American revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara. The trailer ended with the tag line, "If you let the world change you, you can change the world."

A good omen, I thought. But the day was filled with omens. Michael Moore’s picture, and a story about his film, greeted me on the front page of the Memphis Commercial Appeal at breakfast. We went to lunch before the movie, and there he was again, in the café entrance, on page one of USA Today.

Moore’s film did not disappoint those expectations. There, on the quad cinema big screen, was African-American Marine Corporal Abdul Henderson, in uniform, explaining that he won’t go back to Iraq because he won’t "kill other poor people" who pose no threat to our country. There, after 90 minutes in which the falsehoods behind the Iraq war were peeled away, is the explanation (from George Orwell’s 1984) that, at the end of the day, the maintenance of a hierarchical society requires war. It keeps the people at the bottom fearful and economically insecure. "The war is not meant to be won," Orwell wrote, in words that define Bush’s war on terror. "It is meant to be continuous."

And that message came alongside the details of the incestuous relationship between the Saudi Kingdom and corporate America, surprising (and troubling) footage of dead and wounded Iraqi civilians, and the usually unheard voices of American soldiers left limbless and bitter by the war in Iraq. It’s all the stuff the mainstream mass media won’t tell you. And there it is, in Fahrenheit 9/11, smack dab in the middle of that mainstream. I wanted to stand and shout, "Viva!"


by Danny Duncan Collum
Sojourners Magazine/September 2004

Esquire:Feature Story:The Case Against George W. Bush by Ron Reagan

Esquire:Feature Story:The Case Against George W. Bush: "It may have been the guy in the hood teetering on the stool, electrodes clamped to his genitals. Or smirking Lynndie England and her leash. Maybe it was the smarmy memos tapped out by soft-fingered lawyers itching to justify such barbarism. The grudging, lunatic retreat of the neocons from their long-standing assertion that Saddam was in cahoots with Osama didn't hurt. Even the Enron audiotapes and their celebration of craven sociopathy likely played a part. As a result of all these displays and countless smaller ones, you could feel, a couple of months back, as summer spread across the country, the ground shifting beneath your feet. Not unlike that scene in The Day After Tomorrow, then in theaters, in which the giant ice shelf splits asunder, this was more a paradigm shift than anything strictly tectonic. No cataclysmic ice age, admittedly, yet something was in the air, and people were inhaling deeply. I began to get calls from friends whose parents had always voted Republican, 'but not this time.' There was the staid Zbigniew Brzezinski on the staid NewsHour with Jim Lehrer sneering at the 'Orwellian language' flowing out of the Pentagon. Word spread through the usual channels that old hands from the days of Bush the Elder were quietly (but not too quietly) appalled by his son's misadventure in Iraq. Suddenly, everywhere you went, a surprising number of folks seemed to have had just about enough of what the Bush administration was dishing out. A fresh age appeared on the horizon, accompanied by the sound of scales falling from people's eyes. It felt something like a demonstration of that highest of American prerogatives and the most deeply cherished American freedom: dissent. "


By Ron Reagan

Guardian Unlimited Film | Interviews | Gary Younge interviews Michael Moore (October 4, 2003)

Guardian Unlimited Film: "In the US, a supposedly rightwing country, Michael Moore's fearless campaigning and coruscating criticism of 'that frat boy' Bush have aroused huge hostility but also rapturous fellow feeling. Gary Younge meets an engaging man, who is intent on mobilising America - and is extending the clarion call to us Brits, without whom, he believes, there would have been no war on Iraq.

During the commercial break in this year's Oscars, the floor director approached the nominees for best documentary to tell them that their category was up next. Until then, the issue of an acceptance speech had not entered Michael Moore's mind because he didn't think he had a chance of winning.
But this was no regular ceremony. Taking place just three days after the US launched its attack on Iraq, the red carpet had been abandoned, a number of actors had dropped out, saying they thought it would be 'inappropriate' to attend, and those who did show up dressed down for the event.
Moore's wife, Kathleen Glynn, the producer on his film Bowling For Columbine, whispered, 'Have you thought about what you are going to do?'
'No, because we're not going to win,' replied Moore. "


Gary Younge
Guardian

David Rovics: The War Is Over (Song) Video

Thirty minutes ago, I e-mailed Act For Victory suggesting that David be added to their Vote for Change Tour. Since I will be out of here in three hours for 10 days, hopefully this will happen.

Another example of David
"hitting-the-nail-squarely-on-the-head"
as a profound singer/songwriter:

The War is Over (Songs for Mahmud version)

play lo-fi play hi-fi MP3 Lyrics/Story



San Francisco, March 27, 2004: Reichstag Fire Video

Big Concert Announcement | America Coming Together (ACT)

Big Concert Announcement | America Coming Together (ACT)"So why are these artists doing it? I just watched Dave Matthews and Dixie Chicks on the TODAY Show and, of course, they get asked if this is just a way for them to express their opinions.

I don’t remember the exact responses – but, geneWhile some have been political in the past, many of these artists have never done such an event. Why now?

