Posted on 07/14/2004 4:39:38 AM PDT by kristinn
Michael Moore’s latest documentary, “Fahrenheit 9/11,” suggests the entire war in Iraq is a smoke screen for a devious political agenda.
His logic points to corruption in the Bush administration that ties the American government—inexorably and financially—to Saudi Arabia. And sold-out theatres across the United States are indicating Americans are furious and fed up.
“I’m really mad,” Terry Sabbe, a resident of International Falls, said after seeing the two-hour film last Friday. “The war in Iraq was based on a lie. I think it’s all about oil.”
Sabbe said he will be voting for John Kerry in November’s presidential election—a decision that was cemented by seeing “Fahrenheit 9/11.” And he is not alone.
“Fahrenheit 9/11” is casting doubt in the minds of even the staunchest Bush supporters despite the White House’s continual denial of the allegations.
But Moore stands by his film, which recently won the Palme D’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in France and in its opening weekend became the highest-grossing documentary of all time.
With a team of people, including three teams of lawyers and fact-checkers from “The New Yorker,” Moore has compiled a very thorough, well-researched documentary of the Bush administration and the reasons behind the war in—or, rather, liberation of—Iraq.
“I applaud Michael Moore for standing up for the little guy, standing against corporate media, and exposing this war for the sham it is,” said Lutheran pastor Tom Aitken of International Falls.
“I think you almost need something this arresting to awaken people from this sort of slumber they’re in about world politics,” he added.
As with anything that sparks so much controversy, indignant voices are racing to be heard as truth.
The right-wing website Freerepublic.com conducted a small poll, asking the question, “What kind of effect do you think the documentary film, ‘Fahrenheit 9/11,’ will have on public opinion toward the Bush administration?”
Seventy-six percent (6,309 of 8,210) voted for the option that read “Positive—this film and its director, Michael Moore, will do more damage to their own side with their distorted propaganda.”
But last week, the voices of the people outside Cine 5 in International Falls were not echoing that sentiment.
“The Vietnam war was based on the Gulf of Tonkin incident, which never took place,” said Mary Ojala. “It was a lie, it was a fraud, and so are the reasons for this war.
“I don’t think Bush should be president of the U.S.” The outraged opinions in the film are undoubtedly Moore’s, which he makes very clear. He does not claim to be objective in his pursuit of a Democratic overhaul of America.
He simply poses questions to get the American people—and people everywhere—thinking.
“For one thing, it kind of made me realize a couple of things,” said Matt Sabbe, Terry’s son, who is now 21 and can vote for the first time this year. “It was hard to see the United States president not leave the photo op when he found out [about the World Trade Center attack].
“That bugged me a lot.”
He was referring to a scene in the movie that shows Bush sitting in an elementary school classroom, reading with the children, when he is told of the attack on the twin towers.
He continued to sit there—staring blankly—as the situation escalated and the clock on the camera ticked slowly forward.
“I don’t want to vote for George,” added the younger Sabbe, looking as though he just had the wind knocked out of him. “I don’t like him anymore.”
The White House did not return calls by the Times for comment, but recently, on “Ask the White House,” U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage responded to a question that asked the White House’s response to the part of the film that shows permission given to members of the bin Laden family to fly out of the country just after Sept. 11, 2001 while the rest of the continent was still grounded.
“I did not see the film so I can’t comment on it,” was Armitage’s response.
“There were certain people from Saudi Arabia who left after 9/11, and my understanding is that the bi-partisan commission who is investigating 9/11 found nothing untoward in this departure,” he added.
Bush and his administration have been doing what they can to discredit Moore while delicately avoiding a direct answer.
Moore has suggested that perhaps the White House is hoping “Fahrenheit 9/11” will sink underneath the box office heavyweight
“Spiderman2”—or perhaps they’re hoping that the less attention they draw to the film, the better.
But as the days tick towards November’s election, the momentum is showing no signs of slowing and the coverage of the film certainly is not dwindling.
Mark Twain once said to never pick a fight with someone who buys his ink by the barrel, and it certainly has been the voice of Moore and the leftists that have been ringing most clearly since the opening of the film.
There was no one at Friday night’s screening of the movie willing to speak in support of the Bush administration.
How many of those youngsters will even make it to the polls come november?
And the Fort Francis Times will not write a follow-up article to show how their reporter Jessica A. Wilson has been proven wrong.
He'd have you believe that he was a potential Bush vote prior to seeing the propaganda piece. Yeah, right.
People stupid enough to believe this garbage (in Moore's movie) aer either already voting Democrat or have no business voting in the first place.
I won't be surprised if many who originally see the film and get mad at Pres Bush, may come around and get REALLY pissed at Moore for making them feel like idiots with their friends who knew better... as moore and moore of the film's lies and distortions come to light.
Speaking to anyon coming out of a Michael moore movie is like speaking to the monkey in their cage at the zoo.Dont expect a coherent answer.
Did you see actor Ron Silver on OReilly last night? He's a democrat who doesn't sound too happy with the far left takeover of the democratic party.
What a steaming pile, Michael Moore, the movie, and the author.
Whenever anyone asks me I will say, "I was going to vote for John Kerry until I saw him being pushed away as he tried to kiss his wife."
No, but I remember him speaking at the Citizens United rally for the troops in April, 2003. Any sane Democrat left in that party has got to be alarmed at their embrace of loons like Michael Moore.
I think there are a lot of democrats out there who are afraid of whats happening to their party. Unfortunately they've been effectively silenced.
I think you've got a good point. Moore released the movie too far from the election to let it stand unrefuted. The Kool-Aid drinkers won't change their minds, but the curious who came away believing Moore's lies will learn the truth in the coming months.
Hopefully they'll follow Zell Miller's lead.
"I'm going to vote for John Kerry before I vote against him."
Was this written by an eighth grader? The lack of ability to develop coherent arguments based on evidence and logic indicates a pre-pubescent mind.
Why not take exit polls of the Bush re-election campaign staff?
Talk about a skewed sample!
Anyone who attends a 9/11 screening should be screened for rabies.
Ron Silver has spoken up on earlier occatsions as well.
I have a dedicated liberal sister who saw the movie the other night and sent me a blistering e-mail telling me, among other things, that Bill Clinton simply lied about a blow job from an intern, whereas George Bush lied about a war that has killed thousands of men, women and children, and that I should break from my traditional feelings, go see the movie with an open mind, and think about what I am seeing.
I cannot respond to her message. I have told her before that we should not talk politics because neither one of us will ever change the other's mind, and at the time, she did agree that we should take politics off the table, but nevertheless, she has to constantly let me know how much she despises George Bush. She says she will do everything she can to remove George Bush from office. According to her he is a dangerous man.
Thankfully, I have two other sisters who think as I do. Both of them also received the same scathing e-mail. They are not going to respond to it either.
So, we are four sisters, we live in various area across the country, we see each other one or two times a year. Three conservatives to one liberal. We all love each other, and we always have a good time when we get together. But its probably a good thing that the miles separate us.
I was gonna do the same thing.
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