Union activist Michael Moore in his trademark baseball cap.
Photo: WAYNE EASTBURN / The Register-Guard
Posted on 04/22/2002 7:36:23 PM PDT by Glutton
Moore barbs target all things political
By JAIME SHERMAN
The Register-Guard
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"You've been lied to," he said, referring to political issues in the United States. "You've been lied to more than once."
Bluntly and unapologetically, Moore shared his populist views on voting, political candidates, political parties, the war on terrorism and President Bush, who he called "the dumbest man to ever be in the White House."
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Union activist Michael Moore in his trademark baseball cap. Photo: WAYNE EASTBURN / The Register-Guard |
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Speaking at the University of Oregon's Erb Memorial Union, Moore was on campus as part of a 43-city tour to promote "Stupid White Men: And Other Excuses for the State of the Nation."
His publisher originally thought the book was "too offensive" for the current political climate. Instead, it's spent several weeks in the No. 1 spot of the New York Times' best sellers' list for nonfiction.
Moore is best known for "Roger & Me," a tongue-in-cheek documentary film about General Motors and its actions in his hometown of Flint, Mich., and his show "TV Nation."
Visiting Eugene for the first time, Moore appeared on stage wearing baggy blue jeans, a gray T-shirt, running shoes and a baseball cap. He was greeted with a raucous standing ovation.
As the applause subsided, Moore commented on the EMU ballroom's small size. He had just learned that people were watching his speech through a live video link in two other rooms on campus. "You are much like me," he told the overflow crowd. "You got here late. We are the slackers. If I was coming to see me tonight, I'd be there with you."
Turning to political issues, Moore told his audience they don't have freedom of choice when voting when they only have mediocre candidates to choose from. Voters want to experience victory in the election process, so they settle for candidates who don't reflect all of their values, Moore said.
"Pretty soon we've depleted the political gene pool," he said to much laughter.
Though an unabashed Democrat, Moore gave turns loudly bashing both major parties.
"I admire Republicans, right-wingers and conservatives because they have the courage of their convictions," he said. "They don't give up, and they're ruthless in their lives. They get up early to figure out how to screw the poor. We (Democrats) are still rolling out of bed looking for the coffee."
Moore bemoaned the lack of fighters and organizers in the Democratic Party, which he said is consistently out-organized by Republicans.
He argued that the American public is actually "very liberal on the issues" despite the widely held view that the country sways toward conservative, Christian values.
"They (the American public) just don't like to vote for liberal leaders," he said.
Moore blasted Democratic leaders for trying to move toward the political center, making them nearly indistinguishable from more conservative politicians.
After labeling the 2000 presidential race a stolen election, he slammed the Bush administration's homeland security plan and questioned its policy on fighting terrorism, especially when it comes at the expense of civil liberties.
"This isn't a war on terrorism," said Moore. "This is a war on us."
Moore criticized the Homeland Security Act that Congress enacted after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and said if he ever makes T-shirts for his book tour, they'll read: "Violating the Patriotic Act All Over America."
Despite the UO venue, most of those in attendance appeared to be a non-college crowd.
Moore's speech was followed by a question-and-answer session and book signing.
UO student Jenny Jackson said she liked that Moore is willing "to bring to light questions and issues that people aren't willing to talk about right now."
No, it's BOTH, you fat, communist prick!
If nothing else you might be giving the critters that live on him a second chance.
I know you read this site to fuel the seething, corrosive hatred that consumes your every waking hour and keeps your face twisted in a perpetual sneer. One word of caution: waddling through life sheathed in blubber and bile is bad for your heart. I'd keep a watch on the ol' ticker, were I you. (Thank God I'm not.)
Seriously, Mr. Moore seems to grow ever more corpulent and bitter every time we hear from him. He's a coronary looking for a place to happen, and is on my dead list with a checkout date no later than 2005.
Yet another reason to ship him off to Cuba with Fidel and Senator Boxer.
What do you want to bet that at least one of Mr. Moore's vehicles sports a "Hate Is Not A Family Value" bumper sticker, and that he sees no irony in flaunting it about town?
Fear not, Michael. One day a Democrat will be in the White House again, you'll be invited for a visit, and the "Dumbest Man to..." title will be yours to treasure forever.
In Eugene, a couple of hundred activists with banners protesting commercial logging on public land got a one to eight faverable reaction ratio from passing drivers. Eugene is a place where people like Michael Moore are treated like kings.
It would be foolish to underestimate just how much people like Michael Moore effect political scenes in places like this metro area. I'd bet money he will never speak anywhere in a place like say, Orange County California.
I got his "Stupid White Men" book from the library (don't worry, I would never buy any of his books) and I'm reading it now. Once every 15 pages or so, he makes a mildly funny comment, but for the most part, he's pretty humorless for a humorist. He also mentions about owning both a new Beetle, and a Chrysler SUV, even though he lives in Manhattan. How many poor kids could he have fed for the cost of those cars?
Wow....12,000 clams for one speech....not bad for Michael the Marxist. Pretty soon, he'll be raking in the Clinton bucks....and I'm SUUUUREEE all that money will go to the Zapatistas, Grey Spotted Owl, and proletariat....
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