I think they agree – it’s about jobs, it’s about war, security and civil rights. The artists statement says it best:

“VOTE FOR CHANGE is a loose coalition of musicians brought together by a single idea – the need to make a change in the direction of our country. We share a belief that this is the most important election of our lifetime. We are fighting for a government that is open, rational, just and progressive. And we intend to be heard.

Bruce Springsteen is quoted as saying – “I felt like I couldn’t have written the music I’ve written, and been on stage singing about the things that I’ve sung about for the last 25 years and not taken part in this particular election.”

What’s your favorite song by these artists? Think of the lyrics and tell us what you want to hear.

My first pick – Land of Hopes and Dreams.

What’s yours?"

USATODAY.com - Springsteen, R.E.M., other big acts embark on tour

USATODAY.com - Springsteen, R.E.M., other big acts embark on tour: "When Bruce Springsteen decided to join the Dixie Chicks, the Dave Matthews Band, R.E.M., Pearl Jam and other pop superstars for MoveOn PAC's Vote For Change Tour, announced Wednesday, he realized it would be 'the closest I've gotten to partisan politics.'

In a private interview Wednesday, Springsteen said, ' I've always tried to keep an independent voice. That's been important, I think, to my audience. I've got 25 years of credibility built up, and this isn't something I've moved into lightly. I fought long and hard about it. But this is the one where you break the rules, where you spend some of that credibility. It's an emergency intervention. We need to get an administration that is more attentive to the needs of all its citizens, that has a saner foreign policy, that is more attentive to environmental concerns, in the White House.'

Springsteen's sentiments are echoed by many of the artists who will take part in the historic concert series, which MoveOn PAC - a sister organization of MoveOn.org, which has seldom been known to pull punches where the Bush administration is concerned - has organized to benefit another partisan political action commission, America Coming Together. (Related story: Read more details about the tour)

The organizations and the musicians they have rallied are not being coy about their agenda. Between Oct. 1 and Oct. 8, Vote For Change will bring various groupings of name acts - also including John Mellencamp, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Kenneth 'Babyface' Edmonds - to swing states where they hope to influence undecided voters."


By Elysa Gardner
USA TODAY


I felt like I couldn't have written the music I've written, and been on stage singing about the things that I've sung about for the last twenty five years and not take part in this particular election.

Exclusive: Fahrenheit 911: Much political media preaching to the choir, U-M prof says (Follow Up)

Fahrenheit 911: Much political media preaching to the choir, U-M prof says

F911 Blog: In an interview with Ann Schimke, Ann Arbor News, article entitled, "Much political media preaching to the choir, U-M prof" you stated:

> Fahrenheit 911 will have little effect on the outcome
> of the election for two reasons:
>
> One, the audience is very self-selective. People know
> what they're going to see when they go see a Michael
> Moore movie. So it's not changing a lot of people's
> minds.
>
> The other reason is it's happening so far in advance
> of the actual election that lots of things will happen
> in between now and the election when Michael Moore's
> movie is no longer in theaters.

> -------------

> I was surprised that you stated Fahrenheit 911 will
> have little effect on the outcome of the election due
> to the timing of the films theatrical release.
>
> The Fahrenheit 911 DVD is scheduled for September.
> Doesn't this negate reason number 2?
>
> Following the logic - won't the DVD release have an
> effect on the election? Voters will have opportunities
> to watch the film for free or rent it down the street
> for pocket change. If so, to what degree do you
> think the film will effect the election? If not, why
> not?

Nick Valentino: You make a good point. However, the research in this general area (not on Faranheit 911 in particular, or even on Moore's larger body of work) suggests that people who are persuadable at this point (who might still change their minds) would be less likely to see Moore's movies. It is, however, nearly impossible to determine the impact of a particular message (such as a movie) in the noisy environment leading up to a presidential election.

The movie may have some impact, but of course Fox News is on the air every night, and pushes in the opposite direction politically speaking. In the end, what Moore's movie may have done is kept the focus of the campaign on the war on terror. But I am not sure that is good for the Democrats, since that is the only issue on which Bush currently performs better than Kerry in national surveys. In any case, it will be an interesting Fall!

Best,

Nick Valentino
Associate Professor University of Michigan
Associate Professor, Department of Communications Studies
Faculty Associate, Center for Political Studies
Ph.D., UCLA

Reuters.com: Cuban 'Fahrenheit' Telecast Raises Oscar Questions

Entertainment News Article | Reuters.com: "The U.S. distributors of Michael Moore's controversial 'Fahrenheit 9/11' said on Tuesday that an unauthorized broadcast of the film on Cuban television will not disqualify the movie from Oscar competition in the feature documentary category.
'The film that was illegally shown on Cuban state-run TV was from an unauthorized, pirated copy,' said a statement issued by Lions Gate Films, IFC Entertainment and the Fellowship Adventure Group, founded by Miramax Films co-chairs Bob and Harvey Weinstein.
Under Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences rules, documentaries are ineligible for Oscar.

