Posted on 07/02/2004 10:03:19 AM PDT by churchillbuff
ASHLAND, Ore. – Whooping and hollering greeted Michael Moore's statement that his virulently anti-Bush film "Fahrenheit 9/11" beat out Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ."
"I think Jesus had something to do with that," said Moore during Monday's meeting at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Ore., part of a national event sponsored by MoveOn.org. Comparing the initial attendance stats for the two films – and accentuating the one or two measures by which, says Moore, "Fahrenheit" edged out "Passion" – Moore boasted: "I've been feeling for a month He's been very upset at the [selling of] that movie. So I think it was His own little payback this weekend."
A self-described "practicing Catholic," Moore said his film barely nosed out "The Passion," but what surprised WND columnist and talk show host Bob Just, who attended Monday's meeting and recorded it, was the wild cheering at the news.
"You definitely felt the hostility in the room toward traditional Christians," said Just, a former liberal, now-conservative Democrat – and also a Christian. "At one point, Moore boasted that his film so infuriated one man that he threw his shoe at the image of George W. Bush on the screen."
"Hot Enough For You?" screamed the headline of one campus flyer. "Then Organize." Moveon.org's flyer was even more blunt: "Michael Moore wants to know: Are you ready to turn up the heat on George W. Bush?"
The Oregon campus meeting Just attended was billed as a "House Party." Local attendance was estimated at several hundred people, but according to Moveon.org, nationwide there were enough people connected online that night to fill a football stadium.
"In living rooms and meeting halls across America," proclaimed the flyer, "we'll be joining Michael for a live, interactive, on-line discussion of his film. You'll also be give an opportunity to make a real difference in this election, by joining in an intensive voter registration and education drive."
Most of Moore's conversation was geared toward taking not only the presidency this fall, but perhaps even Congress as well.
A large screen displayed the computer hook-up as the audience looked on. At several points the transmission went down or became garbled.
Students and others who came for the promised "open discussion in film rhetoric" were first heavily pressured to join the Moveon effort. Each audience participating was asked to collect its group leader statistics and upload them in the computer, which flashed the results by locality. Likewise, each group was called on to recruit more people and expand its numbers.
"Take that day off on November second," Moore exhorted. "And take, you know, take five non-voters to the polls. You know who they are. They're your friends, your family members, people you go to school with. Just commit now to convincing them. Tell them, you're at work or whatever, it's at noontime, tell them, 'Hey, let's all, come on with me. I'll buy everybody lunch,' you know, or if it's at night, you know – "free beer for everybody that comes vote with me right now!" You know, just get creative. Do whatever it is you gotta do!"
Republicans, says Just, have been trying recently to write off the "Gore-Moore left" as a "coalition of the wild-eyed." But, "it is more serious than that. All you have to do is see Moore's movie and you'll know you've entered into an alternate reality," adds Just, who has a masters degree in film from NYU Institute of Film and Television.
In fact, even reputable liberal pundits are stepping forward to denounce "Fahrenheit's" inaccuracy, from Christopher Hitchen to Ellen Goodman to The Washington Post's Richard Cohen.
"Moore's depiction of why Bush went to war is so silly and so incomprehensible that it is easily dismissed," Cohen wrote in yesterday's Post. "As far as I can tell, it is a farrago of conspiracy theories. But nothing is said about multiple U.N. resolutions violated by Iraq or the depredations of Saddam Hussein. In fact, prewar Iraq is depicted as some sort of Arab folk festival – lots of happy, smiling indigenous people. Was there no footage of a Kurdish village that had been gassed? This is obscenity by omission."
Hitchens called the film a "sinister exercise in moral frivolity, crudely disguised as an exercise in seriousness," while Newsweek joined in this week with a headline, "More Distortions from Michael Moore."
