INITIAL DISCLAIMER:
I have no political agenda and am not a supporter of either major party. I want the truth and when it comes to politics, I trust an outsider more than an insider, so if you care to read on, know I'm not persuading anyone. There are extremists on both sides of the Moore equation, and they both scare me. However it's posts like this one I read after seeing the film today that I must respond to.
Ignorance, by itself is shameless. I daydream from time to time about how potentially happier or content I could be if I didn't know what I know. Infant children are blessed with ignorance. You get my drift? What's dangerous is ignorance in the mind's of those who think they know what they are talking about. Here's the example that caught me today and my response:
It's self-serving, I know, but some may see its merits:
Posted by Dark Night 1955 on imdb.com message board under Fahrenheit 9/11 on 6/24/04:
I just don't understand why anybody would want to see this crap. Moore is just plain anti-Bush, if not anti American, with his outrageous behaviour. It seems the only people that rave about it are the extreme left liberals. Then I hear talk about his masterful filmmaking technique and that's why people rave about it. That doesn't make sense to me in the least.
As for his last so-called film Columbine, I came across it on cable (because I would never pay for it normally) and couldn't watch 5 minutes of it. Moore definitely has his own little world. I'd like to know his views on the terrorist beheadings. He probably blames that on Bush too. Maybe he should live in a 3rd world country for a while and then see what he has to say. I'll pay for his air fare. 1 way. by Dark Knight 1955
Arrrrrrrā??s response a few hours later:
I've seen many messages regarding Michael Moore's film, but it's ones like these that truly get me furious. Let's dissect these thoughts one by one:
"I just don't understand why anybody would want to see this crap."
-Does this ring true for everything you don't like, are you so egomaniacal you truly believe if something isn't fit for you, it's crap. You clearly don't understand.
"Moore is just plain anti-Bush, if not anti American, with his outrageous behaviour."
-You mean he doesn't like this individual politician? That shouldn't be allowed. Every President is a great one, right? By the way, it's the system not its puppet figurehead Bush, that Moore is questioning. Oh yeah, and using the term "Anti-American". Good call. I don't know where a U.S. citizen gets off criticizing the methods of his government. He sure as hell is involved enough in researching a subject he apparently despises. I'm anti-telemarketers, so I have nothing to do with them. I don't devote my life into proving to others that I don't like them. If Moore just hates America, there are plenty of other countries he could move to that would love to have him and he can afford it. Why doesn't he? Because he is a true American, one who sees things that are wrong and wants to communicate that. Oh yeah, what is meant by outrageous behavior? Is he lighting his own farts? Or is he simply investigating the corruption that exists in our government and you see that as being outrageous because you don't want to let yourself believe corruption could exist on your own soil? Guess what, it does. In every facet of big government, big business and big religion.
"It seems the only people that rave about it are the extreme left liberals."
-I'm sure it does seem that way to you. There are hard-headed, narrow-minded extreme left and right groups who use things like this documentary to make controversy and push their agendas. It is pathetically childish and I feel regret for those who buy in to either side. I make opinions for myself and I've known for a long time that neither side is right 100% of the time. But it's obvious why people do it. They feel insignificant on their own. Join a group. Surround yourself only with people who agree with everything you say. Instant feeling of importance. Sad.
"Then I hear talk about his masterful filmmaking technique and that's why people rave about it. That doesn't make sense to me in the least. As for his last so-called film Columbine, I came across it on cable (because I would never pay for it normally) and couldn't watch 5 minutes of it."
-I work in the industry and talk films with people constantly. I have yet to hear anyone, even the most avid Michael Moore supporters, consider Moore a masterful filmmaker. We are not talking about Ingmar Bergman here. The only masterful "technique" Moore employs is using film as his medium. Like it or not, film is far and away the most effective medium of reaching a mass audience in modern American culture. There may be another Kerouac out there, but no one's reading.
"So-called film Columbine"-yes it's a film, shot on film and projected for exhibition on film. Everyone refers to it as a film. Why am I wasting time pointing out this juvenile nonsense.