Producers of Moore's film have another month to decide how they want the film to be entered in Oscar competition. The deadline for submission of documentary candidates is Sept. 1. Pavlik said the academy typically receives about 60 submissions for that category.

Last year's Academy Award for best documentary feature went to the Errol Morris film "Fog of War," about the difficult lessons of military conflict learned by former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara. Moore won the year before for his study of gun violence in America, "Bowling for Columbine.""


By Steve Gorman

NPR : Slate's Dispatches: A Private Security Paycheck

NPR : Slate's Dispatches: A Private Security Paycheck: "NPR's Noah Adams talks with former U.S. Marine Owen West about U.S. soldiers who leave the ranks of the military, often for more lucrative jobs with private security forces. West has been writing a week-long memoir of his visit to Iraq for Slate."

The Digital Bits : Columbia TriStar's Fahrenheit 9/11 DVD (due 10/5)

The Digital Bits - We Know DVD!: "We're still waiting for official details on the special features, but we're told the Fahrenheit 9/11 disc will include the film in anamorphic widescreen video with Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. Bonus material will tentatively include behind-the-scenes featurettes (The Release of Fahrenheit 9/11, Outside Abu Ghraib Prison, Eyewitness Account from Samara, Iraq, Lila Lipscomb at the Washington D.C. Premiere and Arab-American Comedians: Their Acts and Experiences after 9/11), a video montage (The People of Iraq on the Eve of Invasion), a new scene (Homeland Security: Miami Style), an extended interview (Moore with Abdul Henderson), video of Condoleezza Rice's 9/11 Commission testimony and video of the 'Rose Garden press briefing after 9/11 Commission appearance'. These extras are subject to confirmation, so stay tuned."


thedigitalbits.com

Going On Vacation: Seeking Blogger to Log News & Views

Tomorrow, I begin a seven day backpacking trip in the Olympic national forest. In order to keep the information stream flowing, I'm seeking a "blogger" to log Fahrenheit 911 news reports in my absence. If you are interested, post a comment with a link to your blog/journal to this thread.


Last week, while on a day hike in the Olympic national forest,
I snapped this pix.

Bill Maher : OutKast Andre 3000 Interview (July 30)

Bill Maher :: The Official Website: "But first up, his album, “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below,” sold ten million copies and won three Grammys. But all this week, he’s been our man in Boston. From Outkast, say hi to Andre 3000 Benjamin. [applause] How you doin’? Big fan, but you know that already.

ANDRE 3000 BENJAMIN: Well, thank you, Bill.

MAHER: All right. Always with the golfing clothes. What’s with that?

BENJAMIN: Golfing? Tennis.

MAHER: Tennis. Sorry. [laughter] I know you’ve been up at the convention in Boston. You just came back. And I know you’re interested in voting this year and you never have before.

BENJAMIN: Never voted in my life.

MAHER: So why did you choose now to lose your voting cherry? [laughter]"

(Click title for more)


Listen to a couple of OutKast Tunes

AtomFilms: Mock The Vote

AtomFilms: Mock The Vote: "Funnier than G.W. pronouncing 'nuclear.' More powerful than John Kerry's hair spray. It's the Web's best and brightest political satire shorts all in one place. Check back regularly for every electoral evisceration and political pot-shot. "



Mock The Vote Animated Movies

- Campaign Jukebox: John Kerry

- Doodieman: Days of Duty

- Hi, I'm Dick Cheney!

- The Emperor's Apprentice

- This Land

Tucson Citizen: Military families speaking out

Welcome to the Tucson Citizen: "Teresa Al-Saraji visited Iraq last summer to see firsthand the battlefield that her daughter has called home for the past 18 months as a member of the U.S. Army.
The Erie, Mich., mother took a hard look at the war-torn nation. Now the normally low-profile Al-Saraji speaks out against the war every chance she gets.
Like the anguished mother in Michael Moore's documentary 'Fahrenheit 9/11' who turned her grief over her son's death into a political crusade, relatives of soldiers who are or have been in Iraq are becoming a potent force in the Democratic and Republican presidential campaigns. More are attending rallies, writing letters and speaking about the experiences of their loved ones.

Both parties believe they can win the military vote and suggest that the families may influence others' votes.

An emerging network of Web sites provides a 'home' for thousands of military families looking to talk about the Iraq war. Many families affected by the war say the election gives them a platform.

Nancy Lessin is the Boston-based co-founder of Military Families Speak Out, an Internet-based, nonpartisan organization dedicated to ending the war in Iraq. Lessin's stepson is a Marine back home from Iraq."


The Detroit News

David Rovics: Evening News (Song)

I watched "CBC National" one night in a hotel in New Brunswick. CBC is right up there with Foxhole News, but I just wasn't expecting it to be quite that bad, so it was a bit of a shock.


play lo-fi play hi-fi MP3 Lyrics/Story

Bill Maher : “Real Time with Bill Maher” Transcript July 30

Bill Maher: [“FAHRENHEIT 9/11” COLD OPEN: BILL MAHER SITS IN ‘CLASSROOM’ WITH CHILD READING “MY PET GOAT,” WITH VOICEOVER BY MICHAEL MOORE.]

