MIchael Moore's controversial "Fahrenheit 911"


It may not change minds, but it may help make some up

I have never actually seen a Michael Moore movie all the way through. I have never seen 'Roger & Me', and I started watching 'Bowling for Columbine' at my syster's house one afternoon, started getting a little depressed by it and decided to finish another day. Another day has yet to come. I never watched his TV shows either.

I have never read one of his books all the way through, although I own several...even an autographed copy.

I HAVE seen Michael Moore speak, live and in person, and you can read about that here.

Point being, I'm not that familiar with his style and really had very few expectations going in. But I knew I was a member of the choir to which Moore preaches.

Coming out, I found myself really sad, really angry and really hoping that all the people who find themselves on the fence will see it.

What Moore does famously, which moves me less, is the snarky little stunts that are designed only to put people on the spot and make them look awkward and silly. There are a few such stunts in this movie. Moore rides around in an ice cream truck, reading the Patriot Act aloud. Moore wanders street corners near the Capitol, trying to get Congresspeople to take literature for their kids on joining the military.

I don't mind any of these assholes being put on the spot and being made to look silly. But I don't fantasize that this will change a single mind out there. This is merely throwing a slab of meat to we, the hungry liberal lions, to devour.

What Moore does really well, but gets less credit for, is letting images and other voices speak for themselves. This movie brought me to tears many times. Always by either pulling my memories of 9/11 itself back to the surface or by showing me images of the war that will, like 9/11, become those memories you wish you didn't have.

And these horrific images, or poignant images, or tragic images are always juxtaposed with images of a president and an administration that seem to treat it like it's some game. I could not get over how like a child, or perhaps adolescent, Dubya seems. A sullen and arrogant adolescent who insists he knows best, despite his total lack of experience or intelligence or track record to back that contention up.

My friend Robin insists this movie won't change a single mind. And I agree it might not change the minds of the entrenched right-wing. But think it can have impact on two groups:

1. It can help a voter on the fence come down on the side of Kerry
It can do this by exposing the current administration as more than incompetent, but also corrupt, morally bankrupt. It will shine a more truthful light on Bush for those who were thinking well, gee I'm not that fond of Bush, but he seems to take a strong stand. The most telling Bush moment? At a benefit dinner speech he says: "Here we have the 'haves' and the 'have-mores.' Some people call you the elite. I call you my base." That says it all, as my friend Sanjay said.

2. It can galvanize the masses of basically liberal folks out there who are either not registered at all, or neglect to vote although registered. This movie will make you very very angry. And hopefully angry enough to get up off your ass and vote.

(Boy, Dick Cheney is right...I do feel better after cursing!)

For those who say Moore is either a) lying or b) placing the Administration in a 'damned if you do; damned if you don't' position?

a) Is he lying?

Moore makes some pretty strong statements. You can bet your life that if he were lying, he would get sued. Big time. I'm sure he approached this like any journalist and had it fact-checked and run by a legal representative. Is he showing things in the most extreme context? Sure. He doesn't deny it. He's biased. But every scene he shows or fact he utters is a real fact. Or he'd be getting the pants sued off of him. And I notice while the right-wing is fussin' and hollerin', they're not threatening legal action.

b) Is he impossible to please?

The example I've read is that he, on the one hand, decries the constant level of fear that the Bush camp tries to keep us in, and derides such measures as the color-coded levels of alerts and the Patriot Act. Then, on the other hand, he instills some fear of his own by showing us how vulnerable the state of Oregon is, and complaining about the LACK of measures being taken for homeland security.

All I can say is free your mind and think about it: Moore is NOT being hypocritical. He is simply pointing out that despite the empty talk on homeland security, the government is spending very little resources on it. Why? Because we are stretched too thin by this war in Iraq, which is being waged based on false pretenses for uncertain motives.

Moore is able to take complex concepts and express them simply. He is able to help us follow the trail of money and influence. He is able to show us how our troops are being corrupted by taking part in an immoral war, at the same time that he lauds them and asks us to support them.

There are powerful and disturbing images here of grieving mothers, injured children, wounded veterans and panicked New Yorkers on 9/11.

But perhaps one of the most powerful moments is one of the final moments. Moore shows us pictures of our troops and tells us that they serve, so that we don't have to. That they are giving this country a gift. And that the only thing they ask in return is that we never send them into harm's way unless it is absolutely necessary.

And he asks, will they ever trust us again?

Well, they'll never trust Bush again. Just as the rest of the world will never trust Bush.

This is our opportunity to rebuild that trust. And I hope Michael Moore's film helps achieve that necessary goal.

Posted: Sun - June 27, 2004 at 09:29 AM       EmailFeedback

©