"But remember this," Moore told the youthful audience, which filled the Brit Ballroom on the Southern Oregon campus. "The other side, they are organized! And they're really, I mean, they are historically, uh, much better at this than we are. They are up at the crack of dawn, uh, trying to figure out what group of Americans they're going to hurt today."
"By their fruit you shall know them"
So true.... thanks for that!
Moore beat the Bush Administration and the Passion of Christ. Will he get a Cabinet position in the Kerry Administration?
No, there won't be FALLOUT, but if there are enough hipboots and manure trucks on hand, it'll surprise ME!
Is that anything like a moderate Muslim? <;)
In other words, they won't personally cut off your head, but they won't say a word when others do.
If Michael Moore is a churchgoer, it's only to gorge at the after-service punch and cookie reception.
Why the question mark? Moore is a liberal leftwinger and they all lie
Oddly, as I read this, I swear I heard a voice saying "Joseph Goebbels wants to know: Are you ready to turn up the heat on the Jews?"
I just had a really indecent thought...what if MM woke up to find that laying next to him?
Sorry.
Some might say that His hand is in everything.
very true, very true indeed
Quoting CaryGrant in Father Goose:
All of them, Frank!
I have said several times in the past few years that the fact that I will probably never get within spitting distance of Bill Clinton is a good thing for us both.
In the case of MOOre, I would say the same -- but substituting "projectile vomiting" for "spitting."
Moore oughta know. After all, as a self-confessed liberal, Moore's "tolerance and compassion" is legendary. Fahrenheit 9/11 just reeks of Moore's humanity and his love for his fellow man. Moore's remarks are touching-----in his eyes, Moore is a great human being out to secure goodness in the world (end of Moore satire).
What saturates Moore's every move----his self-promoting public statements and the contents of his so-called "documentaries"----is a sense that he is driven by his ego and that he is convinced of his own superiority. Moore and only Moore's views must prevail; all other opinions simply cannot be tolerated.
One has the feeling Moore is constantly seeking revenge on the world ---- maybe because the corpulent wannabe can't even begin to compete as an intellectual, to secure the allegiance of American minds to his spurious causes. Neither can Moore compete as a sexed-up dreamboat. That must rankle him the most. You keep wondering---was this troll able to get a date for the senior prom?
Moore is little more than a divider and rumor-monger. His films are notorious for their lack of authenticity and for Moore's willingness to tweak the truth to come up with a saleable product. That he has been successful---by Follywood standards--- shows the efficacy of being a divider and rumor-monger.
If nothing else, Moore is a role model and a powerful reminder of the wisest of Biblical proscriptions against these practices.
Exactly what I was thinking. If I were a fat dude like Michael Moore & if I were going around boasting about "beating" the Passion, I'd get an asbestos suit ASAP.
He's a buffoon,
but he's dangerous.
Sort of glad he's this stupid.
THE FATHER doesn't take kindly to attitudes like his.
Father God, please let Moore fall into his own cesspool at the earliest fitting moment and preferably on prime time!
Geeze! Summa that sounded like me!!! (grin) Especially the opinion part.
Yes... He's up to perpetual malicious, malevolent MISCHIEF!!! Why, he's the veritable "Devil's Disciple!" One has to believe that of all these turds that hate the great United States of America with such mis-spent, ignorant, liberal passion!!!
Don't know if it's been mentioned yet, but what I find the most interesting is that F9/11's numbers are still "estimate"s. Even the past weekend's. Even SpideyII's Wednesday numbers are firm. But not one F9/11 date has lost the "estimate": http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=daily&id=fahrenheit911.htm
Regardless, it's still, much to my chagrin, making more than I thought it would.
Hell no I'm not listening to you! You made me feel bad for answering "Liz" on this thread before reading your postulation and thereby making things worse!!! (grin)
"What's up??? Did I miss some news???"
Sorry. Just joking that Moore is having delusions of grandeur, comparing himself to Jesus, and soon he'll be to the point where the men in white coats will take him away. After further thought, may be he'll start a new religion.
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