MICHAEL MOORE [VOICEOVER]: Where was Bill Maher on that fateful day his Emmy-nominated series was to return to HBO? [laughter] He decided to go ahead with his photo opportunity. [laughter] Now, not knowing what to do, with no one telling him what to do, and no personal assistant rushing in to take him to safety, Mr. Maher just sat there and continued to read “My Pet Goat.” [laughter]

As Maher sat there in that Hollywood dressing room, was he wondering if maybe he should have attended rehearsal? [laughter] Didn’t he know that without him there was no show, and without a show, there was no after-party. And without an after-party, absolutely no chance of getting laid. [laughter]

BILL MAHER: Huh?

MOORE [ON CAMERA]: That’s right, Bill, not getting laid. [laughter] [applause]

[OPENING CREDITS ROLL]

[Applause, standing ovation]

BILL MAHER: Thank you very much. How you doin’? Thank you very much. Aw, please. Sit down. Thank you. Thank you very much. You’re too kind. Please, please! My message tonight is, “Dope is on the way!” [laughter] Sorry, it’s good to be back, and I am still high from the Kerry speech. [laughter] Hey, he gave a speech. At least we know where he stands now. He would never have attacked Iraq after 9/11. He would have attacked Vietnam."


Michael Moore and Bill Maher on their knees pleading with Ralph Nader not to run for president.

Michael Moore.com : Crawford Began to Buzz

Michael Moore.com : Mike's Message : Mike's Latest News: "Early in the afternoon, as the tiny town of Crawford began to buzz, someone in a car passing the Peace House rolled down the window and yelled, 'Ain't democracy great!' All afternoon and into the evening we saw thumbs raised and lowered, listened to the yells of Bush supporters and heard heartfelt thanks from many folks. It was a magnification of the usual responses I get when I sit on the porch--waves, nods and one-fingered salutes from the residents in this town. Defying the stereotypes that people have of Texas, this controversial event took place in a peaceful way, giving hope to those of us who are working to take back our democracy.

I have only been fulfilling the role of Resident Volunteer at the C.P.H. for a little over a week but I am no stranger to rural Texas. I grew up about 60 miles south of Austin near the community of Rockne. Folks with minority views in Rockne--and in Crawford--do not feel free to express themselves. Even a good country neighbor who leans to the left is always somewhat of an outsider in her or his own community. As I begin to write this essay, the flashing red lights at the main intersection, the trucks going by, the neon beer signs at the Coffee Station, the drone of the locusts--all this reminds me of the isolation that is so often felt by liberal Texans who live in rural areas. Yet again, an event at the Peace House gave residents of Crawford who do not support the current administration a moment to feel what it is like to be a part of the majority. Crawford is a microcosm in a nation where fear has limited the freedom with which we can express dissent.

This was a very small and wonderful success in a nation that continues to fall deathly short in the quest to live up to it's ideals. Maybe when all citizens are guaranteed a free and critical press, maybe when Crawford Democrats do not fear expressing their minority political sentiments, maybe when a documentary is not necessary to inform us of the disturbing facts related to our nation's leadership, maybe then we can say that we live in a true democracy. Maybe when we start to support democracy in places like Venezuela and Chile, Iran and Palestine, places where we have failed murderously and miserably, maybe then we can say that we stand for democracy. Certainly Crawford, Texas is a good place to start."


by Josh Collier
Crawford Peace House

Michael Moore.com : THANK YA'LL From Texas : Crawford Peace House

Michael Moore.com : Mike's Message : Mike's Latest News: "A very big THANK YA'LL from Texas. This was such an incredible experience. We are all so grateful to Michael Moore and his staff for helping the Crawford Peace House facilitate freedom of speech in Central Texas. Many of us had been told by both 16 screen corporate movie theaters in Waco that they were absolutely not going to show 'Fahrenheit 9/11.' For three weeks after the original release, the closest theater showing the movie was Austin, an hour and a half away. So we began working on including the movie with an August 14th event planned for Bush's usual vacation in Texas.

But then Michael gave us a challenge. On July 23rd we were informed by the Moore group, to plan for July 28. That's five days, folks. So a core group of about 6 to 10 volunteers began scrambling to find a venue in a community of Bush supporters and arrange logistics for the event, wherever it eventually landed. Obstacle after obstacle was thrown up by city, school district and private property owners. We began to think we might be relegated to a tent on our small property with capacity for only 150 people. But this event was meant to be. And it was meant to be BIG. And it was."

by Kay Lucas
Crawford Peace House
Friends of Peace

Michael Moore.com : A Report From Crawford

Michael Moore.com : Mike's Message : Mike's Latest NewsI was overwhelmed on Wednesday, July 28, 2004, when thousands of people (as many as 5,000 according to some estimates) descended upon Crawford, Texas for a special screening of 'Fahrenheit 9/11,' Michael Moore’s highly-publicized movie. First, there are several who need to be thanked for making this event happen.