"I came across it on cable(because I would never pay for it normally)
-OK this is a real doosey, and I'll attempt to be concise. First of all if you "never" do something, there is no "normally". "I would never jump out of a plane, normally." "I would never shoot heroin, normally." "I would never cheat on my wife, normally." Do any of these statements sound valid to you? No? Then why should yours? And whenever someone says they "came across something on TVā? that means they planned to watch but are embarrassed by the potential reaction of their peers. Everyone has walked into a room of a friend or relative watching some late-night softcore movie, with remote in hand, and quickly explain without being asked that they were in the middle of flipping channels. Please.
"Couldn't watch five minutes of it"
If the film is 100 minutes or more, which it is, that means you are confident you have a valid opinion on less than 5% of a subject. That is scary. So vocal about less than 5% of something. If I saw 5% of the "Mona Lisa", which more or less would be one of her hands, should I be commenting on the whole painting? I think not. If someone handed me a tire from their car, can I truly visualize the car? What do you think?
"Moore definitely has his own little world."
-yeah, and apparently millions wants to know about it. How many want to know what you think? Maybe your world is even smaller?
"I'd like to know his views on the terrorist beheadings. He probably blames that on Bush too."
-No, you've stated clearly you would not like to know his views, he's made four films and apparently you've seen 5% of one. If you'd really like to know, just watch the body of his work. If you include his show TV Nation, and his books, you can know his views on everything in one weekend. Secondly, how do you have the audacity to take a horrific matter like these beheadings and lump it in with your opinion saying he "probably blames Bush". That is an ignorant disgusting comment and I don't care who we are talking about. You don't assume things like that about people. If it's true, fine, use it. But in order to legitimize your opinion, you just don't get to guess.
"Maybe he should live in a 3rd world country for a while and then see what he has to say. I'll pay for his air fare."
-If he lived in a third world country that was unjustifiably invaded and occupied by US Government, where innocent children died, and an entire way of life eradicated so this outside force could seize their oil, he would probably say "this sucks." So would I and I pray you would too. I don't want to assume, but are you saying Michael Moore should shut up and be grateful for what America provides for him? Are you suggesting strong-arming these lesser developed countries of their natural resources in order to make it affordable here is enough validation to invade? We are bullies, We have cell phones, SUV's, golf clubs, plasma TV's, et al, at a cost to people whom we will never meet, whose cultures we will never attempt to understand. Get that though your thick skull. Your way of life is so littered with conveniences, your focus is to hold on to them, because you don't want to live in a 3rd world way. Well guess what? Our way of live is why they have to deal with their way of life. Next time you go to Wal-Mart, look at how much stuff you can buy for your home or to wear and look at the amount of things being produced in these 3rd world countries. It's affordable to you cause these workers don't get paid a living wage and they pass the savings on to you. But I digress.
My main point is this. Michael Moore is a guy who snuck though the cracks of what, BELIEVE ME, is a tightly controlled media. He's a committed, passionate person no matter what side he's on. And it is necessary for a voice like his in this climate. Not a voice tied to a certain party, but a voice from a citizen outside the congressional box. I wish his films were anonymous so people could not help but separate the work from the auteur. But I'd rather people know who he is rather than know who won American Idol. He's creating awareness, and he's lighting a fire underneath those apathetic citizens who, before, felt helpless. Myself included.
It's apparent the American public is enamored with scrutinizing every move of Hollywood celebrities, what are Ben and J-Lo up to, what dress is so and so wearing, what does Tom Cruise like to eat for breakfast? If the public put half the amount of scrutiny into political matters, if these matters were the subjects of lunchtime chats for most citizens, then our government won't get away with as much corruption, and our media won't succeed in spinning it to manipulate us.
Think about what you love most in life, and think about how far you would go to protect and nurture it. I'm not saying the man be canonized, but that's the relationship I see between Michael Moore and the Unites States. Technological progress is useless at this point, we have everything we need and we still don't have enough time. The monolith is back and it's time to choose the next direction of mankind. I vote for social progress, how about you?
It's just one example, and to balance it out, I'll find a radical left wing post to knock down. These sides aren't ever going to change anything. It's the folks on the fence who are the overwhelming majority and they need to start reacting and having their voices heard.