John Young, one of the op/ed editors for the Waco Tribune-Herald, contacted Michael Moore about the possible screening. I think it is appropriate to give much credit for Mr. Young’s invitation since--at that time--the Waco theaters would not show Moore’s film. John Young should be commended for his creative and imaginative way to create dialogue concerning this film.

Finally, this film’s message is timely. Our nation is in dire need of a wake-up call. The U.S. public needs to know the truth of why the war in Iraq is being waged. The other wake-up call for us is that we need to hold our President accountable. The insanity must stop! The next elections are crucial. What does Mr. Moore have to gain from such a film? That is the wrong question. The more obvious question is, what do we have to lose if this current war regime is not replaced. Hopefully, the thousands who viewed the insanity of war in Crawford, Texas will be able to make a decision in November that will take the first steps toward a new vision of peace, and a new leader to make it possible.

By Rev. Robert Flowers
Friends of Peace

USATODAY.com - Bad Religion, The Empire Strikes First (Music Review)

USATODAY.com - Nothing's gonna stop Terror Squad, Scissor Sisters: "Bad Religion, The Empire Strikes First (* * *) In its 24th year, the veteran California punk band hasn't lost its venom, its muscle or its backbone. Empire opens with Overture, a menacing instrumental that sets the stage for a wave of vitriolic assaults. Many of these forceful anthems would dovetail nicely with vignettes in Fahrenheit 9/11, and none of them will be on the sound system at the Republican convention. Singer Greg Graffin unleashes outrage and indignation as he rails against the Bush administration in Let Them Eat War and other teeth-gnashing, guitar-grinding tunes on this seething manifesto. Urgent and timely, Empire also addresses environmental misuse (Los Angeles Is Burning), predatory priests (Sinister Rouge) and science/religion tensions (Atheist Peace), rendering the whines of skateboarder punks feeble and self-involved. The band doesn't leave melody and hooks out of the equation, making Empire one of the year's meatiest punk efforts. - Gundersen"




Bad Religion (See Los Angeles Is Burning Video, Hear Let Them Eat War MP3 - Click Image)

Democracy Now! | Michael Moore: I Will Bring Cameras to Florida to Monitor November Election (Video)

Democracy Now! | Michael Moore: I Will Bring Cameras to Florida to Monitor November Election: "At a press conference in Boston yesterday, filmmaker Michael Moore announced he is bringing his cameras to Florida in November to make sure there is what he called a 'huge spotlight' on state election officials when voters go to the polls. The director of 'Fahrenheit 9/11' also said he plans to help pay for an 'army of lawyers' who will be in target precincts ready to go to court if they spot any voting problems. He encouraged other independent filmmakers to join him in Florida. Here is Michael Moore speaking yesterday at a press conference organized by Rep. Corrine Brown of Florida. "

Democracy Now! | Lila Lipscomb, A Star of Fahrenheit 9/11, Speaks on the Iraq Invasion and the Death of Her Son. (Video)

Democracy Now! | Lila Lipscomb, A Star of Fahrenheit 9/11, Speaks on the Iraq Invasion and the Death of Her Son.: "One of the stars of Michael Moore's new film Fahrenheit 9/11 is now the subject of a Marine Corps investigation and could face court-martial. Lance Corporal Abdul Henderson told Moore in the film he would not return with his unit to fight in Iraq. USA Today revealed last week that the Marine Corps is conducting a preliminary inquiry into Henderson's appearance in Fahrenheit 9/11. A Marine spokesperson says if he refuses to return to Iraq, he could face prison. Meanwhile, another person featured in the film, Lila Lipscomb, has been travelling across the country speaking to antiwar groups, community groups and churches. Lipscomb's 26 year old son Michael was killed in Iraq. She spoke recently at the national convention of Peace Action in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. "

Who's with Michael Moore?: Blogging for Michael Moore Comments/Feedback

Who's with Michael Moore?: Blogging for Michael Moore FeedbackHi,Great idea for a blog. I also saw the Sydney preview on Monday evening. I have to say F911 is an necessary work of cinema for these current times. When the media has failed the society it claims to serve for the aims of manufacturing a justification for an on going illegal occupation, F911 and documentaries like it are necessary and welcome. For me there were some difficult scenes contrasted by scenes of the unbelievable. I believe this editing is justifiable in that they aim to highlight the impact of the ludicrous attempts of the media spin machine. Lets just say I will never look at Brittany Spears in the same way again.

I have to say one of the best reviews I have read on Moore's film is by the World Socialst Web Site. I say this as I feel one of the important messages Moore makes is the war the ruling elite are waging on the working classes in fighting this war on the Iraqi working class for the spoils of war in the form of oil and development contracts (you only have to discover the recent missing billions and the desire of the US govenment not to "meter" the oil production to realise that while this war goes on, it hides the real desire of this illegal provocation by the American ruling class. I don't have the link at present as the site is down it appears but go to www.wsws.org. I would be interested to know if anyone else has read reviews like this that have assessed its content and its contribution to society. Thanks.

Anonymous
9:38 PM
--------------
Note: Very active online discussion down under.

The Harvard Crimson: Moore Blasts Mainstream Media

The Harvard Crimson OnlineDespite the combined appeal of former Vermont Gov. Howard B. Dean and former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert B. Reich, controversial filmmaker Michael Moore—the director of the box-office hit Fahrenheit 9/11, which casts a sharply critical eye on President Bush and his policies—upstaged them as the main attraction at Tuesday’s “Take America Back” events, sponsored by the Campaign for America’s Future.
Eagerly awaiting Moore’s arrival, the crowd at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge grew restless and began to cheer his name after the filmmaker did not appear at his scheduled time.

Chants of “Michael! Michael!” erupted as event organizers, who first shuffled the order of several other speakers, were eventually reduced to stalling by listing the names of liberal websites while Moore used the rest room before his speech.

When Moore finally arrived, well over an hour late, he wasted no time in berating the mass media.

“The obvious bad guy in [Fahrenheit 9/11] is George W. Bush. But there’s the unstated villain in the film, which is the national media,” he said. “It outs them as people who are cheerleaders to this war. It outs them as journalists who fell asleep on the job, journalists who didn’t ask the tough questions.”


By ALAN J. TABAK
Crimson Staff Writer

Japan Today - News - Koizumi slams 'Fahrenheit 9/11' as politically biased

Japan Today: "TOKYO - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Monday branded Michael Moore's popular and controversial documentary film 'Fahrenheit 9/11' as being politically biased.
'I don't want to watch such a politically biased movie that much,' Koizumi told reporters in saying he has no plans to go see the record-breaking documentary.

The film opens in Japan on Aug 14. (Kyodo News)"

Japan Today Story Comments:

...what is Koizumi doing commmenting on a movie from the USA? OK, I am sure it is bias but it is part of the beautiful of the USofA, part of those rights, the right to free speech. I guess that is a law of sorts in Japan but the way the manage the jouralist in this country, it ain't happening, is this Koizumi's way to back up his buddy Bush? What is he going to do if Kerry becomes president? Take a page from Kerry M.O., and flip flop his story?

Naples Daily News: Bill O'Reilly: Moore sense please

Naples Daily News: Columnists: "BOSTON - Well, I finally tracked down Michael Moore. I saw him walking in the street outside the Democratic Convention Center and pounced on him like the paparazzi on J.Lo. Moore had been dodging me because his movie was becoming increasingly indefensible by something called 'facts.' But, to his credit, Moore took up my street challenge and agreed to appear on 'The Factor.'

We debated for 10 (12) minutes, and Moore put forth the following:

(Click on title to read Bill's line items)

So, hey, Michael Moore, this Bud's for you. Thanks for showing up and debating. Now we know the under-pinnings of your world outlook.

What is still astounding to me is how many people continue to embrace the fantasies and deceptions of Michael Moore. Some people actually applauded him at the Democratic Convention, but the heavyweights stayed away."

By BILL O'REILLY
Creators Syndicate

The New Yorker: NANOOK AND ME

The New Yorker: "Whatever you think of Michael Moore’s immensely satisfying movie about the awful Bush Administration and its destructive policies—and reasonable people can disagree, of course—one thing that cannot be said about “Fahrenheit 9/11” is that it is an outlaw from the documentary tradition. “The documentary tradition” sounds like a grand phrase for a genre that includes everything from “Nanook of the North” to “Girls Gone Wild.” There’s no doubt that it’s an eclectic form. The “Documentary” section shelves Michael Moore next to National Geographic, movies about bad Presidents next to movies about butterflies, bodybuilders, and Eskimos. These movies do have one thing in common, though: they show you what was not intended for you to see. The essential documentary impulse is the impulse to catch life off camera, to film what was not planned to happen, or what would have happened whether someone was there to film it or not. That’s why people make documentaries, and why people go to see them. It’s a genre founded on a paradox."


by LOUIS MENAND

Blogging for Michael Moore

Blogging for Michael Moore: "Given this groundswell, I decided to set up a Michael Moore "blog" in order to tap into and showcase the partisan sentiment the film had reactivated. A blog is a web journal where you can upload a succession of posts to the internet, archived in chronological order. It also allows visitors to comment on your postings.

Blogs can be very interactive.

Within a day of establishing the site it was clear that neither I nor Michael Moore were the stars of my new forum.

The many postings from visitors took up a range of issues that kept coming back to core aspect of anger against the continuing duplicity of both George Bush and John Howard. So in a way, peoples genuine response to the film has sharpened the process of overcoming some of the demoralisation that set in when the invasion proceeded despite huge opposition to Australia's involvement in it.

As Moore himself told an interviewer at the Hollywood premiere of Fahrenheit 9/11, from the large amount of correspondance he was receiving from here "there are a lot of angry people in Australia". "



By Dave Riley
The Socialist Alliance

Bill Maher: Back for More (washingtonpost.com)

Bill Maher: Back for More: "Obviously the main difference between HBO's 'Real Time With Bill Maher' and TV's other topical talk shows -- serious, funny or both -- is Bill Maher. Of all the comic commentators, Maher is the gutsiest, boldest and least inhibited. And yet he avoids the cheap exhibitionism of the professional provocateurs who run rampant and riot on cable networks and talk radio stations.

On Maher's show, the wit is wittier, the barbs are barbier and the devil take the hindmost. In fact the devil once did take Maher's hindmost, in a way. ABC fired him and canceled his show 'Politically Incorrect,' predecessor to 'Real Time,' after Maher made remarks about the 9/11 terrorists that some people considered offensive.

The remarks were unwise and are best forgotten. But the good thing is, the experience hasn't tamed or intimidated Maher. Some people will always consider something offensive. It's a mark of distinction that Maher and 'Real Time' probably irk and irritate as many viewers as any other show on television. But it's responsible irking. It's irritation that often contains illumination. And Maher can be proud of that.

On Friday's season premiere of "Real Time," not all the highlights were verbal. Late in the show, Maher joined guest Michael Moore ("Fahrenheit 9/11") on the studio floor so they could both beg Ralph Nader, on their knees, not to run again. Nader just grinned that evil grin of his. Okay, not evil -- but increasingly annoying.

"The first time, I never blamed Ralph for Bush winning, though I know a lot of people did," Maher says. "But this time, everybody I know who voted for Ralph last time is not going to vote for him this time. We all got a little reality slapped into us by George W. Bush. I regret that vote now. I see it as a bratty thing to have done."


By Tom Shales
Washington Post Staff Writer

Upsize This! :: View topic - Moore & Nader on HBO's Bill Maher (Video)

Upsize This! :: View topic - Moore & Nader on HBO's Bill Maher Video: Michael Moore and Bill Maher on their knees pleading with Ralph Nader not to run for president.

Kuwait bans Fahrenheit 9/11 - Film - www.smh.com.au

Kuwait bans Fahrenheit 9/11 - Film - www.smh.com.au: "Kuwait, a major US ally in the Gulf, has banned Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 because it deems the movie insulting to the Saudi Arabian royal family and critical of America's invasion of Iraq, an official said.
'We have a law that prohibits insulting friendly nations, and ties between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are special,' Abdul-Aziz Bou Dastour, cinema and production supervisor at the information ministry, said.
Dastour said the film 'insulted the Saudi royal family by saying they had common interests with the Bush family and that those interests contradicted with the interests of the American people'.
The ministry made the decision to bar Fahrenheit 9/11 in mid-July after the state-owned Kuwait National Cinema Co. asked for the licence to show the movie. The company monopolises cinemas in Kuwait, but all movies must first be sanctioned by government censors.

The film is already playing elsewhere in the Middle East, including the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon."


Associated Press

NPR : Slate's Kausfiles: Blogging the DNC Convention (Audio)

NPR : Slate's Kausfiles: Blogging the DNC Convention: "Slate political blogger Mickey Kaus talks with NPR's Noah Adams about the speech by vice presidential candidate Sen. John Edwards at the Democratic National Convention Wednesday night, and what to expect from presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry's acceptance speech Thursday."

CNN: Publisher peeved at political parody. - Jul. 26, 2004

Publisher peeved at political parody. - Jul. 26, 2004: "NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - With something as fun as a cartoon Bush and Kerry hurling musical epithets at one another, you knew lawyers would have to get involved.
And, unfortunately for JibJab.com, they have.
You know the Jibjab thing I'm talking about, right? The flash animation movie swirling around the Internet with President George Bush and Senator John Kerry singing to the tune of Woody Guthrie's 'This Land Is Your Land.'

Bush: 'You're a liberal sissy!'
Kerry: 'You're a right wing nut job!'
Both: 'This land will surely vote for me!'

The bit is hilarious.

Unless you are The Richmond Organization, a music publisher that owns the copyright to Guthrie's tune through its Ludlow Music unit.
'This puts a completely different spin on the song,' said Kathryn Ostien, director of copyright licensing for the publisher. 'The damage to the song is huge.'

TRO believes that the Jibjab creation threatens to corrupt Guthrie's classic -- an icon of Americana -- by tying it to a political joke; upon hearing the music people would think about the yucks, not Guthrie's unifying message. The publisher wants Jibjab to stop distribution of the flash movie.

Of course the creators behind Jibjab don't agree."

ZNet |Third Party | Shattering Illusions

ZNet |Third Party | Shattering Illusions:Anti-war views were by no means rare at the Convention. Even within the narrow spectrum of the Democratic Party, ninety percent of delegates oppose the war in Iraq (according to a recent CBS/NY Times poll). Their views were barely reflected in the choreographed speeches of their elite “representatives.” Outspoken anti-war Democrat Dennis Kucinich justified ignoring the divide: “we’re going to unite our party to elect John Kerry and then we’re going to continue the debate within the Democratic Party.” (PBS Interview) So, ninety percent of the party’s rank-and-file have to compromise their position on the war to comply with the 10 percent who are represented by the powerful elite of the party. Instead of the party taking a stand based on the majority sentiment, the crucial debate over war has been relegated to internal party discussion, where it will probably fizzle out. Those on the left who advocate blind support for Kerry hand responsibility for the debate over war and occupation to the Democratic Party, whose elites have more in common with Republicans than with their own rank-and-file.

The irresponsible idealism with which the antiwar movement is throwing its support behind a pro-war Bush-like candidate is disturbing. Little attempt is being made by the Party itself to reach out to those who are unregistered or uninterested, but private groups like MoveOn.org and individuals like filmmaker Michael Moore are doing it for them, under the slogan “Anybody But Bush.” The MoveOn Political Action Committee just sent a letter to its members that “hope is on the way” in the guise of John Kerry, parroting Kerry’s own refrain (“help is on the way”) during his DNC acceptance speech. After he wins, MoveOn tells us, “we'll wake up that morning able to dream big dreams for a country and a world that are once again headed in the right direction.” Unless voters are aware of the problems of backing Kerry for President most will go home after election day, either happy that their candidate won or cynical that their actions had no effect. Being realistic about Kerry’s background may prepare activists to begin organizing now, regardless of who wins, determined to involve themselves in struggle for the long haul, if that’s what it takes.



by Sonali Kolhatkar
and James Ingalls

Joho the Blog: Video blog : DNC Blogger David Weinberger

Joho the Blog: Video blog: "David Weinberger blogged a video reply to Charles Cooper's CNET article." Active Feedback.

Dallas Peace Times June 2003: Question Authority? FBI Investigation

Dallas Peace Times June: "Matthew Bailey-Dick, 30, from Waterloo Ontario, was denied entry into the USA early on March 7, 2003, after U.S. immigration officials at Port Huron, Mich., found literature from Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) in the trunk of his rental car. The immigration officers claimed that the CPT newsletters, printed in Chicago, were 'anti-American.' They also raised concerns about a sticker on Bailey-Dick's guitar case that read, 'Question authority.'

Bailey-Dick is currently studying at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries in Goshen, Ind. He had been in Waterloo, speaking at the church he had pastored for the previous two years, Waterloo Kitchener United Mennonite Church, about his participation in the recent CPT delegation to Iraq.
Bailey-Dick was carrying a J-1 student visa, valid until the end of August 2003. U.S. immigration officers confiscated the visa, insisting that he needed a new type of visa document. They then fingerprinted and photographed him. Later that day, an immigration supervisor told Bailey-Dick that his student visa was valid, but that he was still denied entry into the USA. The supervisor said that Bailey-Dick needed to go to Detroit for an interview with an even higher-echelon U.S. immigration official."

David Rovics: Fallujah (Song)

Say whatever the f*** you want about Islamic fundamentalism or whatever your excuse is for not opening your eyes. May the world remember the heroic resistance to the occupation, Fallujah, April 2004. For Osama and Reem. May they rest in peace.

play lo-fi play hi-fi MP3 Lyrics/Story

NPR : Iraq Arms Inspector Casts Doubt on WMD Claims (Audio Interview)

NPR : Iraq Arms Inspector Casts Doubt on WMD Claims: "Jan. 25, 2004 -- David Kay, who recently resigned as head of the U.S. group searching for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, now says he doesn't think stockpiles of such weapons existed. He no longer believes that Iraq had a large-scale production program in the 1990s.

The Bush administration disagrees, and stands by its previous assessments.

Kay joins NPR's Liane Hansen for an extended discussion."

Land of the Karda: Iraqi Kurd Reviews Fahrenheit 9/11

Land of the Karda After watching Fahrenheit 9/11 I will thank the American nation for choosing G.W. Bush as president. At least we, people from ME, and you, American, have one thing in common. We both overmanned by dumb leaders. I will also thank the American army for ‘liberating’ us. Well, to the American government I have nothing to say only: “It’s true that you liberated us and now take your price (oil) and don’t come here again! After all, you divided Kurdistan in 6 peaces and killed innocent Arab people. So don't play Mr. nice guy, we already know who you are, the only country who used Nuclear weapon against humanity!

FAHRENHEIT 9/11: “Congressional Black Caucus members tried to object to the election outcome on the floor of the House; no Senator would sign the objections.”

Karda: Well, Kurds also tried to change the Iraqi government via the official ways, in 1974 for example. But the rest of the Iraqi government just didn’t listened to us. Actually they began to use the Iraqi army against Kurds in the name of Iraq; ironically Iraq is a country which was actually created by British government!


Join the international discussion

Hello Karda,

I was awaiting for an Iraqi, Kurdish reaction to the movie( I hope to see more). Where is attack-dog Vice President Dick Cheney and the Truth Squad on the movie? Moore researched very well so the Bushies (who refuse to see the movie for fear that Moore will make money with their tickets) have started a disinformation campaign, a 'whispering campaign' which is what you see here.

You have the advantage over them of having seen this movie, so you can discuss it. I thought it was brilliant.

In fairness Bush and Saddam are really totally different personalities( Bush is not so evil..Saddam is not so stupid,etc.), however I am glad for you to understand the character of our Glorious President GW Bush!
Anonymous | Email | 07.25.04 - 8:01 pm | #